Type: Empirical,Review Article

Purpose: To explore the meaning and potential impact of learning coding/programming for younger students.

Findings: There isn't a simple answer to the question that the title of this paper poses, although it is clear from a variety of evidence that some exposure to programming before about 12 years old is both worthwhile and feasible.

Recommendations: The age at which coding should be taught can depend on many factors, including the learning tools used, context, teacher training and confidence, culture, specific skills taught, how engaging an the Initial Learning Environment (ILE) is, how much it lets students explore concepts for themselves, and whether opportunities exist to continue learning after an early introduction.