When the word ‘coding’ emerges, people often consider something very technical and logical. This is true also to some extent but it is really not mandatory for parents to be skilled in coding before teaching to children. For children coding is a kind of exercise that fundamentally teaches them something at every stage.
By trying their hand into something new, children expand their thinking about the new concept or ideas. Their way of thinking changes with the arising questions like- ‘How can we solve this?’, ‘Is there any other method of doing this?’. With regular practice and involvement, their skills are polished.
Some of the advantages of coding are :-
- Increases logical ability
- Creativity gets sharpened
- Broadens the thinking
- Skills are enhanced
Various ways through which we can make coding fun for kids are :-
1) Convert coding into play
It would be a really great approach if they learn something tricky while playing. All work and no play wont do any good. Involve some fun activities and games to make them recharged. This would turn into a great way to show that you really do care about their efforts. Providing them with rewards and some loving compliments will make your little one try something big next time.
Kids are often afraid to make the first move in any activity because they are afraid of being scolded. Value their first move, no matter how small they have taken. With great appreciation they would definitely try to achieve something big next time.
2) Make it more creative
Children make things more easy to understand when they are explained with the help of examples. Relatable incidents and examples make things clear to them. In every activity children do they try to find something creative and playful.
They are energetic beings and always seek something fun loving, even in studies. Children love stories. Their imagination power gets stronger when they are involved in any such activity. But can these coding books be imaginative and engaging? Yes, definitely there are many books out there, which are informative as well as interesting for kids.
3) Encourage innovation
Don’t hold their hand each time they want to do something. Neither tell them the way how certain things can be performed nor give them any kind of hint. Permit them to try the new way. Everytime when they are sharing their thoughts, do not impose your mature thoughts over them.
Children might get offended, if they feel like you are not satisfied with their views. When they are exposed to new viewpoints their zeal grows more.
4) Allow them making mistakes
Curiosity is really a great sign that he is finding interest in coding. Don't interrupt when you see they are doing wrong. Let them do it in a wrong way and at the end allow them to concede it.
With every step children get curious about their role and the upcoming outcome. Usually when children make mistakes or fail at something, then they try to figure out how to do that task correctly, in this way they gain confidence as they feel like they have made a significant accomplishment, after debugging their fault.
When they receive the outcome they desired or even sometimes unexpected, then ultimately it boosts their energy.
5) Let them take the initiative first
Initiative doesn’t mean high skills or education, it simply means positive spirit, a dynamic approach, and a motivated mindset. When a child develops willingness to take the initiatives, he tends to be more independent, responsible, and a team player. Initiative actions make children responsible, able to think out-of-the box to conquer the difficulties.
6) Take the help of a mentor
According to Aark Learnings platform- “Some children are less confident, and need more encouragement than others. When they are praised, they are more likely to see trying hard as a good thing in themselves. Some children are disinclined to reach out for help when they need it. They feel disconcerted about the struggles they are asked to face.”
Thus a mentor can help them with exploring new methods, generating the coding outcome and identifying possible approaches. The encouragement helps in boosting confidence in them.
7) Organize fun activities with his friends
When kids are engaged with friends, they try to act better. This increases their competitive skills. A very different but useful approach. When in groups, children try to be more participating and eager to tell the correct answer. If you think that the main purpose of these group activities is to only learn and study, then you need to make some shifts in your thinking.
Children can’t handle anything continuously scheduled for long hours, not even their favorite games. After a certain interval of time, they tend to find their plays boring. Then how can we expect them to study and learn for so long.
So far we discussed some great reasons why coding is important for children to learn. Through this, their level of skill and knowledge will enhance and they will get prepared for the rapidly growing tech-induced future. Giving your child an opportunity to learn about technology will definitely give them various advantages in life.
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