Programming for kids: An ultimate guide for parents

Programming for kids is a topic that has the utmost importance in this technological age. Every other day, things are changing and taking this world a step forward into this digital age. Everyone is well aware of this computer-oriented era, where machines are taking place instead of humans. In this situation, it is the best solution to indulge our kids in computers from an early age.

If we look around, video games, robots, websites, and smartphones have provided entertainment and knowledge. Artificial intelligence, coding, information technology, and computer skills are the game changers of this age. In the technological world, everything consists of webpages, animation, computer programs. For all of this, programming is fundamental. Every subject and knowledge comes with the theory and back-ups, such as chemistry and biology. It is the same case in this situation where it is encouraging us to put a light on this vital topic.

What is programming?

“Programming is a skill best acquired by practice and examples rather than from books.”
Alan Turing – Computer scientist

As we have discussed earlier, we live in the age of technology where everything works with the support of computers. Programming is an integral part of the network, and it has a wide variety of applications. Programming controls our lives by managing personal computers, bank servers, websites, tablets, smartphones, washing machines, and even elevators. There are many technicalities in programming, but in simple words, it is another name of creating instructions for computers. So, to make the instructions more useful, it was necessary to develop programming languages.

Perfect age for a kid to learn programming

We have heard that there is no perfect age if you want to learn something new. But programming involves writing and creating projects with creative input. Many programmers claim that they started the training at the of 5-6, but the right age is when your child starts to show excitement. Proper time is that when the gamer child thinks he can make a game or developer child believes he can develop code. You can start the critical training of kid at a very early stage, such as when he is 0-5 years old. According to the data, a child learns best when he is young, and his fresh mind helps to learn computational and critical thinking.

The age of 6-10 is best to learn to code because, at this age, kids have an understanding of logic and cause and effect. Kids as young as ten years are capable enough to achieve professional quality in their skills; that’s why parents should start working early.

Scope of programming for kids with the backup of statistical data

“Learning to write programs stretches your mind and helps you think better. It creates a way of thinking about things that is helpful in all domains.”
Bill Gates – co-founder of Microsoft Corporation

These are not only words of mouth that programming helps kids to achieve different skills that sharpen their minds. Various statistics have proved the scope of this theory many times. Some are as follows;

The computer has become the necessity of every field of life, and we can see the surge by bare eyes. Network related jobs contribute around 60% of positions every year in different industries. The name of the significant sectors includes STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and math).
The digital agenda for Europe published in 2014 – that by the end of the year 2021, the European market will need 90,000 ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) experts. If your kids go into the programming field, they can easily earn an average of $111,730 annually. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/64/digital-agenda-for-europe
As per the stats of code.org, 71% of the total new jobs will be from a computer, and at this time, we only have 8% of graduates to cover them. https://code.org/statistics

Along with the grooming, programming provides the right track for the future of your kid.

Benefits of programming for kids

“Everybody should learn how to program a computer… It teaches you how to think.”
Steve Jobs – co-founder of Apple Inc

Looking at the above statistical points on programming, we can easily access the field’s big market. Along with good jobs and a big market, parents should consider that coding can also give the following benefits to your child.

It provides a competitive advantage to kids while applying to college

Programming has become a vital skill where jobs are growing at twice the national level. There is potential that kids can earn up to 40% more than the college average. It is one of the best choices you are making for the future of your child. If your child possesses a hot skill like programming, which other peers lack, he will surely benefit. A child with hot selling coding skills appears more desirable in the eyes of admission officers and employers.

Helps the kid to understand the world better

Most people do not know about the functionalities of smartphones, laptops, social media networks, and other technological things. If a child has the necessary programming skills, then he has the chance to understand the world in a better way. In short, coding drastically changes the way one interacts with the world. It is one of the best way to open up a child’s eyes towards the infinite possibilities of the world.

Improves creativity

Learning a new language is the best way to change your experiences, thinking abilities, and express yourself better. Computer programming not only helps the kids to consume the technology but to create it. If the kids are simply playing the videos, then programming helps them to understand the input to make this type of stuff. In the end, coding encourages the child to understand and make the same product they are consuming.

Improves problem-solving skills

Dan Crow, CTO of Songkick, explains that computer programming helps you to solve problems by breaking them down into small parts. Coding is another way to solve the issues in a more manageable way. Apart from professional life, coding helps to develop problem-solving skills in the personal life of kids.

It is an additional fun activity

If your child knows to code, he will remain busy creating innovative things through the computer. This knowledgeable activity provides an excellent way to kill time in a more relaxed and satisfying way. It is just like a reward for the kids when they see that their codes are coming into reality. If parents are providing the right training and guidelines, then it is so much fun activity for the kid.

