Children born today will live their lives surrounded by technology. Many of them are monitored by technology prior to and from the moments they are born. Others are handed technology from extremely early ages to teach, to entertain, and to cajole.
Unless something catastrophic occurs, they will live no part of their lives without some form of technology at hand. Which is one of the many reasons why it is so important that today’s children learn to code?
Benefits of Children Learning to Code
Many parents are reluctant to push things like basic coding practices on their children. It’s understandable. You want your children to forge their own paths and follow their own passions. When children learn the basics of coding along with their math sums and reading basics, though, they become proficient in skills that will be in high demand for the entirety of their lives.
It is job security in the tech field no other generation has been able to imagine before. If you think about it, some of the wealthiest people in the world built their wealth in tech. This includes names such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, to name a few. The earlier children embrace coding and programming languages, the more natural it becomes for them. That makes them even more likely to become the next tech billionaires. At the very least it can help them jump-start their success in life.
However, that’s only a small reason why teaching how to code for kids is so powerful today. These are just a few other great reasons.
It Teaches Children How to Think
According to TeachersWithApps, school curriculums are filled with tedious memorization and focuses on teaching children to pass specific tests rather than focusing on teaching them how to think or how to learn. Coding and programming languages teach children invaluable critical thinking and learning skills.
Coding Unlocks Creativity in Children
Few things open the door to new worlds of creativity for children like learning how to code. This gives children the building blocks they need to create worlds in digital space. This goes way beyond the power of Legos and building blocks to create elaborate buildings and designs and puts magic in the hands of your children at early ages.
It Teaches Children More Effective Communications Skills
Coding is communication. It is a new language that allows children to communicate with machines. Children who master basic programming skills early also develop their existing verbal and written communications skills as part of the process. It’s not just about how to use words or deliver messages, though. Programming skills teach children to develop more complex and logical thought processes fully to get their messages across.
Leads to Greater Diversity in Technology
The more children who embrace computer coding early in life, the more voices become entrenched in the technology of the future. Once upon a time, America was viewed as the melting pot of the world. People came here to assimilate into American culture. Today, technology is becoming the melting pot of the world eliminating distance, cultural differences, and even language barriers to create a world that has more in common than ever before.
Where to Begin Teaching Children How to Code
There are so many tools available today that help children learn how to code. Often without feeling like they’re learning at all. One of the most prominent and entertaining for children with modest interests in coding is Lego Mindstorms robotics kits. In fact, many schools are sponsoring robotics teams to work on these exciting robot projects and compete against students from other schools to tackle tough tasks while honing their programming skills.
Another great option for enticing children to learn to code is the creation of Swift Playgrounds. This iPad application teaches children how to program in Swift by creating a 3D world where they hone their programming skills before moving on to create their own programs in Swift.
The key with encouraging kids to children to develop their own coding prowess is to keep it fun, make it a low-pressure endeavor, and offer them challenges that keep them engaged in improving their skills.
