The Best Ways for Kids to Learn to Code: A Comprehensive Guide
In an increasingly digital world, many parents are considering how to best prepare their children for the future. One popular answer is teaching kids to code. This article explores the best approaches for introducing children to the world of coding, emphasizing problem-solving, creativity, and fun over rote memorization of syntax.
Why Teach Kids to Code?
Coding is the method of giving a computer instructions to perform a specific task. Coding for kids lays the groundwork for our world's technology, from microprocessors in everyday items like refrigerators and water heaters to sophisticated programs that run our cars and buildings. Learning to code can help children make a major contribution to the world that they live in and make a lasting impact. As kids and teens learn to code, they also build essential skills like critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving. They learn to logically sequence events, create playable games, tell good stories, and model real situations. They also learn computational thinking by developing algorithmic and design thinking abilities. Coding for kids has become an essential element of a child's education and an excellent way to express their creativity and imagination.
Beyond Syntax: Fostering Problem-Solving and Creativity
The focus should be on nurturing problem-solving skills and creativity, rather than simply memorizing syntax. Coding books for kids often present coding as a set of problems with "correct" solutions, implying that mastering syntax is the key to making things quickly and easily. But that is not the way programming works. Programming is messy. Programming is a mix of creativity and determination. There are no books that teach you how to solve a problem no one has seen before. The goal is to encourage children to dive deep into issues and be creative. Try something. See if it works. Try again.
Starting Early: When and How to Begin
Experts believe that children should learn coding at an early age. According to MIT, the best age for kids to start learning coding languages such as Scratch Jr or Tynker Jr is from 5 to 7. Many programs allow your children to progress at their own pace or hire an instructor to help them move along. Even before they can read, kids can engage in image-based games and puzzles that present coding principles. The earliest coding games for pre-readers might start with block-based puzzles and sequencing. Older kids can start with text-based coding, which allows them to learn real programming languages in a fun way.
Choosing the Right Tools and Platforms
With so many great services available, learning to code has never been easier! When your kids are starting, pick a program like MIT's Scratch or Tynker Junior app. The visual style of these programs makes it easy for young children to learn to code. Scratch and Tynker have a graphical interface that works. Drag-and-drop code blocks snap together. Older children can learn to code with Python by building games, art, music, and more. Some programs like Tynker offer a placement test to set your child on the right track for their age and experience level.
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Here are some of the best coding programs for kids:
- ScratchJr: A free app for Apple devices that uses puzzles to teach basic coding concepts.
- Lightbot: Available for Apple and Android devices, the free Lightbot app features a 20-level world. Kids use programming concepts to navigate a 3D world.
- Tynker: With activities for kids that begin at age 5, Tynker also offers coding games, courses, and activities for students up to age 18. Parents can try the site for free. Tynker Junior is a fun, interactive way to spark your kid's interest in coding. Kids (ages 5-7) learn coding basics by connecting picture blocks to move their characters. Tynker's immersive game-like coding courses and interactive lessons with built-in tutorials are perfect for beginners 5+ through experts 18+.
- CodeMonkey: A game-based way for kids to learn coding, CodeMonkey features activities for grades K-8. The site also highlights resources for teachers and parents.
- Khan Academy: With free courses that span subjects including math, science, and the humanities, Khan Academy offers a robust suite of programming options.
- Codecademy: Codecademy hosts courses that span computer science subjects. Students can dive into programming languages like HTML and CSS, Python, Java, and PHP, and engage in an online community. Kids can try out courses for free.
- App Inventor: Designed for high school students, App Inventor guides learners through the process of developing their own Android applications.
- Glitch: Through its engaged online community, Glitch encourages users to collaborate and share the apps they create. The site provides free access to basic levels.
- Gameblox: With Gameblox, kids use coding to create their own games or build on games in the site's library.
Learning Through Play and Real-World Application
Game-based platforms such as Tynker and the challenges on CodeHS motivate kids to use code to complete game levels. It should result in outcomes they legitimately care about. They’re curious, easily distracted, and above all else they want to have fun. If you want to succeed at teaching your kids computing then you have to be willing to see things from their perspective.
Some example projects that might fit these criteria are making games, animated stories, robots, or art. It entirely depends on your kid and what happens to interest them. Know your customer. The point is to come up with a project that is easy enough to remain fun for them, revolves around their interests, and results in outcomes they find rewarding enough to be motivated by. Learning to code is just a side effect and doesn’t matter much. The goal setting, mental modeling, experimentation, problem solving, and thought process are what matters. These skills are applicable everywhere in life, not just when developing software.
The Role of Parents and Mentors
My advice is geared toward moms and dads (or mentors) who have software development experience, or are willing to put in the (substantial) time to learn it. I believe a hands-on mentorship relationship is crucial for something like this. Actually creating things with software is too complex and fraught with pitfalls to send them off to do on their own. You need to be involved so that you can deal with unanticipated obstacles and pivot to something that’s fun again when they lose interest. It’s a great opportunity to bond.
Make it iterative. In the grown-up world we use iterative development to help keep the business/customer and development team on the same page. This is even more important when the customer is a kid. They need to understand and care about every improvement you work on together or they’ll disengage. If they don’t perceive value in it then it just feels like pointless work. It turns out kids are even less tolerant of pointless work than adults.
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Do the hard and boring parts yourself. That includes boilerplate, scaffolding, and anything far enough beyond their current level of understanding that it probably won’t be absorbed. Don’t even make them watch that stuff. Do it on your own and then do the interesting work with them. At some point down the road they’ll start to see the value (or at least necessity) of that stuff and be motivated to learn it. Not today.
Don’t forget to have them actually do some of the work. The point is for them to learn so let them do the parts they can handle. Don’t frame it as work they have to do. Think of it as an activity they get to do and always present it that way. You’ve already done the hard and boring parts for them so the remaining work should be fun.
Let them experiment and work at their own pace. As a grown-up it’s hard to empathize with exactly what’s happening in their mind as they do these activities. Things that seem obvious or interesting to you are not necessarily obvious or interesting to them. That doesn’t change just because you’ve thoroughly explained it. Even when it looks like they’re wasting time or just messing around, if you’ve set up the situation and environment well, they’re probably learning. This is a long game, not a crash course. If you force it you just might turn them off of software development all together - the opposite of what you intended. Be there for guidance and support, and as a playmate.
Celebrate and let them show off their achievements. Creating valuable things is intrinsically rewarding. Like adults, kids feel proud of what they’ve accomplished. When they get to share their success with others such as family members, friends, etc… they receive praise and feel rewarded again. It’s just like hanging their painting on the refrigerator. Encourage them to share what they’ve done.
Screen-Free Coding Activities
Parents and teachers can present kids with coding basics outside of screen time. For example, parents can use a muffin tin tray, paper, scissors, a marker, and small toys to mimic algorithm development. Parents can also modify outdoor games like hopscotch, treasure hunts, and follow the leader to get kids excited about coding. Kids can learn basic coding relatively easily. Block-based programs allow students to engage at an early age. Depending on the programming language, coding can require some basic math concepts.
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The Future of Coding Education
No matter what technology your child wants to engage with, there is a wealth of free resources and materials available from organisations such as the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Scratch Foundation, that prepare young people for 21st century life.
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