What is the best way for my child to learn coding?
Code learning for kids brings an impact on the future of technology. Why? Because coding is today’s new language which requires people to keep up with the fast evolution of technology. Therefore, it is a fantastic idea to let your child learn more about coding.
However, due to the complex ideas for computer sciences, how can parents easily introduce coding?
Before determining the tips on how to teach coding to your children, let’s first understand how code learning can have a massive impact on your kids.
How code learning can affect a kid’s life
Other than the technological improvement, code learning for kids can also shape your child’s personality. It can help them see and understand the digital world through their young minds. Also, coding for kids can give life learning skills that they can bring as they become adult professionals.
Code learning can also influence your kid’s overall development. Through it, they would develop various skills such as problem-solving skills, creativity, computational thinking skills, and other vital skills. Besides that, it can also improve their academic performance, especially in STEM (sciences, technology, engineering, and maths).
Through all the benefits of kids coding lessons, how can you really help your child learn to code? Here are the five ways you can do it.
#1 Make code learning for kids fun.
Children love to do fun and exciting things. So, you must find a way to make code learning thrilling for them. When you ensure that the activities and materials are fun, your kids would most likely spend more time with them. Through this, you are already allowing them to learn and enjoy coding at the same time.
Like other parents, you can include other coding toys such as Cubetto, Robot Turtles and so on. Some parents also use entertaining board games and online kids coding platform Scratch, Blocky, and Python are some of the online programming tools you can use. Other than that, you may use the popular games kids love, such as Minecraft, Kodu, Roblox, or Fortnite.
Actual or digital toys and activities can make learning fun and entertaining. As long as you keep them happy with the learning process, you are achieving the goal of teaching them how to code.
#2 Make code learning for kids light and comfortable.
Kids do not want to get pressured or stressed in their activities. They learn quickly if the environment is light, sensitive, and convenient. In this case, you may introduce them to coding as a simple game. Let them explore it on their own while they do not know that they are learning.
Do not force or demand them to learn everything right away. Let your child know, try, and even make mistakes sometimes. It will help them to be creative and innovative with the tasks they are doing. Furthermore, giving them a chance to work independently without any pressure helps them build their self-confidence.
Let your child hone their creativity on their own. If you let them work efficiently and calmly, it will inspire them to try new things like learning coding languages.
#3 Make code learning for kids engaging.
Another secret that helps a child learn coding faster is through engaging and interactive learning. They must know it as a first-hand experience. It will let them observe, investigate, and learn on their own.
Moreover, according to NovoEd, face-to-face coding classes are better than online courses. A survey revealed that online course completion rates are meagre, with only 13% effectiveness. Through this, a piece of advice for parents is to let their kids learn coding through face-to-face classes instead of online learning.
Other than that, coding classes will help your child learn with other kids. It will enhance their communication, social interaction, teamwork, and leadership skills. Besides that, your child will also begin to embody resilience and adaptability inside their learning environment.
#4 Make code learning for kids attractive.
Coding for kids might look challenging for your child. However, if you make the activities more attractive, then you will expect them to participate more. Help your kid understand the importance of coding using their favourite video games.
For example, let them build Minecraft mods after teaching them Java basic coding programs. In this case, you are motivating them to learn more about the things they love. It will drive them forward to pay more attention to the learning process.
Make sure to introduce coding classes for kids as an exciting activity. If you fail this part, you might end up losing interest. Thus, use their likes and hobbies to let them become attentive.
Of course, children nowadays enjoy video games, so using them to attract them is the correct key!
#5 Make code learning for kids educational.
Letting your child have fun with the coding is a great goal. However, the best way to help them learn is to have an educational curriculum for kids’ coding classes. It must include methodology and strategies to learn the coding language quickly. Moreover, coding classes assure a clearer and understandable learning process of coding.
Modules, brochures, and even small booklets will help your child follow simple steps for programming. Coding and programming is the best way of letting children familiarise and learn new techskills.
So, your child needs to join coding classes for kids like Skill Samurai as it introduces extensive ways and techniques of effectively teaching young children about coding. But most importantly, kids coding classes like Skill Samurai offer a fun, light, engaging and exciting learning experience.
What materials can you use to make code learning exciting?
The most effective tools in teaching kids depend on their age and level of understanding. So, parents must know the capabilities of their children before giving them coding tasks and challenges.
For example, you should not give a 6-year-old kid a task for programming robots with complex and complicated programming features. They need to start with the basics and gradually improve as time goes by.
In this case, here is the list of possible tools you can use to ensure your child’s code learning experience a customised and personalised learning setup. Through this, it will guarantee a fun, light, comfortable, engaging, and exciting coding experience for your children!
