Coding for kids or computer programming for kids is at ultimate growth currently. At an early age, learning how to code will set your kid up for a lifetime of growth. And if they don’t go into a profession directly linked to computer science, it gives them an advantage in nearly every new industry.
Today, the concept of teaching simple typing skills to children has gone out of the window. And it makes sense! Did you ever see a kid browsing an iPhone? As a second nature, children grow up with programming skills, which is why others stress the importance of teaching coding to children.
Coding for the intellectual growth of your kids!
Books, toys, DVDs, software, games, and educational programs are designed to make your child into an intellectual virtuoso.
- Playing with blocks can help children develop a range of cognitive abilities
- Academic services that teach skills in critical reasoning boost IQ
- Board games improve math skills in nursery
- Some computer games boost visual abilities and work memory
But several “brainy” items are counterproductive. Stanislaus Dehaene is a cognitive psychologist and a mathematical brain specialist claims that since they are hindered from having an innate understanding of numbers, many children have weak math skills. And what about logical ability? Experimental studies state that elaborated instructions in critical thinking (including basic, logic, hypothesis testing, and scientific reasoning) can efficiently increase your child’s IQ.
Not only the above, but the spatial abilities are also vital for success in a wide range of fields ranging from physics and engineering to architecture and the visual arts. The success of your child on spatial tasks has an inherited aspect, but it is clear that educational environments may have a significant effect as well. The takeaway here is – coding for kids is just one of the many valuable resources within your reach. Sounds rewarding, right?
How can you motivate your kid to code?
It’s a response that can go a million different ways. So, let’s begin by concentrating on going ahead in one direction. It’s not got to be a giant jump. Currently, it should actually just be a minor step right now. The significant point is that your child encounters success with every step.
Think about it. You have to prepare first, then you have to practice, then you have to be good enough to deliver. So you have to know what you’re going to learn before you learn, and you need to have a great idea that after all is said and done, the stuff you’re learning is going to pay some kind of reward.
Programming is an artistic activity that can be participated by any kid. Your child does not care about writing algorithms for data processing, but they may love making games, music programming, website design, or just playing around with code.
As a parent, what can you do?
We also know that the digital footprint begins at birth and that the lives of children are online chronicled. Following are the positive thoughts that can assist you in digital parenting:
- A space to explore: The foundation of early personality development is exploration and experimentation. As they always have, young children continue to engage in imaginary play. The true treasure of modern gaming is that it provides the ability for interactive play for young kids. Role-playing games allow tweens to use their imaginations to write storylines and play fictional roles.
- Apps that are beneficial for the brain: There is a multitude of excellent children’s software ranging from 3 to 8 that concentrate on reading, handwriting, and a simple sense of number. Educational applications tend to be less appropriate for teaching more complex cognitive capacities related to perception and comprehension. When your child is fully educated and is in 3rd or 4th grade, it is much harder to find objectively educational material. Using small children’s apps and big children’s services as resources to interact helps the intellectual development of your kids.
- Involvement in games: Undoubtedly, playing video games cultivates fine motor skills and cognitive abilities in your kid. Gamers know this better that they learn collaboration, teamwork, and online etiquette from their games. Take an interest in the game of choice for your child and work with your child to set realistic boundaries from the start.
Why is it important for your kid to code?
Gone are the times when we used to wonder if coding is hard to learn! We have now officially moved to an era of artificial intelligence. And now, our state of mind has also been changed from how to now!
In the beginning, it includes writing computer programs using basic programming languages. Typically, coding for kids is learned using high-interest material when designing tasks that require creative input. In short, children’s coding is usually gamified, making learning enjoyable for children! As coding can be gamified, children can continue to learn how to code using visual block interfaces or age-appropriate text-based coding lessons as early as age 9.
Below are the 9 reasons that kids should be learning to code
- The high demand for coders
- The added value is gained by coding
- Knowledge in coding helps students to better understand the environment
- Coding is enjoyable and rewarding
- Coding promotes creativity
- Coding facilitates problem-solving
- Coding boosts retention
- Coding strengthens collaboration
- Coding strengthens communication
As stated by code.org, 71 percent of all the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) jobs are in computing, but only 8 percent of students are graduated in Computer Science. That’s a drastic shortage of computer science majors. Till the time your kid will reach college, and if he chooses computer science, then he’ll definitely be on the way to earn 40 percent more than other career options.
What are the programming languages for kids?
With young minds, parents and teachers prefer visual block platforms to begin with, while some prefer to begin with typing. When your kid is ready to jump to text-based coding, it is better to dictate your kid the programming language. Your kid must have played Minecraft game! You can motivate your kid his own Minecraft game in Javascript or simply begin with a word game like Hangman, or choosing Python is always the best option for a kid to begin code.
If in case your kid is interested in robotics, you can explore several basic programs or DIY kits to build easy robots. If you find your kid’s interest most in websites, then you can begin with HTML and CSS and teach your kid the construction of a static website first and then proceed to make it dynamic.
Concluding…
Children’s coding is becoming increasingly popular, as many families perceive computing as a modern literacy that in the work market of tomorrow would be as important as math and science. “There are many ways to choosing suitable classes for K-12 pupils, and there are definitely different options for different levels of students.
Our motive should be to make coding interesting and playful for kids but not boring. Yeah, it takes patience and persistence, but they can put in the effort if they realize that the reward is a task, game, or app that they are involved in.
However, if you choose wisely, you can teach your kids a new talent that is both exciting and educational, and you will be delighted to see the beneficial impact it has on their academics and self-confidence.
Taking an occasional tour of the digital identity of your child can help you better understand the tween and take care of them if they are in crisis. Keep this mantra of an educated parent – it is absolute that coding will make the kids smarter, healthier, and intellectual.
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