How do you get kids to follow directions, check their work, understand the step by step processes of math or even why it's important to brush your teeth before you put on your fancy shirt? Well by teaching them how to code, of course! I've written about teaching kids to code before, but it's even more popular of an idea and it's growing more popular each year.
Very, very few adults understand the processes going on inside your computer, tablet, phone or even your TV. Technology has changed so rapidly that only those studying coding, computer science and engineering really even understand it. To the rest of us, it's just this fun, magical thing! I turn on my computer and there's the whole world inside.
Part of the reason to teach coding is to demystify the magic. However, I think the most important is to give kids the skills they'll need for a future we can't even begin to predict. Skills that come through coding are life-long skills. Mitchell Resnik of MIT says kids aren't just learning to code, but coding to learn. Kids learn to persevere through a frustrating challenge. They learn to create an idea and see it through to the end, even when it means asking for help or having to do considerable research. I've seen that kids who learn to code also learn to check their work in math problems and to be meticulous about the tiny details. Everyone who codes learns that one misplaced semi-colon can wreak havoc in your life!
How does that relate to brushing your teeth? Learning to code teaches process, order and structure. If you brush your teeth after you put on your shiny shirt, you might spill toothpaste on it. If you tell your character to run fast, before you've controlled the speed, he might just run right into the wall you coded for a challenge. Teach coding, then highlight the processes in everyday life that make sense. We have to preheat the oven, or the bread won't cook properly.
So how do you do it, particularly if you have no idea how to code yourself? The great news is that there are tons of resources available for anyone at anytime. You might even choose to learn along with your kids!
For little kids and beginning readers
Kodable (iPad)
Daisy the Dinosaur (iPad)
Hour of Code
Early Elementary
Move the Turtle (iPad)
Scratch (various platforms)
Code.org
Middle School
Gamestar Mechanic
Code Combat
Tynker
Code.org
Made With Code
KidsRuby
High School and beyond
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