💻 Coding · 📱 Kids' phones, watches, tablets and speakers · 🏫 Classroom tools
Microsoft MakeCode (micro:bit, Minecraft and more)
By Microsoft. Visit Microsoft MakeCode (micro:bit, Minecraft and more)
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A family of free browser code editors from Microsoft. Kids drag blocks, then switch to JavaScript or Python, to program a BBC micro:bit, Adafruit boards and other small devices, or to write mods in Minecraft that make an Agent robot build, dig and spawn mobs. A simulator shows the result on screen, so no hardware is needed to start. Each editor has tutorials and full courses, including an Intro to CS course for Minecraft. (MakeCode Arcade has its own listing.)
Our take: A strong free choice for kids who want code to make something happen in the real world or in Minecraft; skip the Minecraft editor if you have no Education license.
Checked in a browser
A browser check on 2026-10-25: what loads, the ads and trackers we saw, and what a child meets first. Not a hands-on test.
| Child safety: 4 out of 5 | No ads; a page of coding starting points with links out to 17 sites, including TikTok, Twitch and Xbox in the footer. |
|---|---|
| Data: 2 out of 5 | Google's ad tracker (ad.doubleclick.net), Adobe audience and analytics services (demdex, omtrdc) and Contentsquare session analytics loaded before the cookie notice was answered. |
| Ease: 4 out of 5 | Clear 'Start coding' links for each kind of project, with big example blocks. |
| Cost honesty: 4 out of 5 | Free; one option requires Minecraft Education, and Microsoft store links appear. |
What we found
- Contacted 10 outside sites, including doubleclick.net, demdex.net, omtrdc.net and Contentsquare/Clicktale.
- Set 27 cookies, with third-party cookies from Bing and demdex.
- Links out to 17 sites, among them TikTok, Twitch, Xbox and Copilot.
- The Minecraft option is marked '*Requires Minecraft Education'.
From the test: A free, ad-free door into kids' coding, though Microsoft's landing page loads ad and audience trackers; the editor itself (makecode-arcade) loads none.
| Ages it suits | about 8-16 |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | No account needed. Optional sign-in uses a Microsoft, Google or Clever account; Microsoft's privacy statement says a child under 13 (or older where local law says) needs a parent's consent for a Microsoft account. MakeCode for Minecraft requires Minecraft Education, which schools license. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free (Oct 2026). Hardware such as a micro:bit is bought separately; MakeCode for Minecraft needs a Minecraft Education license. |
| Works on | Web, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, A device |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI in the editors; the Minecraft course includes lessons about artificial intelligence. |
What's good
- Free, no sign-in, no ads
- Smooth path from blocks to JavaScript and Python
- Simulator works before you buy any hardware
- Big library of tutorials and classroom courses
Watch for
- The Minecraft version needs a school Minecraft Education license
- Physical projects need hardware bought separately
- Sign-in ties into Big Tech accounts
Data and privacy
Covered by the Microsoft Privacy Statement, which says Microsoft does not show personalized ads to anyone whose account says they are under 18 and lets parents view and delete a child's data. Without signing in, projects are saved in the browser. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study of MakeCode itself was found; the maker offers free courses and lesson plans.
In the Big Index
- On the list Top 10 setups for a child who wants an AI to answer their questions
- On the list 10 AI reading apps and reading coaches for kids
- On the list 14 AI tools that help kids with learning differences
- The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers
- Microsoft Learning Tools and Immersive Reader
- Study and Learn: AI built for your student
- Microsoft Family Safety
- The maker in the who's who: Microsoft
Alternatives to Microsoft MakeCode (micro:bit, Minecraft and more)
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7 Billion Humans
Tomorrow Corporation · ages about 10 and up
A great buy for puzzle-loving kids 10 and up who are ready to think like a programmer; younger children will do better with block-based coding games.
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Adafruit Circuit Playground Express
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A low-cost, flexible first electronics board for kids 8+ with a helper; kids who want a guided kit may prefer a subscription box.
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Adafruit Learning System
Adafruit Industries · ages about 10 and up with an adult
A top free resource for families building electronics together; kids should not work through it alone.
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Arduino Education
Arduino S.r.l. (owned by Qualcomm) · ages about 7-18+ (varies by kit)
A strong choice for schools and teens serious about electronics; younger kids or tight budgets may start with a micro:bit or Circuit Playground.
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Arduino UNO Q
Arduino · ages about 13 and up with some coding experience
A good next step for teens who already know Arduino and want to add AI vision; true beginners should start with a classic UNO or a starter kit.
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BBC micro:bit
Micro:bit Educational Foundation · ages about 8-14
One of the best-value ways for 8- to 14-year-olds to learn coding and simple machine learning, with privacy-first tools; very young children will need help.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/makecode
- https://makecode.com/about
- https://makecode.microbit.org/
- https://makecode.microbit.org/identity/sign-in
- https://minecraft.makecode.com/setup
- https://minecraft.makecode.com/about
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/terms-of-use
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.