For many parents, teaching their children to code can seem an almost insurmountable task. Not only is the home full of distractions for children, but it can sometimes also prove a difficult environment for adults to teach from, with chores and tasks needing to be completed throughout the day.
However, despite these difficulties, many adults will still find themselves keen to teach their children from the comfort of their home.
Thankfully, with the correct mindset, and the right tools and resources, teaching youngsters the basics of coding can be a fun and rewarding experience for both parents and children.
Furthermore, according to research, kids who learn to code in a familiar environment are more likely to remember the skills they have been taught.
If you are one of the many parents that are keen to introduce their child to coding, or if you have a child who has expressed interest in this topic, then this guide will provide you with all the relevant information required to get started.
From online games designed specifically to teach kids coding, to books and TV shows that parents can read or watch alongside their children, there are a number of interesting resources for you to choose from.
Coding books
Although most parents will be more familiar with teaching their kids about topics through the internet, the “old-fashioned” methods, such as books, still work incredibly well.
In fact, there are hundreds of wonderful books on the market that are specifically focused on teaching children the basics of coding.
Alongside this, these books appeal to a wide range of ages, with some specifically aimed at children as young as 4 years old, and others at older children (around 8 to 13 years old).
One particular book, Hello Ruby, originally a Kickstarter project, is a wonderfully lighthearted and accessible read that teaches youngsters the basic concepts behind coding.
The book itself is presented in a storybook style and follows a young girl named Ruby as she learns about a variety of lessons related to programming – such as computational thinking and pattern recognition.
Similarly, My First Coding Book is another superb title that parents can read alongside their children. Like Hello Ruby, this book does not require a computer for kids to learn the lessons contained inside.
However, despite this, it teaches youngsters valuable coding skills that can be applied while working on computers in the future.
Furthermore, the book’s author, Kiki Prottsman, does an amazing job of presenting numerous hard to grasp concepts in an easily understandable way.
For more inspiration, here’s a list we previously made of the best coding books for kids.
Coding games and apps
There are also countless online games or apps that are designed specifically to teach children the art of coding with or without the presence of a parent.
However, finding the right game for your child can sometimes prove a difficult task. Unfortunately, there are also many games on the internet that pretend to be educational but are ultimately focused on trying to get money or clicks on advertisements. At times, spotting these types of games can prove somewhat difficult.
For this reason, it is important to spend some time researching the best correct coding-related games for your children to play.
For example, Roblox is an amazing online platform where millions of youngsters gather to create and share experiences in user-generated 3D worlds.
Although not a traditional game, children are encouraged to learn the basics of coding and to develop their own games for other users to enjoy. Roblox offers free educational resources and lessons that help children on their coding journey regardless of their age.
Interestingly, many successful modern-day coders and programmers reportedly began their careers by playing Roblox as youngsters.
CodeCombat is yet another exciting coding game that teaches children the basics of typed code. They can choose to use several different coding languages, such as Python, Javascript, and Lua to navigate a fantasy world full of knights and other similar warriors.
Additionally, there are tutorials that parents can follow alongside their children to make mastering this game an easy and enjoyable experience.
For more information here are fantastic coding apps for younger kids or some educational games your child could play.
Coding on YouTube
There are many channels on this popular video-sharing site that focus on teaching kids the ins and outs of coding, as well as the concepts that they need to grasp to improve their programming skills.
Furthermore, several channels feature kids in presenter-type roles, naturally helping children to connect with the subject matter more easily.
For example, The Coding Train, presented by host Daniel Shiffman, teaches young students how to code using a variety of funny and entertaining animations.
Coding courses
One of the best ways you can encourage coding will be by using a dedicated course or class. At FunTech we have been teaching kids how to code since the mid 1990s.
Coding classes and coding camps
We currently offer both summer camps at various locations in the UK, plus run a series of online coding lessons. Our online classes are live and not pre-recorded and hosted by a professional tutor with class sizes that never exceed 8 students. Click here to find out more.
Our summer coding camps are run from 9 until 5 in the school holidays, are Ofsted-registered, and hosted by professional coding tutors who have been DBS checked.
Our coding classes include subjects such as Lego Robotics, Minecraft with Mods, Scratch Coding, Roblox Game Maker, Code-a-Bot Robot Wars, Python Coder, and Indie Game Builder.
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