What Skills are Needed to be a Good Child Coder?
22 June 2023
The great news is a child does not need skills to begin coding. They will learn and enhance their skills through practice. They will learn a language to instruct a computer and apply this to solve problems. Naturally curious, they will discover how things work and how to put stories together.
Logic
To be a good child coder the child needs to think logically. They need to look at a problem and break it down into smaller pieces so they can solve it effectively. They use logical reasoning skills looking at all the facts to come up with a solution on how to proceed. They will learn to look for and identify patterns from a practical rather than theoretical approach.
Learning the language of Scratch or Python teaches a child how to communicate. They learn to plan and organise their thoughts so this helps them with writing. They create a beginning, middle and end just as they do creating a story.
Creative problem solving
The creativity involved in making a program requires experimentation and this develops a child's brain and strengthens it. Good coders visualise outcomes but this is mentally taxing. To create a program they visualise what they want in the app then figure out how to instruct the program to create the system. They realise there is more than one way to do things as they practise problem-solving.
Maths
Organising and analysing data in coding is maths. Children will use pre-algebra and geometry and they will handle and organise statistics. They will engage in calculus and probability, acquiring maths skills in a real situation. Coding is a really fun and engaging way to apply maths so children often pick up maths skills without releasing that’s what they are.
Resilience
It takes resilience to learn to code. Much of the activity is trial and error. If something is not working you need to dust yourself off and try something different until you discover what works. This determination to succeed in spite of adversity stands children in good stead in life.
Benefits of coding for children
Children can achieve real results coding. They might design a website, build their very own game or control a robot. It’s immensely satisfying and does great things for their confidence. It also gives them a huge advantage in the jobs market since coding software occurs in all kinds of industries. It's an inevitable part of the modern world and being tech savvy will be a huge advantage for your children.
Being able to work independently, to focus on fine details and to communicate effectively are all skills that help a child code but as they learn to code these same skills will develop. They will also have a lot of fun doing it and make new friends.
If kids have learned to code they will have an understanding of the technology around them and know how to work with it rather than be in awe or afraid of it. They may go on to use it in almost every industry.