7 Benefits of Coding for Kids
Coding has become increasingly popular nowadays, especially in the education field. Thanks to this rise in popularity, coding has become a must in most parents’ and teachers’ agendas when teaching their children. Although teaching your child coding will not necessarily result in future Bill Gates or guarantee a career in the tech industry, coding provides many different benefits to children of a young age. If you are interested in having your child or children learn coding, make sure to read this blog post before you jump right in.
Benefits of Coding
There are 7 main benefits of coding for children:
1. Through coding kids can learn computational skills
When kids learn how to write code they not only develop cognitive skills but also learn the problem-solving process that’s similar to a computer. This process involves using pattern recognition to present the problems in different ways while logically breaking them down into parts and creating the steps needed to solve them. Apart from coding, computational thinking can also be used in other situations since it can help solve practical problems.
2. Coding is the new literacy
Nowadays kids are growing up in a totally different world. Computers, cell phones, Netflix and Facebook are all embedded in their lives. In fact, even toys are currently digital and many of them have programs. Although it’s one thing to know how to use technology, it’s totally another thing to understand the science behind them. Coding helps to draw back the magic behind them so that children can understand what control them. Students of today must, therefore, consume technology and understand what controls it.
3. Coding helps kids to learn problem-solving skills
Coding teaches the kids to break down hard problems into different parts. This technique can also be transferred to several other fields. For instance, scientists handle problems by coming up with a hypothesis before testing them one by one. Likewise, car mechanics diagnose car issues by replacing one part at a time so as to know where the problem is. In coding, computer programmers will figure out the bugs by generating a hypothesis and tweaking the codes to test which one can solve the problem.
"Coding for kids should be introduced as young as possible. Not only does it teach skills that will be immediately relevant in tomorrow's job market, it helps strengthen skills in a number of corollary areas such as math, reading, spelling, and problem-solving. Later on it will help kids develop skills in geometry, trigonometry, statistics, data analysis, physics, and more." according to David Dodge, CEO of Codakid
4. Coding comes with career opportunities
In order to compete in the current global economy, students need to have a comprehensive skill set that includes technology. Check out - 20 technology skills every educator should know. In fact, in future not knowing how to code will only be comparable to not knowing how to read. Most jobs will require that you have basic computer skills. Even clothing boutiques and restaurants currently need some form of computer knowledge. Those who specialize in coding will, therefore, earn a lot of money and since they are frequently contacted by clients. The opportunities for those who know how to code will definitely rise in future.
5. Coding equips the kids with skills that are important in future
The continuing importance of technology and pervasiveness in our lives would require a lot of people with coding skills. It’s believed that writing programs will still pay well in the future. Even many other jobs that do not require the use of computers will require some form of coding. Additionally, when learning how to code children will also learn other important skills such as communication, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
6. Coding facilitates creativity
Unlike adults, most children have creative minds that enable them to think outside the box. The endless searching for solutions and variations of coding can motivate them to use their creative minds to the maximum. Kids who quickly learn to code can see the connection between coding and storytelling. Both coding and storytelling normally follow a similar pattern (beginning, middle, and end). This creative inspiration can, therefore, help them in writing and public speaking.
7. Coding can help students to avoid problems and learn perseverance
In coding or programming, kids learn how to handle problems and anticipate any errors. Knowing how to write the correct codes can help prevent an entire program from crashing. More so, if what they are creating is not coming out well they tend to persist. They are also compelled to study what’s not working, why it’s not working and what can be done to ensure that it works well.
Coding hasn’t become popular by a mere accident. It’s been noted that knowing how to code is very important especially for the young generation. As Bill Gates said, learning to write programs not only helps you think better but also stretches your mind. This means there are many benefits of coding for students and kids.
Reference
https://howtospell.co.uk/benefits-of-coding-for-kids