5 Reasons Kids Should Learn to Code
Most parents and teachers agree that learning to code is an important skill.
Yet between school, extracurriculars and other activities, it’s often hard to make learning to program a priority.
So why is it so important for kids to learn to code?
Programming is a creative outlet that is also productive.
Kids need ways to expend creative energy. Many children do this by drawing, writing stories, playing instruments or doing arts and crafts. These activities are motivating because they are productive: kids not only have fun doing the activity itself, but also feel a sense of accomplishment in their end creation.
The same goes for coding. Kids can enjoy the process of putting together bits of code to make their projects work, and at the end have something “real” to share with friends and family.
Kids learn essential problem solving skills.
It is essential for children to develop effective ways of thinking through problems in a methodical way. These are skills that serve kids in all kinds of situations, such as when tackling a difficult subject in school or handling a social conflict.
When a child identifies a bug in their code, they must develop a strategy for how to find the root cause and then methodically go about solving it. This requires learning how to ask the right questions, formulating hypotheses, and testing out various solutions. These skills help kids develop mental models for problem solving that they can apply to all aspects of their lives.
Coding allows kids to integrate concepts from other subject areas in a real way.
When you were in school, did you ever wonder how in the world you’d ever use trigonometry? It’s pretty demotivating to be forced to study something you can’t see any real world applicability for.
However, programming allows kids to actually use concepts like these to make something that has meaning for them. For example, kids can use sine and cosine to create an orbit effect for a space-themed game. This allows them to make a connection between theory and real life, providing better motivation for understanding these concepts on a level beyond just the minimum needed to pass their next test.
Children develop effective planning skills.
Coding is fun and highly experimental, but making a great game also requires thoughtful planning. When a kid decides they want to make a story game, for example, they must think through all the aspects required to make a compelling experience for their players. Who is their hero? Who are the villains? Can players earn points they can use to get power-ups? How many levels are there?
In this way, kids learn to organize their thoughts, form a plan, and then execute it.
Kids can actively contribute to an increasingly digital world.
Our lives are moving increasingly online. It seems every other podcaster is talking about the “metaverse” - that loosely-defined, shared virtual reality we’re all going to end up living in.
That world is going to require thoughtful contributions from younger generations. Coding gives kids the tools they’ll need to become involved in shaping how the digital world of the future looks, rather than just passively participating in it.
How about getting your child jump started on their coding journey? Check out our special offers for parents here.