What is the Best Way to Get Your Child Interested in Coding?

Are you trying to get your child interested in coding, but have no idea where to start? If you answered yes, don’t worry, we have you covered.

Coding is not only a cool hobby for kids, but it can open up a world of opportunities. What may start as a hobby, can end up as a career. When you consider that information jobs are set to grow by 13% between now and 2030, you can feel confident that coding can help them as they get older.

But, what is the best way to get your child interested in coding? There are several routes to take that help to get them the skills and experience they need to succeed.

We’re going to take a look at a few of the ways you can get that interest to grow.

At-Home Apps and Programs

Various apps and programs can help you to get your child interested in coding. Many times, if kids think they are playing a game, they may be more apt to try something new because it’s fun.

If you introduce coding as a game and something they can play, they may not even realize all of the amazing skills they are learning in the process. Choose an app or program that is age-appropriate so that your child doesn’t get frustrated or bored. If something is too easy, they’re likely to get bored and not want to keep going. If it’s too hard, they’re going to get frustrated and not want to continue either. The goal is to find a happy medium that challenges your child while not making it impossibly hard to learn.

Show Them Coding in the World Around Them

If you mention coding to a child, they may assume that it has nothing to do with the world they know. But, when you show them coding in action, they’ll be amazed at how important and common coding is in the world around them.

Coding is involved in:

Video games
Creating apps
Online shopping
Robotics

If you can show your child how coding has influenced everyday life, they may be more likely to want to learn about it more. They may even have their own ideas of how they can code the next greatest invention.

Find a Mentor

Unless you know how to code yourself, finding your child a mentor who can show them the ropes is a great idea. A mentor can not only tell them about coding but can also show them what they do and how coding matters. This person can serve as a great role model for years to come.

Online Classes

One of the best ways to get your child interested in coding is to get them to take an online class. Online classes allow children to learn in the comfort of their own homes. They can learn with their peers and see other kids who have an interest in coding too.

At MakerKids, we offer coding classes for kids in grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. This allows them to be grouped with children in their age group so that they can learn from each other and relate to one another. In our coding classes, kids learn:

Storyboarding
Character development
Animation
Beta Testing
Environment and level design

Classes are also divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced so that kids can work at their level. Our classes offer a mentor-to-student ratio of 1:5.

If you want to learn more about coding classes at MakerKids, call us at 1-844-MAKERKIDS to schedule a free trial class.