Giving your child the best chance of success in the future, as well as aiding their educational development in their formative years is something that every parent has a desire to do.
Learning to code and program is one such way in which you can prepare them best for the future, get them ahead at school, or support and enhance their current learning.
It’s not just the educational and career benefits that coding can bring. If your child learns to code, there is research to suggest that it will help them with other skills such as organization, perseverance, problem-solving, and even confidence.
If you are currently debating whether or not it’s the right time to help your child learn to code, or even whether they are the right age to start, this guide will explain the benefits to coding, and answer any questions you might have.
But what the benefits to children learning coding?
Is it the right time for child to learn to code?
Below are our top 13 reasons for kids to learn computer programming.
#1: Coding helps with school & academic performance
Children that learn to code can improve and develop multiple facets of their educational syllabus including maths, writing, and creativity.
It can also help to increase their confidence at school or in other social situations.
#2: Coding helps with maths & logical problem solving
From a maths perspective, coding is known to help kids visualize more abstract concepts in a fun format that lets them apply mathematics to real-life problem-solving.
Computer science and coding aren’t just about developing a program to solve or perform tasks. It’s also about logical problem solving, using the core basics of mathematics.
#3: Coding helps with writing skills & creativity
When it comes to writing, computer programming can also let your child improve their written skills, developing a more concise and structured approach to storytelling and the English language.
When coding, a child will often realize that there will be more than one way to resolve a problem. Sometimes the more simple and efficient solution can be better.
By analyzing their critical thinking and the solving of problems, it can lead to a more meaningful application of written and spoken language.
And creativity?
By experimenting with computer code, they will learn to take a different approach to solving tasks in creative ways that might not have thought of before.
When a child learns a coding language, they can learn to create digital content, not just consume it.
Rather than using an app or playing a video game, your child could be the brains behind imagining, planning, and developing one instead.
There’s no doubt that by problem-solving with code, your child’s brain can get stronger and more adaptable.
#4: Coding helps with confidence
Parents with children that have been on the FunTech coding course or class will often report that their child’s confidence and communication have improved.
This can be put down to not just the basics of learning new tasks out of their comfort zone but also having to collaborate with other children in a classroom-based environment such as the ones we offer.
#5: Coding is fun!
Whilst computer programming is very much a logic-based activity, it’s also very creative as we have already touched upon.
Much of the appeal in learning to code is the challenge and reward that comes when your child sees their code come to life.
In a classroom setting, with other children also learning, even more so.
#6: Coding isn’t just about computers
In modern life, almost every device we interact with on a daily basis is powered by a computer. Whether that’s a smartphone, domestic appliance, cash machine, or a traffic light system when crossing the road.
It’s not just about computers, laptops, gaming consoles, or tablets.
We believe that it’s important for children to understand that someone has written coding instructions for computers to help us with everyday challenges and tasks we perform.
That will help your child to visualize the possibilities for how coding and technology can solve problems of the future.
#7: Coding is the language of the world
Software is a critical component that touches so much in our lives, and in fact, could be seen to be the language of the world.
We believe that if a child doesn’t know the language of computers, then that could present as big an issue as being illiterate or innumerate is today.
Now obviously not every future job is going to require coding skills, but we still believe it’s crucial for children to learning the basics of coding as it will help them with their computational thinking.
#8: Coding helps with core soft skills
Once your child starts to learn to code, they will move through more and more complex processes and problems.
As they develop more complicated code, they should naturally also develop improved focus and organizational skills.
Coding can also help them to improve their resilience and communication.
#9: Coding can help to change the world
Kids that start early and learn to code from a young age are going to be the pioneers of the future.
Your child could go on to change lives by working on apps, robotics, and other computing programs that help to shape our future for the better in the education, health, and energy sectors.
#10: Coding helps kids with storytelling
We use a program called Scratch to teach kids to code. It’s a visual language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is perfect for any sort of storytelling.
But why is that important?
Storytelling supports children in thinking procedurally, and these skills are very much a focus of the Scratch lessons.
When developing video games with Scratch, your child gets to code their own stories. By enriching their imagination by taking them off to far-flung places with strange characters, it can help them to deal with real-life situations.
Research shows that the type of brain activity that takes place during fictional moments is almost the same as the brain activity shown in real-life scenarios.
By reading, acting, or solving a problem in a fictional environment, your child can learn how to solve it in reality.
#11: Coding helps kids achieve their dreams
Dan Costolo, the CEO of Twitter said: “If you can program a computer, you can achieve your dreams. A computer doesn’t care about your family background, your gender, just that you know how to code. But we’re only teaching it in a small handful of schools, why?”
#12: Coding summer classes can keep your kids busy
The FunTech coding camps run weekly over the summer, meaning you have the peace of mind in knowing that not only do you have something for them to do, but it’s also a valuable activity.
Our camps run in the south of England from 9am up until 5 o’clock. That’s just the right time for working parents and lets you plan your work schedule around your child’s summer learning.
#13: Coding helps to future proof your child’s job prospects
According to research conducted by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, almost half of science, technology, engineering, and maths jobs are hard to fill.
With your child potentially reaching employment age in the next decade, having a coding and programming background could mean they are very much in demand in the 2020s. There should be no fears for them finding a suitable career.
Not only that but with there being real concerns that robots and artificial intelligence are set to phase out certain job roles over the next 10 years, there has never been a better time for your child to learn coding.
The Royal Society of Arts conducted a survey that suggested the technology could make certain mundane job roles redundant, with possibly four million jobs being at risk.
They canvassed the opinion of UK employers, with 13% thinking that more than 30% of the jobs will be automated by 2027.
The digital jobs market is one that continues to show rapid growth, with an increased demand for computer programming skills unfortunately not being matched by suitable candidates.