Why All Kids Need Coding and STEM Skills

Contributed by guest writer Chatty Garrate

Coding has a steep learning curve that would seemingly be of little interest to children. However, the possibilities of coding have motivated more and more kids to take up the subject. From a fascination with video game development to creating complex robotics, there are many avenues for kids to have fun and learn to code.

How Is Coding For Kids Different from Advanced Coding?

While it may be difficult to imagine a youngster learning something so hard, thanks to the numerous resources available to children in the modern age. From online web courses to the decades of books at their disposal, kids have a much easier time than the generations before them.

Coding for kids refers to the various ways that children can participate in coding.

These possibilities are gamified in order to keep young minds engaged. Coding isn't usually the same as "computer science," which you or your children may be averse to. 

In truth, coding languages are what we use to speak with computers, and it's what we use to create and run websites, apps, games, and other applications. When kids find out that they can make their own versions of these things they enjoy so much, they’re more open to trying them out.

Benefits of Coding 

Coding is an active learning process and comes with a whole host of benefits. Here are some of the more immediate benefits you’ll notice:

Teaches Through Experience

There are often multiple solutions to a problem in coding. It teaches students how to learn, which is useful throughout their lives. Learning to code teaches students that it's okay if their response differs from that of someone else. 

When children learn in a classroom, they usually have a teacher who teaches a specific subject.

Experimenting with code teaches children that answers are not always straightforward.  Children can experiment and learn on their own with coding, a unique way of learning compared to other subjects. 

Promotes Logical Thinking

Even if a youngster does not go on to be a professional computer programmer or software engineer, they will benefit from learning to think like a coder. Coding demands logical thinking and teaches youngsters how to approach difficult problems by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable problems. 

Although coding may have different solutions, every solution is logical to some extent. Finding the patterns and “roads” to the correct solution for coding problems are incredibly beneficial for your child’s growth and development.

Immediate Feedback

When youngsters learn to code and see the outcomes, it motivates them to want to learn more.

There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child proud of a task or activity they have finished. It's a satisfying sensation to solve a challenge.

Coding being an active exercise means kids get to see the fruits of their work in real-time. A lot of other subjects don’t give that same satisfaction. Coding is intimate and has the coder at every stage actively doing something.

Teaches Determination

Failure in coding is an inevitability. Even the greatest coders are expected to make mistakes. No sweat for them, they just try another option if the previous one fails. Rinse and repeat. These types of thinking abilities are in high demand in any industry.

You can't teach someone to be resilient. As a result, children must gain experience in order to acquire these abilities. Learning to code provides teaches a uniquely stubborn way of solving problems. They must come up with a solution when they hit a brick wall. Oftentimes by going right through it.

Improves Mathematical Skills

When learning to code, math abilities are required. This does not imply that pupils must be mathematically gifted in order to master computer programming. It simply implies that kids will acquire the skills necessary to solve arithmetic issues while they learn to code. The greatest way to learn is to have fun, and yes, coding can be enjoyable. 

Children will be unaware of the skills they are learning while coding. Coding requires kids to solve real problems rather than fill out a worksheet with arithmetic calculations, so they receive real-world experience that will help them enhance their math skills.

Enhances Communication Skills

Coding is similar to learning a new language. Although it’s not exactly French, learning to code is similar to learning a different language. Kids need to learn how to break things down into simple terms when communicating coding to teachers and peers.

Instructions are only understood by computers when they are written in basic, easy-to-understand language. The same goes for people. Coding aids in the development of that ability. It’s also handy for asynchronous communication in particular because it encourages thinking about your code carefully before making any statements.

If you want to learn more about coding as an educational tool, visit Skill Samurai to see our programs for code education.

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