Code Ninjas Kenton launch is great news for kids and parents
To the delight of Minecraft, Roblox, Python and coding fanatics alike, a brand-new kids’ coding studio, Code Ninjas, has opened in Kenton with its formal grand opening event on 17th April. The launch event is a welcome sign that Kenton’s high street is taking its first step back towards normality and great news for kids and parents alike! The business has been helping kids throughout COVID-19, allowing children to have fun and learn through these tough times.
Local married couple Sunil Kumar and Neha Dewan, who launched the business, have been helping to teach children how to build drones, robots and even develop their own apps. Sunil is a coding specialist who has worked in IT all his career, whilst Neha has a background in teaching. With coding so close to Sunil’s heart and Neha’s passion for education, it is clear the digital-loving duo are the perfect pair to bring a new, quality kids’ coding curriculum to Kenton.
“The past year has been difficult for everyone, but we believe that launching our coding school will bring lots of joy to kids and give them a platform to chase their technical dreams. We helped families during the tough times and will continue to do so,” explained Sunil. “Children have more confidence when it comes to digital technology and gaming than we ever did, and that passion is worth encouraging. When I first started learning to code it was boring and complicated, which is why we are offering kids a chance to learn the latest technology, whilst emphasising how fun it can be! We want kids to have fun and parents to see the results.”
“We just want kids to enjoy being kids! It has been so difficult for children and parents in recent times, what with home-schooling and time away from their friends. Therefore, we have made Code Ninjas inclusive to everyone and helped as many kids as we could over the last few months. Our curriculum is built to support children to learn the next generation’s language of coding, something that is missing from the school curriculum. There are so many after-school and weekend clubs for football or dance, but not so many for avid gamers like our son, Shaarav.” explained Neha.
As you can imagine, Code Ninjas is not your typical education destination. Studios are called dojos, teachers are called Code Senseis®, and students - or ninjas - work through a colour-coded programme to earn wristbands – or belts – just like in martial arts! ‘Belt-up’ ceremonies mark a ninja’s graduation to the next level. Most important of all, the entire curriculum is based on learning through fun. The programme is aimed at kids aged 5-14 and focuses on building their teamwork, communication and individual learning skills - all things that will help them in later life.
“To offer parents in our local community some relief, we are going to be providing a welcome service for local families, called Parents’ Night Out. Essentially, parents drop their children off with us after school for a few hours, whilst we work through some fun activities and sort out their dinner. This is our way of giving back to the mums and dads in our area, who all deserve a break after such a tough year. We want them to know that this is a safe place to leave their kids while they go out for some well-deserved time off!” added Neha.
Ninjas can attend sessions up to twice a week at a time that is convenient for the whole family – rather than having to commit to the same day and time every week. The studio will also be open on weekends, allowing families to make the most of the handy central location on Kenton Road.
The husband-and-wife team are already having a big impact on their local community. They have taken on seven Senseis and will eventually look to increase this to 10 to ensure their ninjas have the attention and support they need.