Coding is a great way to introduce your kids to technology. But it’s not just about the fun of making a game or playing with robots — it’s also about learning how to build something from scratch.
You have to make them challenging enough, so they’re not just learned with the click of a button but also interesting enough that they’re worth working on. If you give up too soon or don’t push hard enough, your child won’t learn anything from experience.
You may have heard the saying, “It’s never too late to learn.” Well, the same can be said for teaching your kid coding.
While coding might seem something only adults should do, it’s a great way to teach kids about technology and how things work. It’s also an opportunity to help them build their confidence as they enter the workforce.
If you’re unsure where to begin, here are five mistakes to avoid when teaching your kid coding:
Not Using the Right Tools
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when teaching your kid coding is not using the right tool. The wrong tool could be a keyboard, mouse, or pen and paper. Many different tools on the market will help you teach your kid to code, but these all come with their pros and cons.
Coding software is ideal for parents who want to start their kids quickly and easily. These programs use drag-and-drop or step-by-step lessons to guide users through programs designed specifically for kids, such as Scratch or Microsoft’s Blockly. These programs also include features like audio narration, animated characters and sound effects, which makes it easy for kids to follow their parents’ instructions. If you teach your kid how to build a website, you need a website builder. You need an app builder if you teach them how to build an app.
Not Tailoring Your Teaching Style to Their Age
When you start teaching your kids coding, you’ll probably find that they’re not very interested in it. You’ll have to keep trying; eventually, they’ll come around. But what do you do when they’re not interested?
If you’re like most parents, you’ve probably tried everything from bribery to threats. For some kids, the threat of punishment is enough to get them to do anything. But if that doesn’t work, what else can you do?
There’s no single answer to this question. It depends on your child’s personality and age and how much time and energy you want to put into learning code with them. In general:
Teaching a younger child helps if the lessons are more hands-on than playing games or watching videos on YouTube. This means that there will be less chance of them getting distracted by other things while they’re trying to learn something new — like being able to use Minecraft instead of being able to change colours in a text editor!
Not starting with the basics
The first step in teaching your child how to code is getting them excited about the prospect. Don’t start by explaining why you should be learning how to code — instead, use simple explanations that they can relate to as opposed to abstract concepts. For example, if your child asks why they should learn how to code, explain that it will help them with school projects or work on their projects in the future. This way, you’re showing them that learning coding could be helpful for them in the future and make programming seem more appealing!
You should never expect your kid to be an expert in coding just by giving them a computer and starting them off with some essential programming software. That’s why it’s important to start them off with simple projects that will allow them to get used to the coding process and help them understand why certain things work and how they interact.
Not providing them with study tools
The best way to teach your kids coding is to give them resources they can use. If you don’t have the money or the time to buy a book, you should find something to help kids learn independently. Many websites and apps can do this for you, but parents and teachers must teach kids how to use these tools.
For example, if your child wants to learn how to code HTML, you should ensure they have access to a computer with the internet to practice and learn independently. The same goes for other learning materials such as books or videos.
Suppose your child wants to learn Algebra or Geometry at school. In that case, they must have access to these materials to practice independently at home or wherever else they feel comfortable.
Not having fun
Why bother if you can’t have fun with your kid while they are learning? You don’t want to be along for the ride as they know to code, but you also need to have fun with them. If you don’t enjoy it, then there is no way that this will work.
Parents need to be involved in teaching their children how to code. They need to take an interest in what their child is doing, ask questions and help guide the child along the way. They also need to support their child when they make mistakes or when things get frustrating, which will happen often!
