Coolest Projects brings together young digital makers from around the world to share the things they have imagined, designed, coded, and created. Young creators all over the world can take part in the annual Coolest Projects online showcase, and in-person Coolest Projects events also run in several countries.

From Scratch games and websites to AI experiments and physical computing builds, the projects on display reflect young people’s incredible curiosity and creativity. However, for many young people, Coolest Projects is more than a showcase. It’s a chance to build confidence, talk proudly about something they have made, and see that they are part of a global community of creators.

Coolest Projects 2026 events in Ireland and the UK

This year, Coolest Projects returned to Ireland in April, and the UK in May. The atmosphere across both events was full of energy — tables covered in projects, conversations buzzing between creators and mentors, families cheering each other on, and young people proudly explaining how they solved problems, fixed bugs, or brought an idea to life.

“The biggest impact on our Code Club creators is the belief that they can do it. A couple of the children were so nervous about coming here and speaking to the judges, and now one of them has been filmed by the big TV crew, and she wouldn’t stop talking! It’s lovely to see.”
– Rachael Coultart, Code Club leader, St Nicholas Primary School, UK

Creators were excited to showcase their ideas, meet other young makers, and celebrate what they had learned along the way. They demonstrated projects, swapped ideas, and encouraged each other to try something new.

“Coolest Projects has not only allowed our young people to showcase a project within the coding community and at our school, but also to get feedback from the young people there. It has inspired them to try different things… and now these young people will go back to Code Club and tell the rest of the children what they’ve seen.”
– Fiona, Code Club leader, Hillside School, UK

Project spotlight: Sun Safe Skin – Coolest Projects Ireland 

At Coolest Projects Ireland, one standout project came from sisters Winter-Rose (11), Summer-Nova (9), and Autumn-Grace (7) from Code Club Kilkenny.

Their hardware project, Sun Safe Skin, used UV sensors to track the strength of the UV light from the sun or other light sources.

The creators explained the inspiration behind their idea:

“Our mum would all be telling us to put on sunscreen and take care of our skin, so we came up with this project.”

Like many projects at Coolest Projects, the journey wasn’t always straightforward. The team shared some of the challenges they faced while building and refining their idea:

“It was only reading one of the UVs, so we had to figure out how to get it to read all of them, which was quite difficult, but in the end we got it.”

Their hard work paid off — and their incredible creation was even selected as the Coolest Projects judges’ favourite project in the hardware category.

Project spotlight: The Emotions Radio – Coolest Projects UK

Before the Coolest Projects UK event, Code Club creators from St Nicholas Primary School had shared what they were planning to showcase, from early project ideas to the skills they hoped to develop along the way.

At the event, it was brilliant to catch up with them again and see those ideas fully brought to life. One of the creators, Mathea, spoke to us about her project, The Emotions Radio.

The Emotions Radio is a hardware project designed to help people manage feelings of anxiety or anger through music. Each button plays a different musical note when pressed, encouraging users to express their emotions and feel calmer through sound and interaction.

Before the event, Mathea had said:

“I’ve been working on making some sounds and music to show how you’re feeling each day. Most of the time I just want to be in my own world and use music to express how I feel, and I know some people who also struggle with this, and so my project might help them as well.”

At Coolest Projects UK, she reflected on the experience of building her project:

“Programming the micro:bits with different tunes was tricky, and then sticking them into the box lid was a challenge, because they kept falling off!”

She also shared her highlight from the event:

“My favourite moment from today is seeing everyone else’s projects. The Hogwarts one was really interesting to find out what house I was in.” 

Get involved

Coolest Projects is a great reminder that there’s no single way to be a creator. Whether it’s a first Scratch animation, an AI experiment, or a project built over months at Code Club, every idea deserves to be shared and celebrated.

Entries for the Coolest Projects global online showcase have now closed, but you can explore the project gallery to see young creators’ amazing projects, and join the special livestream on 24 June to celebrate their incredible achievements. There are also still a number of Coolest Projects in-person events taking place this year, so young creators in some countries can still get involved in their local events too.

“Coming to Coolest Projects has really helped inspire our children to get more creative. There is such an array of amazing young people here that will help our children at Code Club Haringey to reach for the stars.”
– Marie, Code Club leader, Breadline London, UK

Find out more about taking part in Coolest Projects: rpf.io/enter-now 

Thinking about volunteering for the first time? Many people look for opportunities to support young people in schools, libraries, or youth programmes, but aren’t sure where to start.

Whether you want to help young people, gain experience, or give back to your community, volunteering at Code Club is a great way to both make a difference and build your own skills.

What is Code Club?

Code Club is a global community of free coding clubs for young people. Code Clubs are organised by educators and volunteers, and run in schools, libraries, and other community venues. Using free step-by-step learning materials provided by Code Club, young people create their own games, animations, and much more in a fun, supportive environment.

The activities are designed to help young people learn coding from the very beginning, and include projects involving a range of programming languages, as well as activities that do not require computers. Educators and volunteers facilitate the sessions and offer support as young people learn, but they do not need any programming experience themselves to get started.

Why volunteer at Code Club?

Volunteering with young people gives you the chance to make a direct impact on future generations — all while building your own skills.

You do not need any technical skills or teaching experience to start or volunteer at a Code Club. Communication skills, patience, and enthusiasm are much more important than formal experience.

“Finding out how to do something by searching online, asking other coders and the mentors is part of the Code Club experience (and the experience of being a professional programmer!). The main thing is not to be afraid to admit you don’t know something. Although this can be alarming at first, I’ve found the coders are happy to be told that I’ll look at it over the next week and report back. And that they should do the same so we can compare notes. And if they know how to do something that you don’t, they absolutely love explaining it to you!” 

