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Introduction
More and more parents seem to be encouraging their children to code in recent years. And for good reason.
Coding is consistently proven to develop and nurture critical skills like problem-solving, teamwork and project management – just to name a few.
There are countless articles detailing its importance, but here are:
Secures their future to an extent.
We are ultimately dependent on machines – and this trend is growing exponentially year on year. With tech being such a permanent fixture in our lives, it makes sense to give the next generation the right tools to succeed in a tech-driven future.
According to LinkedIn’s Emerging Jobs Report, during the last decade, the roles of coding experts have upsurged by 650%, and the demand for coding is said to grow 37% year over year.
A reputable Computer Scientist and advocate of children’s coding, Marina Umaschi-Bers, says that “Children who lack a grasp on coding risk being locked out of an increasingly tech-savvy world.”
Improves cognitive ability.
As part of the development team at a Perth-based coding school, I’ve seen first-hand the drive that coding sparks.
In studies conducted by MIT, they highlight that programming is advantageous for cognitive development and that when children encountered problems, they used and shared resources to solve them.
With these advantages in mind, it’s important not to lose sight of what’s important: Our children’s interests. Fortunately, children respond with a surprising amount of engagement when introduced to coding, contrary to what most parents would expect. I often see children at their most excited when they’re creating their own custom programs, the way they want them to be.
Aligning your child’s interests with the right coding resources is key to cultivating a healthy mindset and long-term success.
Coding has made its way into most school systems in some way. So why should we consider ‘extra-curricular’ coding?
Outdated coding curriculums.
The process of incorporating curriculums is slow by nature. It requires several groups of people to start discussions and eventually pass plans to schools, ensuring that the right content is getting to our youth. But, with how rapidly coding develops, this prevents our children from accessing the most relevant and effective coding resources currently available.
Often taught by someone with no coding background.
This isn’t to say that our teachers are incompetent. Coding is about mastering the fundamentals and having a deep understanding of the direction it can be taken. To understand its possibilities is to understand how the fundamentals should be taught. Having an experienced coding instructor nurtures their skills and dramatically affects their progress.
Firstly:
Determine your child’s particular interests.
The most crucial step is understanding why coding interests them. We can use this to align the right resources with their specific interests.
For children between 5 and 12, games continue to be a primary motivator. It’s an excellent way to get past the ‘scary’ learning curve of coding and have fun doing it. Conveniently, some of the most popular games among children have education-based counterparts. We mention a few in the next section.
Children 12 and over are often still intrigued by programming games, but their interest tends to shift to more practical coding applications.
Try to find out what motivates your child to code. Maybe they like making useful applications, or maybe they still like making games.
Secondly:
Consider which ‘form-factor’ suits best.
There are two main coding ‘form-factors’:
Block-based and text-based.
Block-Based Coding:
Block-based coding is the most entry-level form recommended for children aged 5-12, who have no coding experience.
It describes the use of simple code blocks that users can drag and drop to create simple computer programs. Many coding platforms use this framework, allowing beginners to create programs easily.
Our favourite block-based coding platforms:
Scratch:
Scratch is as entry-level as it gets, with kids as young as five able to jump in and code.
It engages users with the ability to create custom 2D games, with a website that features a block-based editor and mini-tutorials to get you started – although we observe that professional help accelerates the understanding of core concepts.
Children we recommend Scratch to:
- No coding experience
- Aged between 6 and 12
- Desire to create custom 2D games
Find their website with useful resources here.
Example of a Scratch game built with block-based coding:
Minecraft Education Edition:
Minecraft Education Edition is a great way to jump into coding because of most kids’ existing relationship with it. The idea of customising a game that they love is a powerful incentive for overcoming the problems they’ll encounter. Please note that your account needs to be associated with an education organisation to access this platform.
Children we recommend Minecraft Education Edition to:
- Some coding experience is recommended but not essential
- Aged between 6 and 14
- Already familiar with Minecraft and interested in creating custom mods and games
See their parent’s guide here.
Example of block-based coding in Minecraft:
Code.org:
Code.org is a widely accepted online resource for children to explore coding. Its website features short coding tutorials to explore.
Find their website here.
Text-based coding:
Text-based coding refers to the ‘grown-up’ form of code that real computer programmers use. Many coding languages use text-based coding, but the one considered to be most user-friendly is Python.
Although being considered a great entry point for kids looking to graduate to higher-level coding, Python is a powerful coding language used by 48.24% of programmers worldwide!
Our favourite text-based coding platforms:
Minecraft Education Edition (again):
Minecraft Education Edition is a great tool in that it offers both block-based coding and text-based coding frameworks, making it easier for children to advance.
Children we recommend text-based Minecraft Education Edition to:
- Some block-based experience for younger kids, no experience for older
- Aged between 10 and 18
- Already familiar with Minecraft and interested in creating custom mods and games
Example of text-based coding in Minecraft:
Roblox Studio:
Roblox Studio is another popular choice because of it’s already existing relationship with children (43.2 million daily users). It uses a programming language called Lua, which is similar to Python. Users are encouraged to create their own games and upload them for the community to enjoy.
Children we recommend Roblox Studio to:
- Some block-based experience for younger kids, no experience for older
- Aged between 10 and 18
- Already familiar with Roblox and are interested in creating games for others to enjoy
Find the Roblox Studio website here.
Example of coding in Roblox Studio:
Last but not least,
Python:
As we touched on, Python is a great entry-level coding language for it’s simplicity and power. Bare in mind: Python is a coding language, not an ecosystem with pre-built features like the others we’ve mentioned.
If users are exploring this without help of a professional, they will need to seek information and guidance themselves. Fortunately, you can find an abundance of free courses online by searching ‘Free Beginner Python Course’. However, this is a framework where professional help is invaluable.
Learning Python is a big step up from just creating games. You can code anything you want in Python including applications, games and even artificial intelligence. Graduating to a programming language like Python should be considered the end objective.
Users will need to first install the Python language and then an environment like Pycharm.
You can find instructions here.
Example of some Python code:
Thirdly:
Consider which delivery method is suitable.
As available as coding resources are these days, it’s still an abstract concept to children. When a child inevitably hits a roadblock, it’s invaluable to have the support of professionals and peers to guide them along their journey.
Consider these 3 delivery methods:
At home/self-taught.
Pros:
- It’s free
- Serves as a great way to get started
Cons:
- No professional support
- No classmates to engage and solve problems with
- Possibility of fizzling out
At home resources are great for gauging a child’s interest. Once their interest is recognised, consider getting help from professionals and peers.
In-person group sessions.
Pros:
- Support from professionals and peers
- Accelerated understanding and skill development
Cons:
- Isn’t free – but can be affordable
Please note: It’s important to understand the difference between Progress-Based Coding Schools and Coding Holiday Camps.
Progress-based coding schools offer term-to-term, year-to-year coding support, whereas Coding Holiday Camps are more of a ‘one-off’ with no future growth in mind.
1-on-1 tutoring.
Pros:
- Maximum personalised skill development – great for serious coders
Cons:
- No peers to support you
- Highest costing delivery method
Summary
Find out if your child has an interest in coding by using available online resources like Scratch and Code.org.
Find out what they want to make. Are there any games they’re familiar with that have coding engines (ie Minecraft, Roblox)?
Once an interest is identified, consider utilising professional and peer support offered by local coding schools to best support their coding journey.
Consider the difference between ‘Progress-Based Coding Schools’ and ‘Coding Holiday Camps’. The former focuses on term-to-term and year-to-year development whereas the latter is more of a ‘one-off’ experience with no future support.
Try our Free Course Advisory Tool:
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