Visual-based Programming Websites
The easiest way to introduce coding to your children is through visual-based coding. It has the most uncomplicated instructions featuring light and understandable qualities. Other than that, it is very straightforward as it only requires students to handle blocks and graphics.
In visual-based coding, your child does not need to read everything due to the indicated blocks for them. So, they are just going to browse it and do the drag-and-drop activity. Your child only needs to click the object and drag it on the screen. Then, they can simply drop it for the code.
They will also have a blast using visual-based coding platforms because of their colourful and fun background effects.
Here are some of the famous visual-based programming websites you may visit that canbenefit your child’s learning and ensure entertainment. Remember, these websites are suitable for kids age 7 to 11 Younger kids could also try these websites as long as their parents are under supervision.
- Scratch
- Alice
- Tynker
- Blockly
- GameSalad
Text-based Programming Websites
For more advanced children, you can jump on text-based programming websites. Text-based programming highlights actual programming with the knowledge of coding and programming languages. So, kids ages 11 or older can handle this kind of code learning.
Unlike visual-based coding, text-based programming caters to more complex coding. It also includes platforms, software, and other tools to incorporate coding.
Once your child reaches this stage, they would genuinely enjoy more computer sciences. Eventually, they can use these skills for their job opportunities.
But then, for now, you can get them equipped if you let them experience it on-hand. Here are some suggested text-based programming websites that your kids can try if they are already familiar with the basics of coding.
- CodeCombat
- CodeMonkey
- Codecademy
Games and Applications
Similar to what discussed above about the tips of code learning for kids, you can really use games and applications to your child’s interests. You see, children are always fond of using their gadgets, so why not take that opportunity to engage them in something they really love.
In this case, you can use several games online that highly encourage children to learn to code. Of course, they will not use it the whole day, but at least they have a chance to play with their own gadgets.
To make things easier for you as the parents, check out the list below of familiar games and applications you can use for your child. Your kids would enjoy these simple apps using their smartphones or tablets.
- ScratchJr
- Hopscotch
- Move the Turtle
- Lightbot Programming Puzzles
- Kodable
- Machineers
- Robozzle Droid
- App Inventor
Board Games
Besides too much use of the gadget, you can also include unplugged coding activities. Unplugged coding activities are tasks and challenges without too much need for electronics. Other than that, your child can use these board games with other children. As a result, they can have a better game with kids whilst improving their communication and teamwork skills.
Here are designed board games that highlight coding and programming. However, you can still do a variety of unplugged games for your children, like DIY activities.
- Robot Wars
- Robot Turtles
- Code Master Programming Logic Game
Books
If you want to have less screen time, you can also go to a bookstore and find coding books. Through this literature, your child would improve their reading skills whilst encountering coding concepts and principles.
Do you know what’s more exciting with books? Some coding books include activities that would allow your children to perform coding at home independently! You see, you can help them have a deeper understanding of coding whilst they are experiencing it on their own.
Check out some of the coding books that children and parents would love to read. You can also find other books that would indulge your child in the coding world.
- Coding Games in Scratch
- Python for Kids For Dummies
- JavaScript For Kids For Dummies
- Hello World!: Computer Programming For Kids and Other Beginners
Devices
Besides the previous tools, you can also purchase devices that would train your child’s mind to coding concepts. It will help them learn about electronics as they are getting familiar with engineering and robotics.
View the list that you can find in the market and find out which of the devices you can give as gifts for your children.
- Lego Mindstorms
- Raspberry Pi
- Arduino
Bootcamps
To make the code learning more exciting, you can enrol your kid on a fun holiday coding bootcamps. It will genuinely make their day extra unique and unforgettable. So may try one holiday treat of Skill Samurai kids coding bootcamps.
Skill Samurai offers varieties of coding activities that would surely attract your kid’s interest. It includes Kart Racing, YouTube Creation, Minecraft Modding, and other fun holiday coding and STEM activities for kids.
However, besides all these activities, you can still make their code learning into the next level. We suggest you would try a more formal and concrete curriculum for kids coding.
How your child could learn more about coding?
As parents, you should start introducing the world of coding to their child as early as possible. It is to prepare them for more complex programming and computers if they will continue taking STEM education in the future. You can begin to practice coding with your children and let them know the basics of coding. These young minds will eventually develop their coding skills and use them to develop fast-developing technology.
You can sign them up for after-school coding and robotic classes and allow them to enjoy learning whilst having fun at the same time!
Skill Samurai can help you introduce coding to your kids as early as seven years old up to 18 years old. They also welcome primary students to high school learners as they teach computer science basics until they prepare these young minds for their college and career paths. Skill Samurai guarantees you fun, light, engaging, and interesting coding classes for your child.
Are you still thinking about whether coding classes would benefit your kids?
Register them now at Skill Samurai and start equipping your child for a bright future with a future-ready STEM skills coding experience!
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