<p>Cultivating students’computational thinking (CT) and block-based programming ability (BBPA) in elementary school programming education has received increasing attention. However, block-based programming teaching based on the 5E model suffers from the problems of insufficient context creation to fit the daily life of elementary school students, insufficient coherence, and lack of extensibility. Therefore, this research designed a 5E-ICH model aimed at enhancing elementary students’CT and BBPA. The research utilized a quasi-experimental design model with a pre- and post-test for both experimental and control groups to investigate the impact of the 5E-ICH model on CT and BBPA among fifth-grade students in programming instruction. Among them, the experimental group (n = 43) received the 5E-ICH model while the control group (n = 43) was taught in the traditional teaching model. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of students’CT and BBPA before and after the experimental intervention were conducted using questionnaires, test papers and interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed that students in the experimental group showed significant improvements in CT and BBPA compared to the control group. Semi-structured interviews with the students supported these findings, indicating that the 5E-ICH model instructional intervention was more effective in enhancing students’CT, BBPA, and interest in learning to program. This study provides valuable insights for relevant educators and researchers to help them integrate ICH contexts with programming education.</p>