Did you ever look at your child and wonder what goes on in their little minds, and how they view the world? Left to natural order, studies show that children often develop their own sense of logic and reasoning. They are super-fast learners and mimic the world they observe, reflecting in play dough, building blocks, or even playing with peers. If we put the debate of nature vs nurture aside for a while, we can agree that logic is an invaluable skill.
And with the world becoming increasingly digital, logic, programming logic and algorithmic objective thinking have almost become a new normal.
The digital revolution has made it imperative that we are dependent on tools and devices more than ever, with robotics, artificial intelligence, and bionics no longer science fiction.
Notice how YouTube and Netflix give you recommendations automatically? These are fine examples of how the digital technology is transforming and influencing our lives. Imagine this fast forwarded to 20 years from now, and your child living in it.
Data, Analytics, AI have arrived and are speaking to us. Coding is the language they best understand, and a skill that every child must have. Some of the best online education platform for students advise that coding is a skill that can be cultivated from an early age.
What exactly is Coding for kids?
Simply put, Coding is a process through which you speak to a computer in its language to perform tasks that you want it to. Despite natural language programming, and deep learning, computers (any device that can compute) they must be given instructions in a language they understand, which is where programming and coding steps in.
Scary as the whole idea of getting a child to learn coding may seem, especially when there are advertisements of 9 years old building mobile applications, coding for kids is taught to them through gamification. The process is simplified and very visual, so that young minds can relate to the logic, and creating scenarios to make coding fun and indulging to them. This is done through drag and drop boxes without complex syntaxes, the primary aim being getting them acquainted with the idea of process flows, algorithms and introducing them to coding. They then transition to core programming languages like Python, C or JavaScript which makes them relatable once the logic is in place.
Should Children Learn to Code?
Helps cultivate a problem-solving mindset
Cultivating a Problem-solving mindset helps children develop life skills, treat problems as opportunities to grow, and not view them as obstacles. Critical thinking, logic and resolution are all desirable skills for a holistic development and learning how to code helps children think on those lines.
Improves creativity
Since programming is logic based it facilitates a creative process necessary to build solutions. Most coders agree that the best part of their job is the satisfaction they receive from watching their code come to life. With proper instructions your little one will soon be a developer! Think of it like being great with lego blocks and becoming an engineer; this is similar. Only the lego blocks here are blocks of code.
Academic Skills
Children introduced to coding get a different world view, and their understanding of everything they come across is more objective and result driven. This makes them great performers in STEM and academics. Math’s is a subject that is all pervasive, across walks of lives, irrespective of the field. A major aspect of coding is organizing, analysis and data manipulation – all essential life skills. These are imbibed into the child gently, in a fun way.
Soft skills and communication
Coding is like talking to the machine, through rules and procedures that are not fungible. There is no circumventing, sarcasm or hidden meanings involved. Coders translate this trait and are precise, objective, and clear in their communication – a vital soft skill. It also encourages teamwork, cooperation and being observant.
Builds Resilience
Testing is a crucial part of coding. During the process of debugging and testing, one understands different use cases, all possibilities and identification of errors. This is inherent to coding itself, and through practice this resonates in everyday life too. Children are resilient, have a deep understanding of procedures and are more disciplined.
Learning anything new should be fun, and coding isn’t any different. No matter which field of study, trade or profession your child chooses, learning how to code gives them a strong foundation. If anything, they will receive a deeper understanding and do something interesting. Whether your child uses a personalized learning online platform for students, are self-learning through books, or using one of the many apps, coding could be more than just creating a website or an application!
https://www.simply.science/ is a one of its kind online platform that helps children explore science and technology in a fun and engaging manner. It encourages curiosity, helps children understand and develop skills essential in every walk of life.
Published by Pragnya purple
3 years ago 
