Are you perhaps thinking of enrolling your kids in an after-school or holiday class?
Instead of the usual art or ballet lessons, it’s best if your children learn coding skills.
There are plenty of benefits of coding for kids, as you’ll see below.
Kids Learn Artificial Intelligence at an Early Age
As a parent, you’d want your children to have a competitive advantage. The good news is they can enjoy this simply by learning computer languages, such as:
- Scratch, which usually requires some dragging and dropping
- Python, an easy-to-read, beginner-friendly computer code
- Java, the language included in AP Computer exams
- C++, a code used to create games, software, apps, etc.
With patience and persistence, coding can help your kids understand the technical workings of computers and mobile devices. This can pave the way for a successful career in the future.
Computer Coding Helps Kids’ Computational Thinking
In a nutshell, coding teaches more than just computer programming skills. It can also help your kids develop better problem-solving skills.
For one, they will be analysing data most of the time. They’re bound to encounter complex problems with code, the likes of which require good calculation skills and some math skills, too.
As a result, they learn how to break down the biggest problems and solve them one minor issue at a time.
Indeed, these life skills make learning to code indispensable. At a young age, your children will be able to solve problems quickly—not only on the computer but in real life, too.
Coding Knowledge Boosts Creativity
Coding does more than improve critical thinking skills. It can also enhance your kids’ creative thinking abilities.
With coding, they have the freedom to create software programs, among many other things. They also get to develop apps, websites, and even their own game.
They can even develop social media networks in the future, just like what Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg did!
Coding Classes Improve Communication Skills
When children learn to code, they take their communication skills to the next level.
For one, dealing with computers requires logical communication. They need to conceptualise a lot when they execute code. Wrong spelling or command can mean a faulty program, after all.
Logical communication is not only good for code; it’s suitable for real life, too. The logic they learn from coding will help them convey points accurately and concisely, especially in business settings.
Plus, coding can help enhance their writing skills as well. It trains them to organise information to produce something.
At the same time, it teaches them to showcase knowledge in the most concise way possible. These are vital requirements when writing.
Coding Concepts Promote Collaboration
Coding may appear to be a solitary activity, but it isn’t.
It’s a class with kids learning side-by-side. They get to work and bond with children who are just as interested in the coding language as they are.
Whether your kids take offline or online programs, the benefits are pretty much the same. They get to work on complex ideas and solve them alongside their classmates.
Collaboration in coding goes beyond the short term, too. In the future, these skills can make your children better team members.
Collaboration helps bring efficiency, innovation, and improved communication, after all.
It’s Satisfying to Learn Computer Programming
When computer programmers teach kids to code, it’s more than just developing an essential skill. It’s a fun and satisfying activity, as your children will soon find out.
For example, debugging may be challenging, but it’s highly satisfying once you ‘fix’ the entire program.
Because they create things, and kids achieve a different sense of fulfilment. Since they get to overcome such challenges—say, when developing their own video game—they’re motivated to do more.
Computer Science Offers Many Future Career Opportunities
Teaching kids basic programming knowledge allows them to master a valuable skill—one that can help them make money in the future.
Just think about Steve Jobs!
As skilled coders, they’re more likely to qualify for competitive internships in college. This experience will give them an advantage once they apply for work.
Many good-paying careers right now and in the future require coding skills. Just take the case of software engineers, who earn about £38,348 yearly. That’s just the average, though, an in-demand software engineer may earn as much as £62,000.
They can even earn more by creating the best coding apps for daily use. Currently, app developers in the UK earn an average of £54,298—right towards a maximum of £62,500.
It’s no secret that coding for kids has plenty of benefits. They can help enhance critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, among many other things.
Best of all, they can pave the way for lucrative work opportunities in the future.
