Why Younger Children Should Learn to Code

When I wrote my first HTML and CSS line at age 12 to customize my Friendster profile (it was 2008 before Facebook and Twitter exploded among kids my age), I thought to myself that I can create a very cool profile and just be cool among my friends. As years go by, I begin to discover that coding can also be used to build really wonderful applications and tools that can really reshape the way we live.

Around that time, I built my first website using those two fundamental programming languages. The thrill of being able to do so much through lines of code is so exciting. Even so, I wish that I had discovered programming far earlier than when I was 12. Because the benefits of coding that I have today would be much more if there's a guided learning to code when I was a kid. I think that younger children today should learn to code as there are so many benefits for academic performance, in the professional world, and as a human being.

Though there are many to choose from, some recommendations for sites to learn coding include:

1. Codecademy
2. Khan Academy
3. The Code Player
4. FreeCodeCamp

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

You will have bugs in your code, and that's totally okay. Because by debugging, you will develop the important soft skill of resilience. And I think it is important for kids to know how to come back from setbacks and use them as a learning opportunity and eventually solve their problems.

The learning process of coding will present so many challenges. By facing those challenges, kids will develop critical thinking skills and come up with solutions and alternatives. And by doing so, kids will not back down easily from solving a challenging problem.

The challenges of coding are numerous. After all, you are learning a new language. For example, kids could get frustrated by the complex problems, or they may begin to doubt their own abilities. Likewise, if younger kids have to fit their coding around school, they may struggle to find the time. However, if you encourage them and they are interested in what they are learning, none of the problems are insurmountable.

Rising Creativity

I have my first "client" when I was in 8th grade. A classmate came to me and asked to give her blog the look and feel she always wanted but can't find in pre-made templates. That was the first time I did an experiment in my coding. I learned how I can give a specific font and color to a blog title. I discovered what was called widgets and how I can add features to her blog using those widgets.

Coding gives a high-dose of "creative juice" to the brain and I think it is important for kids to possess them as early as possible so it gives the excitement and confidence to innovate and create meaningful things to solve problems around them.

Be Ready for the Future

As we face the fourth industrial revolution, the challenges for our youth will be tougher and more challenging. Cyber-physical systems, the internet of things, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and so many more new concepts are being introduced and we have a limited time to keep up with it.

Even though many kids will not be a software engineer or a web developer, it is still important to learn how to code because the impact of this industrial revolution driven by technology will affect many areas of our lives including health, education, consumer goods, finance, even culture, arts, and sports.

Coding transforms kids from passive consumers to creative innovators that can change the way of life to be better than ever before.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. However, what it does provide, whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a kid wanting to learn to code, is some hints and tips on what you should do and how you should learn to code, and some of the pitfalls that you may face as a budding coder. I promise you, it is worth the effort!



Guest Blogger: Jen Starr is part of the community team at Next Day PC. Jen enjoys staying on top of the latest tech trends and sharing how new tech can positively impact people's lives.