We live in a world of advanced technology and the evolution of technology is moving at an ever faster pace. It is amazing to look at my young kids and think back to when I was their age. There were no laptops, mobile phones or tablets and there was no internet. If we had to do a school project my mother had to drive us to the library with a pocket full of coins and leave us there for the day so we could spend our time huddled over encyclopedias making photocopies of each page that had the information we needed. Now my four year old son asks me to “just Google it” or “Youtube it”.
The facts are that our children are growing up in a completely different world. The rules have changed and they will continue to do so. Learning to code will prepare our children for the world we live in today.
Here’s why kids should learn to code:
Programmers Are Hot Demand
Coding is listed on Forbes as one of the 13 top tech jobs that are high in demand. There is already a shortage of computer science graduates and this is expected only expected to increase.
If your child picks up coding early on and learns these skills it will put your child right at the front of the pack when it comes to job opportunities in the future.
Even if your child does not take up coding as a main line of study knowing how to code will give your child a competitive advantage when it comes to any job opportunity as well as make your child more desirable when applying to colleges.
It is also important to note that Computer Science majors earn 40% more on average than most college graduates.
Programming Opens A New World Of Possibilities
Do you know how your mobile phone works? Or maybe video games? I certainly don’t… but knowing how these things work will open up a whole new world of possibilities for your child.
Knowing how these things work will change how your child sees and interacts with the world of technology.
Coding is the literacy of the digital age.
Just like we need to learn how to read and write our children now need to know how to communication with technology.
Coding Improves Academic Performance
Your kids may be a long way from completing school and starting college but that does not mean that it is too soon to start your children learning how to code. Always remember that the earlier your child starts learning something the easier it will be to pick it up. Look at how fast and easily your toddler learns how to use your phone or tablet!
There are plenty of fun and useful apps for your child to use to learn how to code – take the Gold Award Winner for “Best Educational App” by Best Mobile App Awards as a great example.
Learning how to code from a young age will help to boost your child’s creativity. What better way to have fun and get creative than to strengthen and their brain through experimentation while coding?
Coding entails precision and planning which will help your child to improve his writing skills. Learning to code helps children to visualize abstract concepts and to apply math in a real life situations. Numeracy has purpose and applying mathematical concepts becomes creative and fun.
Problem solving skills are improved through learning how to code.
Coding Builds Skills
Coding brings a whole new set of challenges for your child to work through and in doing so it takes determination and builds perseverance.
Communication skills are improved – if you think about it coding is really another whole language that is learned. Logical communication is taught strengthening both written and verbal skills.
Focus and organization is needed to code and as more complicated code is written your child will be better able to concentrate and develop better organization skills.
Children feel empowered when they can code and communicate with the technical world around them. Developing all these new skills and each little success when it comes to coding will build your child’s confidence and self esteem.
I would love it if JD one day learns how to do coding because it really is a great field to master.
With technology changing every year, this is a profession where there is no shortage of demand.
Coding is a cut above me but I have friends that can do this.
I remember a few years ago one of my friends wrote a code that they end up buying form him and he made a lot of money of it.
I’m not sure what it was for but it was definitely beneficial to him.
He is an artist and musician, so I never really pictured him in an office environment.
Another friend of mine does computer programming at one of the Universities. The great thing about having this knowledge, is that not only is your skills needed in the field but you can also find employment as a mentor or tutor.
The possibilities are endless.