Coding is difficult and challenging. It is something we usually think of as meant for people who are highly intelligent, educated, patient, and most notably – are adults. Yet, coding is something that not only can be, should be, and is taught in school, but it is something that can be taught as early as around the first school years, if not even sooner.
How does this work, however? How does one go about teaching coding to a kid in the K-8 age range? And before we even get into the how to get started at home, why is the first question we need to ask. Why teaching kids to code is the new essential life skill.
3 big reasons why teaching kids to code at home is essential
Coding is technically just a profession. Yet, we usually don’t go around teaching preschoolers the basics of other professions as early as possible. Or do we?
In reality, many kids’ toys are themed after or related to common professions and life skills we practice as adults. There are toy cars to get kids familiar with driving, there are constructors to familiarize them with the basic principles of building things, there are healthcare-related toys to show the basics of that field, and so on.
The reason we give kids such toys isn’t just because they are fun, but also because they help them to start understanding the world they are going to live in as adults and how it works. And, with coding becoming such a huge part of not just the professional world but everyday life too, it’s now very much one of those professions and fields kids ought to be aware of as well.
And, fortunately, coding can also be taught in the form of a “game,” as there are many coding games and game-like courses online. The K-8 CodeMonkey coding game course is a prime example of that. But, before we go into the “How,” let’s to break down the “Why?” in a bit more detail, here are the three main reasons why that’s the case:
1. Learning to code is the most effective way to expand your child’s cognitive abilities
Like constructors, puzzles, drawing, and many other such activities, coding is the type of thing that greatly expands kids’ cognitive abilities. By its very nature, coding improves children’s logical thinking, their pattern-seeking abilities, as well as their algorithmic and structural thinking abilities.
Coding also develops kids’ creativity, just like drawing and constructors do, it teaches them patience and persistence, just like puzzles do, and it builds up their confidence in their abilities. All this, when presented in the form of a fun and engaging coding game, can be one of the absolute best game-like hobbies and activities you can introduce your child to, regardless of whatever their professional field is going to end up being in the future.
2. Coding is still very much one of the most promising careers of the future
The simplest and most boring, but also still a very much true reason to start teaching your child to code is that software development as a profession isn’t going away in the future. With the recent advancements in AI, many people started speculating that AI is going to replace human coders, but the opposite turns out to be true, as AI is just another tool for developers to use in their work.
So, not only is coding not going away as a profession, it’s set to be even more essential in the near future, as technological advancements continue to expand the things people can do with computers. In that sense, getting your child to play coding games is a fantastic way to both improve their cognitive skills and prepare them for one of the best professions they can go for when they grow up.
3. Everyone is going to need to know how to code very soon
The same way basic computer skills were taught as “professional skills” some 30 years ago, but are now essential life skills everyone today needs, the same is set to become true for coding in the near future. Especially with AI and other user-friendly tools making it easier and easier for people to just build their own sites, apps, and software tools, knowing the basics of coding is becoming an essential skill everyone should have.
Whether it’s to do something for your own convenience on your home PC or to tweak something at work, knowing how to code is going to be a crucial skill, regardless of what your profession is. Virtually every job or career is going to involve software tools (almost all basically do today too), and knowing how to operate, tweak, and improve these software tools yourself is set to be as pivotal as it is to know how to use Microsoft Word or Excel today.
How to start teaching your kid(s) to code at home early on?
Software development may be highly technical and complicated, but getting to know the basics isn’t as stressful as it sounds. Just like learning how to read or write doesn’t immediately teach your kids to be professional authors, coding games also merely just expose children to the basics of coding.
The more serious and career-building courses and lessons are meant to come later on, but playing around with coding games early on is the best way to get started. All you need for that is a good K-8 coding game platform, a computer or a tablet to play it on, and a bit of free time every other afternoon to get your kid started at home.
CodeMonkey and other such platforms usually have courses that aren’t just kid-friendly, but that can be done both alone and with a tutor too. This turns them into the near-perfect thing to both do together with your kid and let them practice on their own.
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