Technology has advanced so much in the last two decades to a point where it’s controlling our day-to-day activities. Although technology is a wide term, programming has been at the forefront in pushing for these advancements. It is this growth that has made coding a very vital skill even for kids.
Computer programming can be defined as a creative process used by programmers to give instructions to computers on how to perform different tasks. This is done by writing code or computer programs with the help of programming languages – something that is done by programming professionals.
Teaching Kids How to Code
However, it gets slightly different when teaching kids how to write code. They learn how to code through interesting content that helps in keeping them focused. This is vital since even though a child might be interested in learning something new, it is very challenging to keep them attentive. It is this content that helps in winning their attention.
Research has shown that when teaching top skills, one needs an approach that will keep their students engaged. This is one of the major reasons why coding games, applications, and other child-friendly projects are the best and most common tools used to teach kids programming. For example, Codebuilder for Minecraft is an education edition launched to simplify coding for kids.
Here are a few tips and resources for anyone who would like their kids to learn how to code:
1. Make Learning Entertaining
If you look at most computer science courses, you will find that the first thing that students learn revolves around two words, “Hello World”. They will be taught how to print these words on a screen.
However, this is a long shot method when kids are learning how to code. They (kids) or even newbies find this method tiresome, something that can make them lose interest in learning how to code.
Besides, it is very easy to win kids’ interest in programming, but it gets very difficult to keep them interested in it after the learning process starts. This means that instead of using the normal curricula such as the “Hello World” methods, one should focus on entertaining courses matched with the interests of the child.
Some of the most interesting resources that can be used come in the form of mobile and computer coding games for kids. The games have interactive and entertaining platforms that are known to keep the kids engaged.
2. Finding Classes: In-House or Online
One of the best ways for kids to learn is finding an in-house tutor, or rather a one-on-one tutor to teach them different concepts of programming. However, this can be quite expensive and few people can afford it.
That does not mean that you should give up on teaching your child how to code. There are many online courses that come with real tutors and live support to guide your kids throughout the entire learning process. They have structured their lesson plans and built them sequentially, tackling all programming concepts.
These courses are expected to grow even more, especially due to the continued growth of the need for kids to learn how to code. Some of the most popular websites that teach kids how to code include code.org, RoboCode, and Scratch.
3. Mentoring
Most people have no idea how much an impact having a mentor brings to a person who is interested in learning something new. When it comes to programming, many developers love mentoring beginners and guiding them in the right direction. Whether a friend, professional tutor or even a teacher, they can mentor your kid in person or online.
This interaction is invaluable to the growth of a new programmer. They will get the right skills, learn the best ways to code and the right tools to use, as well as have someone they can look up to at all times.
If you do not have a programming professional in your circle, that should not be the end of teaching your kid how to code. There are many ways of finding a developer mentor and accelerating a kid’s learning. Also, some companies offer this as a service while others such as Mentor Cruise connect one to mentors.
Conclusion
Learning is a process, and so is teaching kids how to code. One needs to make sure that they have laid down plans on how to tackle the course. This gets very complicated when it comes to teaching kids technical skills.
However, technology has simplified this and come up with solutions, such as coding games, that are tailored to keep learners engaged and focused on what they are learning. Furthermore, tech giants such as Apple have also come up with educational programming applications such as Swift Playgrounds for kids to ease how they can learn to code.
