Maths can be a Marmite subject: you either love it or hate it. It’s often assumed that kids who are not maths whizzes will also find coding tough, but the truth is you can learn coding without being particularly good at maths. 

While some areas of programming use advanced mathematics, most children and beginners can start learning to code with basic maths skills.

Coding is about problem solving

At its heart, coding is about giving a computer a set of instructions to achieve a particular result. Learning to break a problem into smaller steps, spot patterns, test ideas and work out why something is not working can be just as important as mathematical ability.

For younger children, coding can begin with visual programming, games, animations and simple robotics projects. These activities help children understand concepts such as sequences, logic, conditions and repetition without requiring complicated equations.

Maths can be useful, but it isn't everything

There are certainly areas of computing where maths becomes important. Data science, artificial intelligence, graphics, engineering and some specialist programming fields can involve advanced mathematical concepts.

However, children learning coding at school, in an after-school club or at a holiday camp do not need to master these subjects first. They can develop their coding and mathematical understanding alongside one another.

In fact, practical coding projects can sometimes make mathematical ideas easier to understand. Seeing how numbers, patterns, coordinates or measurements work within a game or robot can give abstract concepts a real-world purpose.

Learning through making

Coding is particularly accessible when children learn by creating something themselves. Building a game, programming a robot or designing an animation gives them a reason to experiment, make mistakes and try again.

The important question isn't whether a child is already brilliant at maths. It's whether they are curious, willing to experiment and interested in finding out how things work.

With the right support and plenty of opportunities to create, coding can be a skill that children of many different abilities can enjoy developing.