As AI chatbots rise, Bakersfield kids learn coding plus critical thinking at Code Ninjas
A Bakersfield after-school program is teaching children coding, problem-solving, and how to think critically about AI tools as technology becomes a larger part of daily life.
As AI chatbots rise, Bakersfield kids learn coding plus critical thinking at Code Ninjas
Building tech skills early
In Bakersfield, a local Code Ninjas program is introducing children to coding at an early age as artificial intelligence and digital tools become more common in school and everyday life. The program, located near Calloway Drive and Brimhall Road, serves students from ages 5 to 14 and is designed to help them create interactive digital projects such as video games while learning the logic behind how technology works.
Owner Mina Rama frames the effort as more than an extracurricular activity. The goal is to help children become comfortable with technology in the same way they are expected to build foundations in reading and math. That emphasis reflects a broader shift in education, where digital literacy is increasingly treated as a core skill rather than a specialized one.
How the program teaches coding
Instruction is tailored by age. Younger children, generally between 5 and 7, begin with block-based coding and visual learning activities, including work on tablets and offline exercises meant to match their developmental stage. Older students start with a similar foundation and then progress toward text-based JavaScript, giving them a clearer path from basic concepts to more advanced programming.
The program also uses a belt-based system, giving students visible milestones as they move through the curriculum. That structure appears intended to make technical learning feel more approachable and motivating, especially for children who may be encountering coding for the first time.
Learning persistence and problem-solving
Rama said the instruction focuses heavily on logic, reasoning, and breaking large problems into smaller steps, suggesting that the real value lies not only in producing code but in learning how to think through challenges methodically. That approach is reinforced by instructors such as Alana Jackson, a Ridgeview High School student who teaches at the center and has been coding since she was 10.
Her perspective highlights one of the program’s strongest themes: the payoff often comes when students work through frustration and eventually solve a problem on their own. In that sense, the classes are as much about resilience and confidence as they are about technical fluency.
Responding to the rise of AI chatbots
A major reason the program feels timely is the growing presence of AI chatbots in students’ lives. Rama said children increasingly mention using tools like ChatGPT for homework, which has changed the kinds of conversations happening in class. Instead of treating AI as something to avoid entirely, the program appears to be teaching students how to question what those systems produce, evaluate whether responses are accurate, and understand when they need to investigate further.
That focus on skepticism and safe use is especially important as AI tools become easier for young students to access. Rather than simply showing children how to generate answers faster, the program is trying to teach them how to assess information, recognize limits, and avoid taking automated outputs at face value.
“It’s not just a syntax, it’s critical thinking.”
Why it matters in Bakersfield and beyond
For Bakersfield and the broader Central Valley, the effort speaks to a larger need to prepare young people for a future shaped by software, automation, and AI-assisted work. Programs like this can help local students build familiarity with the technologies that are increasingly influencing education, employment, and communication.
The story also underscores an important point for technology development more broadly: AI literacy is not only about learning to use tools, but about learning to question them. By combining coding lessons with critical thinking, the Bakersfield program is positioning students to be more thoughtful users and creators of technology, not just passive consumers of it.
Parents interested in enrolling children can visit during weekday morning hours.
Central Valley AI is produced by the CVAI Education Desk team and developed by Kaweah Tech, a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.