Want to know why Python for kids is a good idea?
There are several types of programming code. There are things like HTML and CSS for websites, and C++ for Windows programs, and Linux for things like website builders or server programs. Python is considered a general purpose programming language that focuses on being easy to read.
For those reasons alone, Python is one of the more kid-friendly programming codes and has better long-term potential for your kids than something like BASIC (Beginners’ All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code).
Why Should Kids Learn Coding?
Coding is one of the most useful hobbies you can give your child. It is impossible for a modern parent to go wrong by encouraging their child to code. Begin by introducing your kid to age appropriate programming and it can help them develop determination, communication, creativity, and other skills.
Here’s just a few reasons your kid should learn coding:
- Coding improves problem-solving ability
- Coding boosts creativity
- It improves computational thinking
- Programming is a skill that can help you advance your career
- It teaches children to follow through on their commitments
- Coding provides computer literacy
- Helps boost confidence and communication abilities
Why Learn Python Programming?
Strongly consider a Python for kids course to help your kids take the plunge into programming. Even if they decide they don’t want to be coders in their future, there are plenty of ways that coding skills are helpful in later life. Even as an exercise on their own, they will help your children develop a better understanding of math and logic.
Python for kids programming can lead to a variety of future employment opportunities for children. Python is used in many sophisticated disciplines. There are many new employment possibilities nowadays and they will continue to arise in the future. Among the most important are:
- Data Scientist/Analyst – domains like engineering and even artificial intelligence quite frequently use Python
- Python Software Developer – Python is widely used in software development They are professionals who use Python to create various apps.
- Game Developer – The game business incorporates both creativity and innovation. While C++, Java, and other programming languages are used, Python is also quite commonly used to develop games. Python has a lot of libraries that support game development.
Do You Have Dreams? First Step to Learning to Program
Have you ever played Dreams on the Playstation? It is a video game making program, and it offers a fairly large amount of variation and graphical detail. It is not just a Mario Maker (although that is pretty cool too).
The only problem with Dreams is that it the complexity can become overwhelming. So, it is probably worth learning real game programming rather than continue. At least that way, your game will not be lost forever when Dreams decides to turn off the servers. And if you learn real programming, you have a usable skill that can be put to work in the real world.
At What Age Can a Child Start Coding?
Honestly, it is difficult to tell.
Some kids have a natural talent for this, and others don’t become interested until they are in their teens. Some four year old have mastered English and Polish spoken languages but won’t sit still long enough to learn something on a computer. With that in mind, you are probably best waiting until your child loses a bit of his or her childlike exuberance and becomes more accustomed to sitting around on a computer (example: teenage years).
Still, feel free to dabble at younger ages, just don’t push it too hard. Remember that a 10 year old that hates coding may fall in love with it at age 17.
Children as young as 7 years old can begin coding and learning the fundamentals of programming. In reality, as technology becomes more popular in everyday life, coding for kids has grown in popularity significantly in recent years. Children who learn to code when they are young can set themselves up for a lifetime of success.
Does Coding Require Math? Does My Kid Need Good Math and English Skills?
In truth, coding is more about logic than math, but logic features so heavily in math that the two are intertwined very deeply. Though a strong set of math skills will make the process easier, they are not actually required.
It is possible to approach math with a reader’s perspective, a math perspective, or even a jigsaw puzzle perspective. Most of the math functions can be figured out without doing mental arithmetic, and people with good memories can often bounce through a lot of the math work rather easily.
English and math skills will make the process a lot easier, but they are not essential. Kids (and adults) will find their own workarounds for the math side of programming, and in many cases, working on most types of programming code will actually improve math skills.
Do You Have to Have a Good Memory to Be a Coder? What if My Kid Has a Poor Memory?
The short answer to this says that the child will have a hard time learning Python because just like learning a spoken language, there is a lot to remember. The long answer is that having a poor memory is a myth. Different people have different ways to store and recall information. You may be surprised about how much a child learns and remembers when programming.
It is a little like those kids who can speak a language but can’t remember a single word on how it is written. Plus, you should really start very small and very slowly when it comes to programming. Learn the very basics and practice them over and over again. You should start with “Hello World,” as it is a programming tradition. Though, it is a little sad that printing “Hello World” with Python is perhaps a little anticlimactic when compared to creating your Hello World program with C++.
Conclusion
Yes, there are a lot of Python coders out there, so don’t worry about your kid missing out. And yes, like most programming communities, it is loaded with people who help other people and who go out of their way to help other coders.
Even the Apple coders have calmed down a little and have become a little friendlier over the years. Your kid can still get involved in the Python programming community, helping to build better open source programs, helping others and getting help from others, and sharing memes and programming traditions.
