How to encourage your child's interest in coding
Coding or computer programming is the process by which programmers design and build computer programs to accomplish specific tasks. At its core, it entails writing clear instructions with coding languages that the computer can understand and execute. Since the first code was written in the nineteenth century by mathematician Ada Lovelace, the field of programming has grown in both size and complexity. Now, coding is the backbone that drives and propels our digital world, from social media and e-commerce websites to smartphones and drones!
As most of our world is powered by technology, programmers are becoming high in demand, not just in the tech sector but in other industries such as healthcare, finance, and even education! Aside from that, even a basic knowledge of coding enables us to understand computers and be more comfortable with them.
Since coding skills can open up numerous opportunities, many parents are sending their kids for programming courses in order to prepare them to thrive in a tech-driven world. Nevertheless, as a parent, you too play an important role in nurturing your child’s interest in coding.
How Can Parents Play A Role in Cultivating Their Child’s Interest in Coding
Research has shown that children's academic performance is closely related to their parents' involvement and support. Essentially, the more involved you are in your child's education, the more likely it is that your child will be motivated and interested in their learning. As a result, while coding classes taught by experienced educators will provide children with the necessary skills and knowledge, parents can continue the learning process at home. This can be achieved with following 2 tips:
1. Play with them
Since coding is a complex subject, gamifying it ensures that children see it as a fun activity rather than a difficult subject to get through. That’s why many beginner and intermediate coding classes incorporate games and mobile applications to help children learn coding easily. As a result, you can reinforce your child's knowledge outside of the classroom by playing such games with them. As these games are designed to be intuitive, you do not need any coding knowledge to play with your child.
Alternatively, you can even send them for coding holiday programs which offer a variety of workshops where your child can learn coding in a fun and playful setting! The important thing is that your child is able to further develop their coding skills and passion as you play with them on a regular basis.
2. Encourage experimentation
Programming is much more than just writing a few lines of code to perform a function on a computer screen. It is also about creating and using one's imagination to bring many things to life, such as robotics, game design, and mobile application development. As a result, once your child has mastered the fundamentals of coding, encourage them to further experiment and explore the various avenues that programming has to offer. One way to do that is to tap into your child’s other interests. Does your child love reading? Why not get them to design a website where they can compile a list of their favourite books, complete with reviews and rankings? For a child with an active imagination, they can be encouraged to create their own interactive and imaginative world using block-based coding and design elements! As children are naturally curious and eager to learn new things, experimenting will deepen their interest in coding.
Nurturing The Next Generation of Changemakers In Technology
In today's digital world, computational thinking is becoming as important as literacy and numeracy. As such, when we teach our children programming at a young age, we are ensuring a better future for them and for the rest of us. Nevertheless, coding is a subject that requires perseverance and patience. Therefore, both educators and parents must be involved in their children's education in order for them to succeed.
Roboto Coding Academy is a leading coding school in Singapore that has a wide range of classes to cultivate your child's passion in coding! Sign up for our free trial today.