In a world obsessed with screens, it’s important to pick our battles—and to know when skipping the screen is actually an option. As a software engineer, I’ve always wanted to share my passion and teach my kids to code. But I didn’t want them glued to a screen all the time, so I sought out as many screen-free coding resources as I could.
As a result, books have become an incredibly important part of our coding journey, and I’ve curated a list of some of the unplugged coding books that could play an important role in your kid’s coding education as well. Whether you’re a homeschooling parent, a teacher looking for unplugged lessons, or just hoping to cut down on screen time, this list of the best unplugged coding books in 2025 has you covered.
I’ve taken a picture of a page or two from each book that I feel best sums up what you should consider about it. Get ready for a blend of logic, problem-solving, and creativity—all without a single line of digital code!
Why Choose Unplugged Coding Books?
Unplugged coding books have been some of my most valuable resources for teaching my kids to code! And when I say unplugged coding books, I mean books that teach coding concepts completely screen-free—not books that walk kids through using a computer. Those have their place, but that’s not what we’re covering today.
These books take a hands-on, interactive approach, using games, puzzles, and activities to teach programming concepts. Without the distractions of screens, kids slow down and really think through problems—often grasping the concepts more deeply than they would through an app or game.
Beyond computational thinking, many of these books incorporate storytelling, which helps kids develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and perseverance. So, let’s dive in!
Best Unplugged Coding Books
Code Play Book Series by Caroline Karanja
The Code Play series follows two friends, Adi and Gabi, as they learn coding concepts through everyday adventures—sorting toys (Adi Sorts with Variables), planting a garden (Gabi’s If/Then Garden), building a train track (Adi’s Perfect Patterns and Loops), and cooking dinner (Gabi’s Fabulous Functions). Coding is woven naturally into real-world problem-solving, making it intuitive and engaging.
We’ve had these books for years, and I love them. I always stress that coding concepts are best taught in relation to real-world problems. Too often, we settle for “arrange the arrows so the monkey gets the banana,” but that strips coding of its creativity and purpose. At its core, engineering is about making life better and helping others—this series captures that beautifully. It gives the soul back to coding.
Final Verdict: Great if you have kids under 8 years old and you want to bring coding concepts into your everyday life.
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
Disney Coding Adventures by Allyssa Loya
These Disney-inspired books each tackle a different coding concept—Wreck-It Ralph introduces debugging, Olaf explores algorithmic thinking, and Dory dives into loops, among others.
They’re highly thematic, so if your kids love these characters, they’ll be all in. The activities are simple and a bit repetitive, making them best suited for younger elementary kids. Many parents rave about them—I had a slightly harder time. The fact that many activities involve getting out a separate piece of paper and drawing grids and things kind of isn’t a draw (haha) for me… but if Disney magic keeps your kids engaged, this could be a great fit for your family!
Final Verdict: If you have a Disney-crazy kid, this might be the one for you!
Get it on Amazon | Thrift Books
Hello Ruby by Linda Liukas
This is a 2-in-1 book! First, an adorable story follows Ruby, a curious little girl, as she explores the inner world of a computer with her tiny mouse friend. Think Ant-Man meets StoryBots with a dash of Pippi Longstocking, uncovering everything from electricity and bits to logic, computer architecture, and software. The second half is packed with craft-based activities that reinforce these concepts in a hands-on way.
I have to admit—I’m obsessed with this book. Most of the others I already owned, but I checked this one out from the library just for this review… and now I need to buy it. The creative, whimsical approach makes complex ideas so approachable. The activities are fun too—they would be a great companion for Salt & Lightspeed’s laptop dissection, though they focus on different aspects. Best of all, kids can grow into it. My 4-year-old enjoys the story without fully grasping the concepts, while my 8- and 9-year-olds listen to the same story and get a solid introduction to how computers work.
Final Verdict: If you have 3-8 year old, I think this one’s a clear win.
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
Usborne Lift-the-flap Computers and Coding by Rosie Dickins and Shaw Nielsen
In this lift-the-flap book, kids explore computers and coding in a fun, interactive way. They’ll learn how computers work, what coding is, how the internet functions, the basics of binary, and even a bit of computer history.
Usborne is already a master of lift-the-flap books, and this one is no exception! Every page is packed with information, but what really makes it shine is how interactive it is—kids don’t just read about concepts, they experience them. Best of all, it grows with them—it’s fun enough for my 4-year-old to love flipping through it, but it’s info-packed enough for my 9-year-old to enjoy and learn from it.
Final Verdict: In my experience, this one is an insta-win for any kids under 10.
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Coding! By Alex Woolf
This colorful book isn’t about how to code so much as what coding is and where it came from. With fun illustrations on every page, it introduces kids to the great minds behind computers, key innovations, and concepts like debugging, hacking, and the internet. There’s a ton of great info packed in!
That said, it is a lot. The mix of fonts, blurbs, snippets, and comics can feel a bit chaotic, so I’d recommend tackling just a page or two at a time. But there’s so much great information here—so much to sink your teeth into. It does a fantastic job of framing coding’s place in history, an aspect often overlooked.
Think about it: would you learn basketball without ever hearing about Michael Jordan? Watching his games? Letting his legacy inspire you? That’s how most people approach coding, and they’re missing out on some of the best lessons. If you want a book that brings coding’s history to life in a fun, visual way, this one delivers.
