Coding for Kids: How to Futureproof your Child

‘A’ for Apple, ‘B’ for Ball, ‘C’ for… Coding?

We’ve spoken about all the disadvantages of technology when it comes to our little ones, but what about the benefits? Watch to find out why coding is the new literacy and what your children can get out of some healthy device use!

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When they start learning the fundamentals of coding at a very young age like the five years old and the six years old it really helps children listen, communicate, and think in new and different ways. We have seen first-hand how learning to code can even improve a child's confidence.

Today we're talking coding with Demi Swart, and you can find them on www.istore.co.za/education. I think the first question that most of us want to know is what is coding? So Elana today's world is really really it's driven by technology our phone, Netflix, uber, code is what makes this technology work, coding sometimes called computer programming is how we essentially communicate with computers. Codes tells those computers what actions to take and by writing code it's like creating that set of instructions. For children by learning to write code they actually get that opportunity to tell the computers what to do or how to behave in a much faster in a much cooler way that they want it to work. They can use the skill set to make things like websites, apps, process data, and do so many other cool things but it's not just about making these apps and making these websites. When your child really learns how to code they're learning the language of technology and that's the brilliance about it. They're learning new ways to think and bring ideas to life and Istore Education we believe that every single child should have that opportunity to create something that can one day change the world and coding is that first step it's an amazing first step to do that.

What age can a child start coding I mean most of us think that we're making robots and just that I mean how much could a five-year-old really achieve when they code? So when they start learning the fundamentals of coding at a very young age like the five years old and the six years old it really helps children listen, communicate, and think in new and different ways. We have seen first-hand how learning to code can even improve a child's confidence. So children as young as six years of age can start coding and they're able to grasp at least the beginner's coding concepts. Coding for children has gained so much popularity and is growing in the recent years as technology becomes increasingly a part of our everyday life, so when children learn to code it's typically done under the guidance of a game or what we call an unplugged activity and this process is fun, it's engaging, and they are still learning these new skills.

Okay so you've more or less told me what happens in a coding class but what I realized is so I decide now that my five-year-old needs to code and it's holiday and um I think even it might have been locked down and do you have to have the most current advice in order to learn how to code? Uh no, if you are learning from a young age we start children off with uh like I mentioned those unplugged activities and what those unplugged activities essentially are they activities that don't use a device at all they're an activity that teaches them the coding concept it brings and it ties it into what they already know how they uh brush their teeth for instance we use in encoding like a sequence and teaching them the concept of sequencing. We do move on to coding apps and as we move on if your app is compatible with an older device all the happiness you don't need the latest device to learn how to code when you want to design your apps yes they come in handy but again you can, you can build on any device.

Immediately as a mom I’m thinking what are the benefits I mean why should kids code? So like I said code is all around us from social apps to YouTube to everything it keeps us in contact to the systems that make everything work, so learning to code is essentially a skill set and to succeed in this world with these new skills with these new technologies coding becomes that benefit. We couldn't agree more with the world economic forum that says creativity, critical thinking, analysis, active learning, leadership, social influence, emotional intelligence, are all critical skills for the future workplace and coding helps learn all of these. Children can use code and app design to solve real-world problems that they care about these are problems in their schools in their communities and this can inspire them to think creatively and also develop some empathy. Coding is often done and it's a big misconception that it's done in isolation, it's done as teams very few coding projects work as an individual project so by teaching kids to code you're teaching them that collaboration, they work together to solve these challenges which often requires them to consider multiple opinions and other people's points of view uh and it's so much more the skills and the experience that come beyond the classroom beyond subject areas just it goes further than that, so they really are I mean a great example we love showing or talking to parents about is through coding we teach children how to break up big problems into smaller parts that they can work with that's a concept called decomposition and it's a big concept that we teach little kids on let's break it up into what you can handle there are so many benefits to coding I can I can go on and on and on.

Is it necessarily true I mean I’m thinking of the time where we only did uh let's call them ordinary subjects in our brick and mortar schools right, so you had I don't know history and just general mathematics but now there is music and there's coding and you can, you can build things and there's robotics and all kinds of things I mean does that stimulate our children and I’m just going to ask here does it make them more clever?

I can't tell you more clever or not but it brings a new skill to it, it definitely brings a new skill set a skill set that if I’m being honest I wish I had when I was in school you know just taking away from the matter and the English and the you know those subjects I love them don't get me wrong but when I bring coding to children and I see that spark of creativity and you see the frustration of I can't solve it and then they get that aha moment I wish that that was something I could have had. The confidence that I see in kids from the child who sits in the corner of the classroom that just wants to focus on their work to the child that's actively yelling at everybody and telling them try something different and try something in a different way it's incredible so I don't I can't tell you clever or not but it's definitely bringing that confidence and it's definitely bringing in a new skill set one that is super important for the future.

I have to be a responsible parent and say most of us are trying to get our children off devices and now we're going well only Saturdays in my house is device day but now I’m encouraging coding I mean are we are we encouraging our kids to go back on devices or is this healthy device use maybe there is such a thing positive device used through coding. Absolutely, if your child is inevitably in a world of technology they see you on your phone they see you on YouTube yes they want to be like you they want you to see what you're doing and they want to be part of that, so we really have spoken a lot around what is coding what are the benefits the skills the opportunities and so much more and these are reasons why teaching coding is a benefit to using that device. There's no doubt that our children love spending time on their devices whether it's their devices whether it's your devices they love it and when you find the right use for the device, when you find something that creates a learning opportunity like learning to code the benefits of using these devices become very clear as an added bonus and I have to I have to make this known because I am from Istore Education but when you use that apple device be it the iPad be it the iPhone be in a MacBook the parental controls that you get from that device the safety features that helps if parents have that peace of mind when using when your child is using that device really shines through, so if you're worried about things like how much time are they spending on their device or what are they doing on their device, things like setting screen time limits or setting down time for your child so that they are away from those device really helps you balance and ensure that they have a healthy relationship with their device. All things can be good can be bad, devices are one of them and it depends on how they are using it what they are using it for all things can be good in proportion and when you're using a device for educational benefits for things that are upskilling your child there really shouldn't be that downside in it.

I think this talk should be for all of us as parents never mind our children and encoding you know like downtown you better set that screen time no matter what device you're using. Where can parents sign up for classes I mean I see that some of the schools um in in as young as grade one they are starting with coding classes and children have access to devices at school. Where can parents sign up for coding classes?

So through Istore Education we offer a variety of options for parents to sign their children up to learn how to code. We have free Istore meets sessions that introduce children to coding and this is a perfect opportunity to just get them a feel for it, do they actually like it is this something they're interested in, this is a short one-hour session and is really perfect to see their interest in it. We also offer them virtual coding holiday camps that provide those fun opportunities and activities for them to develop their coding skills. These generally run for two to four sessions and start from the basics, so no prior coding experience is needed. Both of these Istore meat sessions can be found and booked through the Istore meets website and that's www.istore.co.za/meets. We also as Istore education we really want to partner with schools with parents and we have amazing exclusive deals for parents interested in purchasing iPad for their children. This offer runs right until February next year and not only is a great deal there's multiple payment options making it easier for parents. All can be found out from our website. 

Demi it's been great chatting to you. Well there you heard it. if you're interested in finding out if your child is into coding maybe you want kids to code it's really easy to find on www.istore.co.za/education. I feel like coding.