Code Ninjas Will Soon Have A Location In Horsham Township For Kids To Learn Game Coding

HORSHAM, PA — Local kids who have an interest in learning how to write video game code will soon have such an opportunity right here in Horsham when the new Code Ninjas location opens in December.

Code Ninjas, which has locations across the globe and is considered to be one of the largest and fastest growing kids coding franchises out there, will be coming to Horsham with a planned grand opening on Dec. 14.

The business gives kids ages 5 to 14 the opportunity to learn code while at the same time designing and creating their own video games.

The Horsham location's franchisee is Mike McNally, a 38-year-old Upper Moreland resident and father of three who has an IT background and wanted to run a space where local youngsters could put their love of video games to use while also stimulating their young brains.

"They're learning but they're having fun doing it," said McNally, a Northeast Philadelphia native who spent time in the U.S. Navy before going on to have a 14-year-career with Comcast Corp.

McNally, who spoke with Patch on Tuesday about the planned Dec. 14 opening in Horsham, said Code Ninjas is designed to be more of a "supplemental education place," so the hours of operation are after school, from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, as well as on Saturday mornings.

The membership structure of the business has families paying monthly dues, which gets their children either eight hours per month of time at Code Ninjas, or four hours per month, depending upon the selected plan, McNally said.

McNally said area families who sign up now to join the Horsham location will be entitled to an early bird discount.

Specific rates and additional information about the business can be found on its website.

McNally told Patch that the business is great for youth since he has heard that 65 percent of jobs that kids will be competing for in the future "don't even exist yet."

"They say coding is the new literacy," he said. “They’re going to be learning those coding skills, on top of problem solving skills, how to express themselves creatively.”

McNally, who has three children of his own, said there is another Montgomery County Code Ninjas location, in East Norriton Township, as well as one in Malvern, Chester County and Yardley, Bucks County.

The Horsham location is expected to serve kids in eastern portions of the county, such as those from areas like Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Lower Moreland, Abington and, of course, Horsham Townships, and even beyond.

McNally said he first got the idea to get involved with Code Ninjas on a franchise basis when he saw how much time his daughter was spending playing video games.

"She could be a lot more productive building them rather than playing them," he said about his initial thoughts on entry into the business.

With McNally's background in technology and interest in entrepreneurship, owning a Code Ninjas location seemed like a great professional transition, he said. And besides, it's a way to help area youth, which, as a father himself, was very appealing.

McNally said there are around 268 Code Ninjas locations around the U.S., in addition to locations in the United Kingdom and Canada.