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While I’m a part of a Perth-based coding school, in this article I aim to give the most objective and fact-based answers I can.
That said, the fact is: Coding isn’t right for every child! While it may be beneficial to them, if they don’t enjoy it, there’s no point in pursuing it.
Being that your child’s interests come first, that’s what we should start with.
And then move on to how it’ll benefit them and then we’ll provide some steps to take wherever you are in your journey.
The only way to find out for sure: Try it!
But to give you an idea of what I’ve seen as a coding school team member, children are much more excited about coding than parents usually anticipate.
As part of a generation that didn’t engage with technology in our formative years, coding seems like an unnatural and scary topic.
But, generally speaking, children aren’t afraid to code.
Humans are most explorative and welcoming of new concepts at the age of 5. When we introduce children to abstract concepts (like computational thinking) at this age, it becomes second nature to them, as concepts like math and grammar do.
Provides career options
Technology continues to grow exponentially, so it’s safe to assume it’ll play a huge part in our children’s day-to-day life. Teaching them code provides the confidence to engage with and utilise tech to its full advantage.
Jobs that require some level of coding knowledge pay $30 000 more, on average than jobs that don’t – according to a study conducted on the job market in 2016.
Additionally, according to LinkedIn’s Emerging Jobs Report, the roles of coding experts have upsurged 650% in recent years. In this 2022 LinkedIn report of the 15 fastest growing Australian positions, 8 require an expert level in coding.
Day-to-day benefits (Regardless of career choice)
Whether or not they decide to pursue a career in computer coding, the skill has benefits both backed by studies and is sworn by famous tech-enthusiasts like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking.
Steve Jobs once said,
“Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think.”
Computer coding is essentially problem-solving, in a thoughtful and logical manner.
When tackling a programming problem, you are taught to define exactly what the goal of the program is, and break it down into a step-by-step process.
This process transfers seamlessly to other areas of your life. It becomes second nature to see problems exactly as they are, and come up with logical and meaningful steps to achieve the desired result.
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
The only way to find out if coding is right for your child is to try it! There are lots of resources out there both paid and free, so why not give it a go.
Children are much more excited about coding than parents usually anticipate. They’re most susceptible to new concepts at the age of 5. Introducing them to coding as close to this age as possible positions them in a comfortable and familiar relationship with technology throughout their lifetime.
Tech-related jobs are on the rise and are expected to stay that way. Coding may help to give our children the peace of mind that they can quickly adapt to the job market of a tech-driven future.
Use the extense of free online resources to get you started and consider the different education mediums to best support their journey ie. 1-on-1, coding schools, self-taught.
Good luck!
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