Coding for kids seems like an impossible endeavor, right? It’s a lot like—quite literally—learning an entirely new language!
Thus, asking children to envision themselves with the ability to, say, build an app, is a difficult enough task in itself.
We’ve all been there…a blank slate can be a very scary, overwhelming roadblock. “Is coding for me? How am I ever going to get to a point where coding comes easy? When will I be able to use this new skill to complete a finished project?”
Statements like these have stopped many…before they even give themselves the chance to begin.
Think about it—first you have to plan, then you have to learn, then you have to be good enough to create. But before you learn, you have to decide what it is you’re going to learn, and you need to have a great understanding that the thing you’re learning is going to pay some sort of dividend when all is said and done.
There is no way around it. It’s quite the challenge.
But please, keep reading.
Any new task always seems impossible from the start, and is in fact impossible if you don’t take all of the necessary steps—and in the right order—beforehand.
This means that jumping in with two feet could actually lead to more frustration, and even lessen the chance of follow through/success, compared to starting small, taking your time, and achieving small victories along the way.
What is “coding for kids?”
Coding for kids is the collection of opportunities available for children to get involved in coding. While it is difficult to imagine a young mind learning something so seemingly complex, it’s reality. Thanks to the many coding summer camps, websites, online tutors, and toys, coding can be fun and digestible.
Start with the why, outline the benefits, define key terms, study examples, choose a language, and get started!
Wait. What is coding? Coding is how we communicate with computers, and what we use to build and run websites, apps, games, and more.
How to get your child to code?
It’s an answer that can go a million different directions.
So, let’s start by focusing on moving one direction—forward. It doesn’t have to be a giant leap. In fact, per the above, it should really only be a small step for now.
The important thing is that with each move, your child experiences progress.
With that, we are going to navigate this twisty-turny coding landscape through the various topics:
- Why kids should learn coding
- Coding definitions
- Best coding languages
- Kid coder success stories
- How to realistically start a learning journey
- Coding resources