Final Verdict: If you have a strong reader in the house or do something like a morning basket and read it aloud as a family, get it! The info is hard to beat.
Get it on Amazon | Thrift Books
Kids Get Coding Series by Heather Lyons and Elizabeth Tweedale
The Kids Get Coding series walks kids through coding basics with several books covering different topics. Learn to Program introduces fundamental coding concepts, Online Safety for Coders covers internet safety, Coding, Bugs, and Fixes sounds like it focuses on debugging but actually takes a broader look at coding fundamentals, and A World of Programming explores how computers work. There are a few others, but those are the ones I’ve seen personally.
These books aren’t the most creative way to learn coding, but they get the job done. The activities—like navigating a sailboat around a grid or drawing if statements from a hat—teach coding through the visual Scratch format, with concepts that apply more broadly. The biggest strength of this series is its breadth, especially its inclusion of online safety, which many other books skip. The colorful pages make it kid-friendly, but it’s not as naturally engaging as some of the other books on this list. The structured activities would work well in a classroom, but it’s not the kind of book most kids would pick up just for fun.
Final Verdict: If you plan to introduce this as a teacher or parent, it could be a great addition to your curriculum!
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
Usborne STEM Technology Scribble Book by Alice James and Tom Mumbray
This book tackles more than just coding. It covers bits, binary, conditional logic, and algorithms, but also dives into broader topics like the internet, innovation, cryptography, transportation tech—even deep concepts like Markov chains, data mining, and CGI in movies.
The activities are super immersive. Kids design and draw their own innovations, solve puzzles and mazes, and build paper models. Some activities directly practice skills, while others are more concept-inspired, but all of them are hands-on, clear, and thought-provoking. My favorite? Kids get to imagine and create their own problem-solving robots. Will this book teach coding in depth? No. Will it spark creativity and get kids excited about engineering? Absolutely. BTW, the STEM Starters for Kids series is very similar to this one. I have several of those books as well. I like the Usborne version a tad better, but the STEM Starters might be easier to find, and I hear they have an actual coding book.
Final Verdict: Great if you have a kid who likes activity books, or if you have a road trip coming up!
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
Bonus Picks: Books that Inspire Perseverance and Creativity
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
This charming book follows a determined little girl and her loyal pug sidekick as they set out to invent the most magnificent thing. But there’s a problem—no matter how hard she tries, reality never quite matches the brilliant idea in her head. She builds, fails, tweaks, and tries again… and again… and—well, I don’t want to give it away!
I love this book! So much so that I squeezed it onto a list of unplugged coding books—even though it’s not about coding. But here’s the thing: it kind of is. Coding takes technical skill, sure, but it also takes grit – pushing through frustration, failure, and even the occasional smashed finger [read more about the habits that make a great engineer here]. Stories like this help kids process those tough moments before they hit, teaching them to see failure as part of the path to success.
Final Verdict: If your kids are into picture books, this is a win, whether you want to dive deeper into coding or not.
Get it on Amazon | Publisher | Thrift Books
Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen
This book follows a girl named Violet and her trusty dog, Orville, as she builds an incredible plane. She’s always been a bit different—laughed at, bullied, and made fun of—but she refuses to let the naysayers get to her. Winning the air show is all that matters.
But when she comes across people in need, Violet faces a choice that makes her rethink what’s truly important.
This book is similar to The Most Magnificent Thing, but instead of focusing on the frustration that comes with invention, it explores what it’s like to feel like an outsider—when others don’t understand your ideas and even make fun of you. Of course, that feeling isn’t just for engineers; every kid experiences it at some point, making this story universally relatable.
Beyond that, the book also highlights what engineering is truly about. At a pivotal moment, Violet faces a choice: use her invention to win a prize or help people in need. It’s a powerful reminder that engineering, at its core, is meant to make people’s lives easier and solve real problems.
Final Verdict: If you have a kid under 10, get it, easy peasy.
Get it on Amazon | Thrift Books
How to Pick the Right Unplugged Coding Book for Your Child
With so many great options, how do you pick the best one for your child? Here are a few things to consider:
- Age & Reading Level – Some books, like Hello Ruby, work across multiple ages, while others, like Code Play, are best for younger kids.
- Learning Style – Does your child enjoy stories? Hands-on activities? Structured lessons? A mix? Books like The Most Magnificent Thing focus on perseverance, while Usborne STEM Scribble Book leans into interactive problem-solving.
- Depth of Concept – If you’re looking for a light introduction, Disney Coding Adventures might be perfect. If you want a deeper dive into computer science, You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Coding! is a great pick.
- Interests & Engagement – A child who loves puzzles might enjoy Kids Get Coding, while a hands-on learner might prefer Usborne Lift-the-Flap Computers and Coding.
No single book covers everything, but choosing a couple that match your child’s interests can make all the difference!
Conclusion
Unplugged coding books prove that learning to code doesn’t have to mean more screen time. Whether through storytelling, hands-on activities, or interactive puzzles, these books introduce kids to the logic and creativity behind coding in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
No matter which book you choose, the key is to make coding feel like an adventure—not just another school subject. If kids see coding as a tool for solving problems, creating cool things, and bringing their ideas to life, they’ll be much more likely to stick with it.
Now, go find a book (or two) and start exploring the world of coding—no screens required!