Improves discipline

As we already know, consistency and persistence are the keys to success because they teach our child discipline. It is quite interesting to deal with success and failure at the same time. Through coding, your kid learns how to solve problems and search for the solution via research and collaboration.

Improves collaboration and people skills

The underlying theme of the programming is that all people work as a team. A child learns by collaborating with different peers who belong with mixed race, color, and gender. All of the people connect with shared interests and technology. The classroom environment, online classes, help the kids to collaborate where they can learn skills by asking questions to each other.

Improves communication

All of the programmers work like a team where they talk to each other face to face or through online mediums. The question-answer sessions help the kids to understand the technicalities in a better way by asking questions. When kids talk to each other, they get the chance to enhance their communication skills. Through communication, the kids know the capabilities of breaking down the complicated question in small parts.

Additional points on the importance of programming

Apart from the above amazing benefits, many other skills can be cultivated in the result of coding. The following are additional skills that will urge you to think about the importance of programming for kids.

The top point, which is good enough to show the importance of coding for kids, is the “bright future” possibility. If you train your child better, then you are investing something to build the future. Lots of statistics prove this theory. There will be more programming jobs than any other industry.
Learning to code gives security for your child’s professional growth because these skills are in high demand. Many industries need graphic designers, software developers, computer engineers, and more. There is no doubt about the vast scope of this field.
There are only 40,000 computer students in the market for 1.2 million jobs. Isn’t it making your child a star of an eye?

Coding languages and skills are relatively straightforward, which requires breaking down the large problem into tiny parts. If you train your child through require skills, then there are higher chances for success in high school and more.
If you want the child to learn from the mistakes, this is the best thing you are doing. While coding, kids get lots of practice, and it requires lots of revisions to correct. In the future, it is a good thing for the learning perspective of your child.
Logical and conceptual thinking is the central and integral part of the coding. It consists of the formulating step by step procedure to design the desired product. The base of coding is only possible through logical thinking, and it is only possible if you teach the child to think with logic.
With the help of coding, kids can think out of the box to achieve the desired performance, goals, and technological results.

Some tips for parents who are struggling to teach programming to kids

“Programming isn’t science. Programming is a craft, so teach it like this way.”

If we search out the things, we can find that a low number of schools offer programming in the course. On the other hand, around 90% of parents want their children to learn to code. It is only possible if parents take a step forward and start to guide their kids from an early age. Here are the following useful tips that are necessary for the parents to adopt.

Always keep the whole process fun; do not ever hoard things in the mind of a child. Use visual blocks, games, and other fun activities to start the learning process.
Always try to achieve daily activities through tasks. Give new and fun-loving functions to your child and they feel entertained while performing them.
When the kid achieves something extraordinary, always try to reward the child through visual results.
Always let your child think. Thinking is the primary ability that is going to polish the child for the future. Critical and creative thinking makes the mind sharp and active. It always better to give smaller tasks than larger ones.
It is good to leave the child with questions and do not answer them frequently. Instead of that, always encourage them to find the answers through searching. In the end, if they feel stuck somewhere, then you can help them to overcome the obstacle.
Let your child make mistakes, as mistakes are the big companion in the way of learning. Programming is one of those things in which it is vital to learn by trial and error.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions that come in the mind of parents who want to see the bright future for their child.

How should I start?

It is a unique experience to create the interest of programming in a child who ages 6-10 years. As we told earlier that it takes so much to develop the necessary skills, and you will have to start way earlier for the result. So, here are some methods of learning that you can try according to different age groups.

For a kid (Age 6-8): teach your child through robots programmable in graphical language. It does not require fluent reading and writing skills, and kids start to learn by visuals. You can also use LEGO, pre-made robots, or robotics sets that come with many options.

For a kid (Age 8-10): If your child is 8-10 years old, then introduce a little complex form of learning. Introduce less sophisticated programming software with slight light tasks.

How should I introduce programming to kids?

There are the following ways through which you can introduce this side of the world to the kids in a more innovative way.

At first, take a light start and explain the basic concept and main idea of the definition. Nothing more complicated at this step.
Second, provide small tasks to the kids to introduce themselves to the world of technology and programming.
Now, again give some enjoyable tasks to your child and, at this time, encourage the kid for performance.
The fundamental thing you can do is try to create the connection between already established areas and coding. It will help kids to understand the different pieces of the world in one shape.

For more information on how to introduce coding to kids, check out our detailed write-up here.