Children are curious. They’re always exploring and learning about the world. Whether it is carrying out safe science experiments to testing out new gadgets, they’re ready to tackle it all. They pick up skills early and are quite formidable. It makes them a suitable candidate to learn to code.
What Is Coding?
Coding is the language of the Computer through which we provide it with a framework to operate. Coding tells your Computer how exactly you want it to behave when it is operational. It is the base of designing an algorithm.
Coding has many types, just like the human language, and every kind of language plays a specific role. The following computer languages are the most commonly used on the web today:
- It stands for HyperText Markup Language. It makes the foundation of what should be displayed on your web browser. It also fits the graphics according to the given style.
- It is a Cascading Style Sheet. It formats the text to fit its appropriate role. Such as a header is displayed as a header, and body text is shown as such. It formats the color, style, and type of font.
- It makes the images and videos on web pages interactive for the user. It is responsible for when you click on an icon, and you see the icon engaging.
- It is an extensive programming language used for developing web applications and so forth.
Now that the basics of coding are covered. It is easy to see why children may be inclined to pick it up and why they should immerse themselves in learning to code.
Why Should Children Learn To Code?
- It Teaches Children Problem Solving Skills. Children understand their problems logically and methodologically and can gauge the knowledge they need to solve them. Rational thinking is an essential tool for many careers and real-life decision making.
- There Are Computer Programs To Facilitate A Child. Coding teaches children resilience and gives them challenges that push them to work hard on their potential. Since it is becoming a popular subject among kids, many programs are hitting the market to aid children. It includes scratch coding for kids, making it easier, yet teaching them coding in an educational and informed way.
- It Expands Their Creativity. Coding helps children explore their creative side by allowing them to design and create something with their minds. It encourages them to be creative and rely on their skills when taking on other projects. It also gives them self-reliance that they have skills to handle anything as long as they’re creative and focused about it.
These are a few reasons in a long list of reasons why children should try coding. Independent and well-assured children navigate through life more confidently. They are not afraid to take on challenges and grow by accomplishing milestones. Since coding seems to have nothing but benefits, you can quickly get your child interested in coding just by a few small techniques.
Tips and Strategies to Teach Children Coding
The best part about coding is children as young as five can start their journey. Just a few handfuls of tips to parents can help them assist their child while they’re learning this new skill set.
- Don’t Explain Concepts, Show Them The Source. Don’t explain what a code should look like; instead, explain it to them by demonstration. Visualization and practically viewing an object make it easier to understand what shape my code needs to take, what it looks like, and if I’m attempting it right. It will also help them while designing their code to have a prototype for reference.
- Ease Children into Coding. Buying products designed to teach children coding will make it easier for them to understand the basic outline of what coding language is. Once the child picks up the language and knows the format, please encourage them to start coding on slightly advanced programs. Each product has easy instructions and guidelines that will help your child as they climb the steps of coding.
- Get Them Familiar With Coding Terms. Make flashcards and interact with them using the coding language as much as possible. The more you engage with the child, reminding them of the terms, the more comfortable they will get to use and understand them.
- Get A Tutor. Even though you engage with your child while they’re learning, with your knowledge of the subject. Enlist an expert who is more experienced with children and get familiar with the tricks and techniques more quickly. As your child progresses through learning code, they may have many questions which a tutor will be best suited to answer.
- Give Them Templates. Give them templates with parts of the code already written and ask them to add a code to get a result. It allows them to know what to expect when they start coding and what parts of the code they need, in what sequence to get their result.
- Work On Debugging Early. Purposely create errors in the code so that your child picks up on debugging early. Early debugging teaches them to be adaptable and learn to tackle their problems immediately.
- Ask Them To Track Their Progress. Keeping journals and memos with notes and thoughts would help your child organize their thought process as efficiently as possible. They may also be able to see where they struggled and where they excelled. It builds their morale and encourages them to revisit coding.
It is just a short instruction manual on how to assist your child as they embark on a new venture. There are many online support and guides available for both parents and kids. As exciting as this prospect may be, children still require patience and a gentle hand as they prepare themselves to work towards their future.
Coding and the World
Artificial intelligence such as robotics and automated systems have steadily started replacing manual labor. As efficient and productive it has made the world, it also reminds us that many conventional menthols of raising children and skills are pointless. More modern and innovative techniques need to be adopted.
Conclusion
Coding is the future; technology is only on an uphill curve from here. Coding will graduate and become the universal language of communication. As parents, our job is to set our children for the future, and if the future is brimming with coding and AI, prepare them accordingly.
