How Do I Teach a Child to Overcome a Problem When Coding?

Whether your child is new to coding or has been at it for a while, you know that things may not always go smoothly. Problems can arise when something doesn’t come out as your child had envisioned, or maybe they try something new and it just doesn’t work. Either way, it’s important to teach your child to overcome these issues. These types of problem-solving skills will not only help them get out of a jam when coding but also as they go through life.

At MakerKids, we help kids of all ages overcome problems that can arise when coding. We’re going to share some of these techniques with you and tell you about our coding programs at MakerKids that your child can get involved in.

Let’s get started!

Teaching Children to Overcome Coding Problems 

Translate the Problem in Plain English

Kids may get caught up in the coding aspect, but if they can break down their problem in plain English there’s more of a chance that they will understand what’s going on and figure it out. Once they do this, they can hopefully translate it into coding language.

Draw out the Problem

Some children are more visual learners. If they can draw the problem out on paper using arrows, boxes, or whatever else they may need, they may be able to understand what is going on better. 

Keep it Basic

Tell them to keep the coding language simple. They don’t have to get fancy, especially if they’re just starting out. As they get more experience, they can expand their use of different coding languages and improve their skill.

If they’re not sure what type of project to start, encourage them to choose a topic that interests them. This will likely motivate them to want to continue to work on it.

Remind Them It’s Perfectly Normal

Some children may fall into the “what’s wrong with me?” rut. If this happens, be sure to remind them that everyone experiences problems when coding, even those that are most advanced. It’s perfectly normal to make a mistake or get caught up on something. The important thing is to continue and figure out how to correct your problem.

Take Your Time

Coding is not a race. Encourage your child to take their time when coding. This may help them avoid careless mistakes that will leave them frustrated.

As kids learn to code, they become excellent problem solvers. Being resilient and persistent to solve a problem while coding is something that carries on throughout their lives. They not only learn how to be expert problem-solvers while coding, but also throughout their lives.

Coding at MakerKids

At MakerKids, we teach children of all ages and at all levels, how to solve problems when they code. Our online classes allow children to learn in a comfortable atmosphere and ask questions when they need to. With a mentor-to-student ratio of 1:5 children also get the attention they need to succeed.

They also get to learn with their peers, make new friends, and work on skills that will help them do better in math.

At MakerKids, we offer coding classes for kids in grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. This allows children to be grouped with others in their age group so that they can learn from each other. Our coding classes teach these skills and much more:

• Storyboarding
• Character development
• Animation
• Beta Testing 
• Environment and level design

Our classes teach children at all different levels how coding works and how it is an important part of our lives. don’t worry! If you want to learn more about coding classes at MakerKids, call us at 1-844-MAKERKIDS to schedule a free trial class.