HOW PARENTS CAN HELP TEACH CODING FOR KIDS

Teaching your child coding and programming is one of the best ways to prepare them for the future. Having a strong command over programming languages and being tech aware is a much-needed ability in the near future. Even if they don’t plan to go into a computer-related domain, it gives them a stronghold in almost all modern industries. Childhood is the time when children are the most intrigued; this is the time when they ask why things are the way they are, introducing them to a faculty such as coding at this age, can benefit their cognitive performance greatly which can aid them later in life.

What is Coding?

Coding is a process that is used to command a computer on how to perform a specific task. To instruct the machine, it uses a particular language that only a computer can understand. Coding can be used to create applications, video games, and websites.

Different codes differ based on what a person wants to develop, there is also a wide range of programming languages available; and just like every other speaking language that we know, these languages also have a set of rules that should be followed closely for the computer to understand the commands. Computers are only as smart as the code that it runs on.

How Can Coding Help My Child In The Long Run?

Coding is currently seen as basic education in the digital age. Companies in almost every field are using programming to enhance their growth and give leverage to their company, ranging from self-driving cars to even robot-assisted surgeries, every field is in need of well-programmed machines and ideas, hence the need for programmers has increased dramatically.

Figuring out how to code is a significantly rewarding skill for children. Teaching kids coding in their youth will be useful for them to get a handle on ideas and concepts quickly and thoroughly. It can assist them with creating critical thinking abilities further down the road since programming basically is discovering alternatives to the problems that you run into while writing a code and applying fixes to your code till the program is finished. While it is true that coding is pretty much a logic-based activity, it’s also a way to nourish your child’s creativity.

Well, now that we’re on the same page about what coding is and how it’s useful, it’s time to focus on children and how we can help in teaching them to code.

Introduce to them the different coding languages.

We went through how programming is a method that instructs a computer using a language that only a computer understands. With that in mind, we need to understand there are plenty of languages that can be used to accomplish the same. Just like how we need to use different languages to communicate with people from different places in the world; we need different computer languages to communicate with different machines. We’ll discuss some of them in brief.

Scratch: is a block-based coding language that offers a visual learning experience as children can drag-and-drop code blocks to animate characters and games. The best thing about scratch is that it offers a wide array of functionality without it being too demanding on young minds. Scratch brings a gamified approach to learning through play, which in turn can make children more interested in understanding the concepts; this is what makes this language the best place for a child.

JavaScript: is a programming language regularly utilized in web development. It was initially made by Netscape as a way to add dynamic components to sites. Most or any interactive site or game you’ve run overuses JavaScript. Albeit harder to learn, it tends to be utilized to do any task ranging from making a web application to facilitating web servers.

Java: This is one of the most popular and widely used languages of our time, classic video games like Minecraft and RuneScape were made using Java.

Python: Python is considered to be a beginner’s programming language because the coding of the language is similar to English, because of this familiarity; most people find it easier to learn Python over other languages. Even though simple in execution Python can be used to create complex software.

For beginners, Scratch is the recommended option with its characteristic visual blocks that will aid the children in learning the basics of coding better. If your child is interested in games like Minecraft, then choosing Java can help them to make custom maps for the game which can help them in learning the language through play.

Find a Place for Them to Learn.

Learning is easy in the new age, there are a lot of websites online that offer good quality education at your convenience. What better way to expand your comfort zones than from the comfort of your own four walls! Websites like CyberSquare helps children to learn coding in a structured manner because they offer courses that start from a beginner level which further moves to intermediate and advanced levels gradually. This approach will help the children to develop a familiarity and structure with what they are doing, instead of overloading their brains with information.

The website implements a gamified approach to learning coding; a gamified approach to coding essentially means to create mini-games that include problem-solving tasks which will eventually as a simulator for children to learn code, because games do a better job of activating the cognitive functions that help us learn than standard approaches to training.

Being enrolled in a course also means that your child has a mentor to ask their doubts to and get feedback for their efforts in real-time and in a one-to-one fashion.

What Computer Should I Buy For My Child to Learn to Code??

Well, at the start; any computer would do. As most online courses that offer coding courses are web-based, there are not a lot of system requirements necessary. If the computer can run Google Chrome, then you’re good to go. The requirements will only start to escalate after the child has learned how to do their code and start building software with it, this is when a more demanding system is needed. A great starting point would be to go for a computer with Intel i5 and an 8GB ram support if you’re considering longevity. This setup is a good starting point and can be used for most programming purposes.

Make the Process Exciting!

The process of learning to code should not be a daunting task for your child. It is a method of learning that can be made into a play. Children, as well as adults, can understand and retain concepts better when it is learned through play. There is a high chance that younger children will not follow or be interested in coding if they are to undergo a tedious academic method of teaching. But they are more likely to be interested in learning to code if they are promised an end reward; this is possible through a gamified approach. Think about this, if a child is playing a videogame and in order for them to advance to the next level, they need to complete an objective, which would be to write a line of code. Then they will definitely complete the task to go to the next game level, without it even feeling like they are learning a complex subject.

The process of learning can be done methodically while still retaining its freshness, all you have to do is find the right course for your child and let them take the wheel!