– Claire Quigley, club mentor at a Code Club that runs in a library in Glasgow, Scotland

Volunteering at Code Club can also open doors. For some people, it becomes a pathway into teaching, youth work, or other education roles. For others, it’s simply a meaningful way to support young people in their local community and share their skills and experience, whilst building their own valuable transferable skills.

Do you need any qualifications?

You don’t need any formal qualifications to volunteer with Code Club. Volunteers come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, and some are completely new to coding or working with young people. 

We asked Claire what she would say to someone who does not see themselves as ‘technical enough’ but is curious about getting involved:

“The majority of library staff didn’t have any background in programming. They are simply happy to learn as they go along and help the children make their ideas come to life. In fact, one of these ‘non-technical’ staff ran a very popular and successful club and supported a team of coders to develop a project that [was chosen as a judges’ favourite] at Coolest Projects.”

Code Club provides step-by-step resources, so your role is to support and encourage young people as they learn. You will usually need a background check, but we provide guidance to help you organise this. We also provide free safeguarding training, to help you ensure a safe learning environment and make sure you feel confident in your role.

If you would like to develop your technical skills, there are also free training courses available to help you.

How to get started

If you are thinking about getting started with Code Club, a good first step is to look locally. Many clubs running in libraries, community spaces, and schools are often looking for volunteers.

You can find a nearby club using the Code Club website, or  if there isn’t one in your local area, you could start your own. Most clubs run for just an hour or two each week, making it easy to fit around your schedule. A small, regular commitment is all that’s needed to make a real difference.

Volunteering at Code Club is open to people aged 16 and over. If you are younger than 16, it’s still worth reaching out to your local club, as some clubs offer opportunities to get involved as a youth mentor.

Whether you are helping at an existing club or starting your own, we provide everything you need to feel confident supporting young creators. Taking that first step into volunteering might feel like a big one — but starting small can quickly lead to something meaningful. 

If you would like to find out more about what mentoring looks like and the different ways you can get involved, visit the Code Club mentor page to explore guidance, training, and next steps.

It’s a common question we hear from teachers, parents, and volunteers around the world: Can I start a Code Club? The answer is simple: yes, you can.

If you’re excited about helping young people turn their ideas into games, animations, and websites, you already have the spark that makes a great Code Club mentor. Starting a Code Club isn’t about being a professional programmer. It’s about creating a welcoming and inclusive space where young people can explore, experiment, and build their confidence.

Who can start a Code Club?

One of the best things about Code Club is that it’s community-powered. Clubs are started by classroom teachers, librarians, youth workers, university students, parents, and industry volunteers. Some leaders have technical backgrounds. Many don’t.

What they share isn’t expert knowledge — it’s enthusiasm and commitment.

“I started running a Code Club when my son was seven because I wanted to understand what this whole programming and coding world was about. I’m not a coder, but I realised I didn’t need to know everything.” – Rachael Coultart, Stevenage, UK

Young people don’t need an expert at the front of the room. They need encouragement, patience, and someone who believes in them.

What do you need to start a Code Club?

Starting a Code Club is often much simpler than people expect. At its heart, you need a safe space, a regular meeting time, and access to computers or tablets. Many clubs run in schools, libraries, and community centres. Some start small — just a handful of creators and a couple of devices — and grow over time.

Consistency matters more than scale. Meeting once a week, or once or twice a month helps build routine and momentum. Over time, the club becomes something young people look forward to — a space that feels different from a typical lesson, where creativity and fun is encouraged.

“Since starting Code Club, I’ve seen students discover strengths they don’t always show at school. Quiet students became leaders, and new partnerships turned into friendships. It showed me how vital it is to create opportunities where all students can succeed and belong.” – Stephanie MacPhail, Bloomington, USA

Do you need to be a coding expert?

It’s completely natural to wonder if you know enough. Code Clubs thrive when mentors bring different skills, experiences, and perspectives to encourage young creators. We provide free resources such as project guides, certificates, and posters, and we offer support through online workshops, community events, and an online help desk.

Saying, “Let’s work it out together”, shows young people that not knowing is part of learning. When something doesn’t work the first time, it becomes an opportunity to practise resilience. Code Club leaders are there to guide and encourage creators through the process, not provide instant answers.

“The mistakes and the debugging — we learned together. That shared process, sticking with projects week after week and figuring things out side by side, has been really powerful.” – Rachael Coultart, Stevenage, UK

Why start a Code Club in your community?

Starting a Code Club is about more than teaching coding skills. It’s about empowering young people to become creative thinkers and resilient learners 

When young people realise they can design their own games, build their own websites, and bring their ideas to life, something shifts. For many creators, Code Club is the first time they see themselves as someone who can code.

“It makes me proud to know that I’ve made something because I used to think: I’m never going to be able to do that!… I like making games, creating stories. I’m working with the Raspberry Pi today because it looks fun.” – Alex (10), CoderDojo, Barbican Library

These moments are why so many volunteers decide to start a Code Club and stay with us.

How to get started with Code Club

If you’re considering starting a Code Club, begin with a few simple steps. Choose a venue, decide on a regular time, and think about the age group you’d like to support. Once you open your doors, keep the focus on making the space welcoming, inclusive, and creative.

You don’t need everything figured out before you start. Many leaders say the hardest part was simply taking that first step.

So, can you start a Code Club?

Yes!

Start small. Keep it consistent. Celebrate every success. Get started and run a Code Club in your community.