Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, most countries have announced lockdown or stay-at-home orders for people. Staying at home for months, is frustrating. Kids face the hardest time because of this distancing and isolation life. As parents, you can engage your kids in various fun activities. Do not let your children become screen zombies. Rather, cultivate their creativity, and teach them to make the best of everything. Out of the several fun activities, coding can be a great idea. A child or a teenager will love to develop create games and music apps, if not the algorithms or syntax. Besides, coding for kids is a great stress buster for parents as well. So, always start off with the interesting implementations of coding.
Coding is an integral part and one of the strongest pillars of developing any computer application. There is a plethora of coding languages that you can choose to learn. All you need, is consult a relevant and fruitful online source, and check which coding languages are worth learning. If you witness a technology bent of mind in your child, do not ignore to nurture their creativity. Here are some important tips and ideas for parents to learn about coding for kids.
Scratch And Python: Two Popular Coding languages
Scratch
If your children are aged from 8 years to early teens, then Scratch will be the best programming language to start with. Scratch, as the name suggests, will teach you programming from the scratch. It is a rendition and improved version of Logo program, that we learnt as kids, in 80s and 90s. But it is much more than Logo. Scratch includes fun activity filled coding. When you visit the website, you can find numerous coding projects for kids. While working on these projects, kids will learn some basic computational concepts like condition, iteration and some basic mathematics. Scratch is a concept and project by MIT. Children do not need to know anything for using Scratch. Rather, they will learn a lot, while using Scratch.
Python
Little older kids, transitioning from early teenage to middle or late teenage, can learn Python. Python is now selling like hot cakes. It is the most popular programming language at present for almost everyone. Python is simple, holistic and can be learnt without any complex syntax. Unlike Perl or Javascripts, codes on Python are simple and readable. If your child has already learnt Scratch, then you can start Python as the next level.
Read More: How To Create Your First Flutter App?
Start Developing Simple Game Apps To Boost Interest
There is rarely any kid who does not like games. So, always start off with a gaming project. Do not start with complex games, but some simple beginner projects like tic-tac-toe games, hangman, etc. If they succeed in making these games, they will naturally grow a strong penchant for coding. One tip for parents, is do not over-indulge with simple fun game apps development, if they child is willing to learn coding. There are various resourceful coding classes for kids. Variety and change must be introduced otherwise, they won’t get the true essence of coding.
Source Code For Real World Programs
One of the biggest difficulties students face while coding, is the massive difference between what they learn in school or college and what they work on, in industry. Always encourage your children to practise coding. Show them source codes of the actual programs. Unless they work with real world codes, they won’t develop the true concepts and understanding.
Do Not Speak In Coding Jargons
If the parent is a passionate programmer, he/she often tries to inject their vast knowledge into the tiny heads of their children. Technical knowledge is important, but there is a right time. If you start talking about jargons like object-oriented programming, SQL, hash maps, protocols, recursions, then the kid will be scared. Better than talking in-depth concepts, help them solve simple problems covering a wide range of topics.
That’s all about it !
