Pebble helps MAMA.codes get more kids coding

“MAMA.codes was born out of my experience as a parent, trying to navigate this new world of coding being on the school curriculum from age 5. And, having worked in digital and tech myself, trying to understand what that looks like for tiny children,” says Liane Katz, co-founder and CEO of the award-winning coding school for kids aged 3-13.

“I had visions of myself being asked to help with coding homework, just like with reading and maths, so I wanted to be prepared for that. And lots of the parents I spoke to, particularly mothers, lacked confidence with Tech, so I wanted to fill the gap for them as well.”

Liane co-founded MAMA.codes in 2017, originally as a side venture alongside running her media and retail consultancy. She also had kids aged five and eight at the time: “If you need something done, ask a busy mum,” she quips. MAMA.codes now runs sessions for hundreds of children, online and across London in school clubs and holiday camps.

“We see coding as 21st-century literacy. Regardless of background, everyone needs a grounding in it to thrive in the modern economy,” Liane explains. “MAMA.codes exists to be accessible, inclusive and unintimidating; teaching kids basic coding skills in fun, engaging ways and bringing parents along on the journey, too.”

Agency and creativity through coding

MAMA.codes gets kids coding, sometimes before they can read, using an icon-based, jigsaw-style program in their Jump & Code classes for kids ages three to five. “We’ve packaged up the coding concepts so they can intuitively try things out and play,” Liane expands. “It’s a completely different activity to what a lot of parents assume it is. The coding is child-led, it gives them agency and creativity, it’s constructive and purposeful — all the things modern parents are looking for.”

“Because, although coding is on the curriculum, it’s a postcode lottery in schools across the country. Kids might get an inspired, passionate teacher. Or someone in the school could just have the title thrust on them, with little training or resources to teach coding and robotics.”

For ages 5-13, MAMA.codes takes kids through the ScratchJr and Scratch coding languages, HTML, CSS, building websites with Wix and Minecraft coding. From beginners to digital whizzkids, their weekly sessions and holiday camps are open to everyone. 

Alongside commercial classes, MAMA.codes runs its Tech Futures Launchpad outreach programme. Funded by customer donations in the early days, it’s now enabled by corporate sponsors such as Nationwide Building Society. “We offer fully-funded classes to underrepresented kids, reaching 135 primary school pupils in the last six months,” Liane says.

Healthy screen time: putting parents’ minds at ease and tackling stereotypes

“I don’t think screen-free childhoods are the way to go,” Liane says. “We’re living in a digital world, and a large part of growing up into a healthy adult is learning to use devices consciously. We obviously have to fit guardrails, but kids do need to have considered, safe access to these technologies to ensure they develop digital wellbeing skills.”

Resources for parents and carers are an important part of MAMA.codes, to help their kids develop healthy digital habits and stay safe online. “It can be uncomfortable for parents, and that’s understandable. I have teens now, and there are certain aspects of Tech I wish I could get rid of! But I don’t think it’s productive to view screen time as only something to be scared of or gatekeep from our kids.”

Dismantling Tech stereotypes is also central to MAMA.codes, given Liane’s own experiences. “In my previous job, I saw hardly any female developers. Out of a team of 65 I once worked with, one was a woman,” she recalls. 

“I started learning to code from that team during my lunch hours, to work with them more effectively. And the myth of coding being a STEM super-skill that’s only for a select few was busted for me. So I wanted to make sure other people didn’t rule themselves out, like I had. It’s more like a language skill, really. And that means most parents already have the skills to teach their kids coding basics, just like they help them learn to speak, read and write.”

By getting kids learning and enjoying coding from age three, MAMA.codes aims to grow their skills and confidence before limiting stereotypes have the chance to kick in. “Whether it’s encouraging people who send their sons to us to also send their daughters, or through our outreach programme, we’re here to expand the diversity in coding.”

Finding the right fit with Pebble 

MAMA.codes first came across Pebble at the ICAP conference in 2022, then signed up in 2023. “We’d tested out three or four different providers, and we were looking for a lower-cost solution with better UX and a large parent community. All of which Pebble has massively delivered on,” Liane shares. 

Since switching to Pebble, her team’s seen: 

Fewer parents giving up before checkout

Pebble has made it quicker and easier for parents and carers to book, helping MAMA.codes bring more kids into their sessions. 

Quicker pay-outs with Stripe

“Other providers we tried would pay out fortnightly or monthly, which was really challenging,” Liane says. With regular pay-outs across each month, their cash flow is calmer and easier to manage with Pebble. 

Time saved creating classes and promo codes

With easy duplications and the ability to create their own promo codes, the MAMA.codes team has gained handy flexibility. 

Better visibility for business owners

Seeing all their classes, revenue and bookings in one dashboard means the team can efficiently stay on top of business metrics and class fill rates.  

Success with free trials

“Free, no-obligation taster sessions are a key part of us being accessible, convenient and unintimidating for families,” Liane explains. MAMA.codes can now offer these free trials via Pebble — and they’ve seen conversion rates as high as 70% from free tasters to bookings. “Cost of living definitely made that trickier but it’s bouncing back now,” she adds. 

Easy to mix online and in-person sessions

Coronavirus originally moved MAMA.codes online but the convenience has stuck. Pebble’s option to list online sessions without a physical location lets Liane’s team keep this flexible blend, mixing virtual and in-person sessions. 

A responsive, customer-centric team

“The Pebble team stands out for its responsiveness and ambition,” Liane says. “They’re obsessed with customer-centricity and making things easier for activity providers.” 

To find out more about Pebble’s award-winning management software for children's activity providers, click here.