Does your kid want to become a pharmacist, pilot, engineer etc.? These jobs may not be in existence by the time your kid is grown and ready to join the workforce. Robotics and Ai are on track to replace humans performing these jobs. This is the main reason why you need to get your kid started with programming.

Programming is a creative activity that any kid can engage in, your kid may not find the data processing algorithm interesting but they would love the idea of creating games, websites, mobile apps etc.

In this post, we will look at the 4 effective ways to get your kids started with programming. 

Let’s get started

1. Start your kids early with STEM toys

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. STEM toys are learning toys developed with an educational concept used for learning purposes.

Stem toys are the best toys to encourage creativity and imagination no matter how young your child is. Playing is a form of learning for kids. A recent study found that 60% of people working in design-related roles enjoyed playing with building blocks as children and about 66% of girls working in math-related jobs solved puzzles. This means that the activity you allow your kid to be involved with from childhood can impact their lives in the long run. 

Examples of STEM toys for your kids

2. Teach your kid programming languages

Children learn a new language much faster than older people, so starting them young with coding is important. 

Here are the best 3 programming languages to teach your kid

Scratch 

Scratch is a free block-based visual programming language developed by MIT Media Lab for kids between the age of 8-16 to learn code using images, signs and diagrams as absolute beginners.

For younger kids who cannot read and write, a block-based coding language is the best choice. Visual block-based coding languages are brightly coloured and engaging for younger children and requires little reading and writing.

Scratch is so easy and fun to learn, your kid can learn to create interactive stories, animations, games, music etc. 

Blockly

Similar to Scratch, Blockly is another free visual-based programing language developed by Google. Compared to Scratch, Blockly is designed for a slightly older audience with more advanced skills. Unlike Scratch, Blockly allows the user to see how the block code is formed alongside the blocks. 

Blockly is the next step for kids who are advancing beyond Scratch but not quite ready for a text-based programming language. Unlike Scratch, Blockly is available in both web and mobile Apps. Blockly can be used to develop an Andriod App. Developers use Blockly for Apps, Games and Robot kits designed to teach robotics to kids.

Python 

Python is a programming language that let you work quickly and integrate systems more effectively. It is the second popular language in robotics and one of the best languages for kids who progressed past Scratch or Blockly. One of the advantages of Python is that its syntax is concise and easy to learn. Coding in Python is similar to the way humans speak which makes it ideal for kids.

3. Buy your child a robot kit

Kids are not like adults who can sit through hours of boring classes to learn a subject. For kids, when the learning process is not fun they tend to lose interest. 

A simple but fun robot kit is the best tool to keep your kid interested in coding. They will not only enjoy playing with them but will get curious as to how they function. They have the privilege of using their computers to program the robots to follow the instruction.

Examples of such robot kits are

4.  Online class

If your child is interested in programming there are a lot of online platforms with several courses available where your kid can get registered. Some of these platforms have a free trial plan which is at zero cost where your kid can get an idea of what the course is all about and what the course structure looks like. 

As a tip, you can get such privileges at Mentortribes, your kids are entitled to a trial plan where they are taught the basics of programming for free. You can as well subscribe for your kids to be linked up with a mentor who would guide them all through their programming journey. Isn't that a great news?

If you intend to give your kids a bright future then they should learn how to code because technology has taken over the world.

Learning how to code is becoming a necessary skill especially for the younger generation. It is important to encourage kids to take up coding at a very young age in order to prepare themselves for what the future holds for them