Kids and parents alike celebrate Bournemouth’s new coding dojo
On Saturday 11th September, families flocked to the heart of Boscombe to celebrate the grand opening of a brand-new kids coding studio – Code Ninjas. Launched by local STEM guru Neil Carrington, the family-focused business owner was determined to make it a day to remember for video-game-loving kids in his community.
“It’s amazing to see how our ninjas - the name we give to our students - are progressing in our dojo during these tough times. Last year was challenging for everyone but for kids it will have been especially difficult. To be able to celebrate the launch of the first kids coding hub in our community now that restrictions have eased was a real highlight. The Code Ninjas team and I were proud to welcome so many local families on the day and want to thank them for celebrating our launch with us.
“At Code Ninjas, we want our kids to develop a real passion for technology, so while the whole programme is loads of fun, it is also very educational. They are learning the language of the future - we want to give kids a gift that lasts a lifetime. Having worked in the community as a STEM specialist for a number of years, I truly believe that technological education is the future. That’s why we aim to teach children aged 5-14 to think and solve STEM problems using coding, engineering and robotics. Learning about computers at such a young age is crucial because it helps build the vital foundations for future success,” said Neil.
Amongst the crowd on the opening day was the Mayor of Bournemouth, Councillor David Kelsey, who got involved in the fun, free coding activities and kicked off the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Children were then invited to participate in a whole host of fun activities including robot building, drone piloting, video-game creation and other STEM challenges. With the Code Ninjas coding studio based inside the Science Zone at the Royal Arcade in Boscombe town centre, families took full advantage of the engaging and exciting activities on offer.
One parent, Emma Rose, who brought her children along on the day, said "What a great experience! My 6-year-old and 12-year-old loved it - and so did I. I can't wait to bring them back. They tailored the sessions to the interest of the children, which was great!" Another parent said, "Thank you, my son enjoyed the trial and he's looking forward to getting started next week."
Code Ninjas is the fastest-growing kids coding brand in the world, with 400 other like-minded business owners, like Neil, launching their own kids coding locations across the US, Canada and, since 2019, the UK. Code Ninjas in Boscombe is the first of its kind in the town – and a much-needed digital hub for tech-loving kids living locally.
“Our ninjas can attend sessions up to twice a week, but our timings are flexible, which means you don’t have to come at the same time or on the same day. To offer parents in our local community some relief, we also provide 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 now that lockdown restrictions have eased. We want them to know that this is a safe place to leave their kids while they go out for the evening.”
“We’re here to guide the children through our exciting curriculum and, with the help of our team of Code SenseisTM, truly put the Science Zone on the map for kids’ technological education,” explained Connor Skerman, the studio director at Code Ninjas Boscombe.
The Code Ninjas mantra is ‘kids have fun, parents see results®’ – for the Code Ninjas Bournemouth team, this isn’t just a motto, but a commitment.
To sign up or find out more about Code Ninjas, visit: www.codeninjas.co.uk/bournemouth-dor-uk