{"id":1097,"date":"2017-08-16T16:28:23","date_gmt":"2017-08-16T16:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/7-ways-your-kids-can-learn-to-code\/"},"modified":"2022-10-13T20:50:20","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T20:50:20","slug":"7-ways-your-kids-can-learn-to-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/7-ways-your-kids-can-learn-to-code\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways Your Kids Can Learn to Code"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 Ways Your Kids Can Learn to Code<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids are insatiably curious and eager to learn, but finding the right curriculum is important to their success. Help your child learn about the wide world of coding by finding programs that support their learning styles and school routines.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Your Kids Can Learn to Code<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coding programs are increasingly popular for school-aged kids. Some school districts have begun to integrate STEM programs and coding into regular coursework or provide enrichment opportunities after school. Other students thrive through online courses or with the help of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/camps\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">coding camps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids with a variety of interests will have fun learning how to code. And if you start while they\u2019re young, you\u2019ll be amazed by how much they\u2019ll learn.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Online Coding Courses<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free online courses can serve as coding resources to help kids learn the basics of coding syntax. All students have to start with the fundamental coding skills to be successful, and if they can learn online independently, this is a great way to start.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easy to access<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students may click ahead without completing an activity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online learning requires self-discipline<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lacks one-on-one guidance that you get from courses and camps<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. In-home or Online Tutors<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coding tutors can personalize coursework to the child\u2019s interests and experience. Tutors can help reinforce year-round learning to support what coding languages they\u2019ve begun learning at school or during coding camps.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flexibility to learn virtually or in-person<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small class sizes or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/private-coding-tutors\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">private coaching<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coursework is customized to the child\u2019s level and interests<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some kids learn better in a group setting to share ideas and inspiration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dependent on the quality and availability of the tutor<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. School Curriculum<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">STEM education and coding curriculum can start in elementary school. Programs will introduce coding at an age-appropriate level to foster interest and curiosity. In middle school and high school, coursework for computer science may help students gain a deeper knowledge of programming languages and applications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opportunity to learn with peers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easy to incorporate into the normal school day<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">School budgets may limit program development and staffing for coding (and any STEM curriculum for that matter)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curriculum is generalized for the class and less likely to challenge those with existing coding experience<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. After-school Programs<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrap-around programs and after-school camps are an option for families who need childcare, but want to provide an enriching experience. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/5-projects-to-help-practice-coding\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coding projects<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can appeal to first-time coders as easily as students who have had experience with writing code.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convenient<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Families can use it to replace after-school childcare<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Static curriculum designed for general interests may lack depth and challenge<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staffing limitations may lead to a high teacher-to-student ratio<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Coding Camps<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coding camps appeal to many families looking for summer camp alternatives. Programs are tailored to different interests and experience levels, so children and teens can explore the types of coding that pique their curiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Summer vacation or seasonal school breaks are convenient times for kids to learn new skills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All-day programs can replace childcare or other camps<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids might not be interested in learning over the summer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning how to code still takes year-round dedication. While camp might jumpstart their interests, you\u2019ll need to supplement with other opportunities throughout the year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Coding Clubs<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clubs at school or in the community bring kids with similar interests together. Children can join to meet other kids and learn the basics of coding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opportunity to meet students with shared interests, like Minecraft or other coding games<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opportunity to groupthink and troubleshoot basic coding challenges with peers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convenient if the club is at school or a local community center<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all clubs have a dedicated teacher or a curriculum<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May be limited in size; you might have to wait until a space opens up.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Coding (and STEM\/STEAM) Schools<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many coding and STEM schools teach kids a wide range of computer science and engineering theories to generate interest in all areas of science, technology, engineering, and math.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools adopt one of the following learning styles:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curriculum based<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools with a traditional curriculum teach coding concepts at a preset pace. Curriculum and tutorials focus on developing fundamental skills and helping students learn in a structured format.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Software based<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some schools use online apps to guide kids through the coding process, supporting with additional in-person instruction if a child needs extra help or outpaces their peers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staff based<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools with programmers on staff can develop flexible lesson plans customized to every student. Coders can work with students to challenge them at the right level and help them succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best coding languages for beginners<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developed at MIT, Scratch, and ScratchJr are great places for a beginner to start learning computer programming. From there, kids can easily begin to grasp Tynker, Scratch, Java, and Lua.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teens who are more experienced with algorithms and debugging may want to pursue coding platforms like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HTML<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CSS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JavaScript<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Python<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C++<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C#<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How old do kids need to be to learn how to code?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids as young as six can begin to learn about coding! Children who explore technology and learn how to code get firsthand knowledge and experience with using computers. They also develop excellent problem-solving skills. Learning to write blocks of code is becoming a mainstream part of essential computer literacy for kids that benefits them in the real world.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn to code at theCoderSchool<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give your kid a jumpstart in coding by enrolling them in coding camps. Our child-focused learning philosophy helps young coders develop critical thinking skills so they can advance in the world of computer science at their own pace. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/after-school-coding-classes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coding classes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offered by theCoderSchool strive to inspire students of all ages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our kids\u2019 coding classes are available across the U.S. When you&#8217;re ready to enroll your child, get in touch with us to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/locations\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">find a class near you<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you have any questions about programs to target specific interests, we are happy to help point you in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parents have lots of options these days in getting their kids to code. &nbsp;Find out what they are in this blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[68],"class_list":["post-1097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-coder-blog","tag-advice-for-parents","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1097"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12232,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions\/12232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thecoderschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}