6 Ways to Teach Your Kid to Think Like a Programmer
Beyond teaching the different coding languages to your child, it is also necessary to prepare their young minds as coders. These kids should understand how to think like a programmer. They must fully understand how to apply the coding language and programming skills to an actual coding platform.
Besides these, you as a parent should develop your kid’s coding skills in fun, creative, and exciting ways. In this case, children will enjoy the whole learning process. As a result, your kids will become capable of effectively communicating with a machine and generate a successful programming experience.
So, how are you going to teach coding to your kids?
Here are some of the practical ways on how to make your child think like a programmer.
#1 Read coding books together
For starters, you may use programming books. It will use stories, graphic images, and interactive workbooks to help your child understand programming basics. It will also provide them with simple concepts on computational thinking skills and other skills related to coding.
You may choose books, depending on your kid’s age. Moreover, you can buy books featuring specific coding platforms. You can order these books online, but other bookshops also offer programming books.
Through these coding books for kids, you as a parent can teach the basics of using entertaining visual aids and materials. It is also standardised, which is highly credible of teaching your kids about the world of programming.
#2 Solve problems with your child
Another way of making your child a future programmer is by using current problems and solving them like coders. How? First, try to think of a problem that involves organising, searching, filtering, and sorting. Try to solve it together whilst you are allowing them to analyse the scenario carefully. Afterward, help them to construct a simple procedure to solve the issue. Then, let them begin solving the problem if they need help, that will be the part you will assist them.
For example, you may give them a challenge whilst you are both shopping at the mall. Bring out a list of a recipe from where your child needs to find everything. If some ingredients are not available, help them use alternatives. You may also allow your kid to do strategic plans of making the challenge easier for them. They could use Google for help or ask mall personnel to help them with the activity.
As you try this activity, you give them a chance to think, analyse, and make exciting decisions. It will help them make techniques and possible solutions to solve the problem like a usual code which always gives solutions to computer problems.
#3 Introduce algorithmic thinking using simple activities
Algorithmic thinking involves the use of step-by-step instructions to accomplish a task. You may teach your child this skill by letting them create their own sets of rules and education on a particular job.
One activity would be building furniture. Without reading the instructions, ask your child to analyse where to start first and how to begin creating the table. Then, help them choose the tools to use and ask why it would be the most suitable tool. Afterward, ask your child to narrate the steps you are about to take to build the furniture. If there are faulty parts, then your child can repeat it until they get it right.
Through this simple activity, you teach your kid to think like a programmer who knows how to create step-by-step instructions, debug computer programs, and be resilient in building the whole project.
#4 Teach Drag and Drop language
One essential aspect of coding is the drag-and-drop language. It belongs to the visual-based coding languages which are usually introduced to children. Using drag-and-drop coding activities, you can help your child understand algorithms, if and conditionals statements, and the use of variables whilst coding.
You can introduce drag-and-drop activities using fun game features programming for kids. The famous Scratch application is a popular example of drag-and-drop coding for kids. Besides that, there are also online games that can help you teach coding thinking skills to your child. Some of these are Python, Roblox, and Minecraft.
#5 Unplugged coding activities
Besides online coding games for children, you can also do unplugged coding activities. These tasks are also exciting, thrilling, and most importantly, cost-effective. You can use simple exercises at home to prevent them from too much gadget use that could lead to screen addiction.
As parents, you could make activities like scavenger hunts from where your child would solve problems. They will need to observe, analyse, and plan first before jumping to solve the issue. Through this, you are preparing their minds to be logical thinkers.
Aside from that, you can also give them robotic toys that would improve their robotics skills. If they familiarise themselves with robots or any machine-related learning, they would have a vast interest in coding and programming robots. Eventually, it will mould them as coders!
#6 Enrol them to kids coding after school care
Besides family coding activities, after-school care programs and extracurricular activities for kids can also shape their minds as coders. STEM skill schools will enhance your child’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills. It could also bring out incredible intellectual and mental health in others.
Moreover, coding classes for kids could adequately teach them how to communicate with machines using computer programming languages. It will guide them to understand the whole coding process and inspire them to apply it independently.
Skill Samurai is a STEM-accredited program that offers exciting and equipped programming classes for kids. They use lab challenges, lectures, and on-hand coding activities for your child. Through this program, your child could learn, discover, and practise coding skills. Eventually, it would help them in pursuing careers in computer science.
So, if you want to mold your child’s mind to become a coder, play and have coding activities together. If you’re going to make it more exciting and credible, sign them up to Skill Samurai coding and robotic classes for kids!