How to teach a child to program

Is it even advisable to teach children development and at what age can it be done? Programming develops a number of useful skills that can be useful for children in their daily life and studies. Here are just a few:

1. The development of logical thinking. Programming is a great brain trainer for a child. Children learn to think logically and find different, including non-standard, approaches to even non-trivial tasks. In the process of learning programming in a game, the child will teach the character various actions, while understanding the entire sequence of the chain.
2. A creative approach to problem solving. Programming is not only and not so much a collection of code consisting of a sequence of functions and branches. During the learning process, children create their own characters and parts of the game, where they independently develop a storyline or come up with equipment, as well as a sequence of actions.
3. The child learns to solve problems. Mathematics is a compulsory subject at school. But it is not given to everyone. Children who learn programming have every chance to succeed in this subject. Every now and then they will face various difficulties that must be overcome. As a result, the child will learn to solve complex problems and overcome difficulties. And these skills are very much needed in mathematics and other exact sciences.
4. The desire to learn. Children rarely want to go to school on their own. At the age of 6-10, it is much more interesting to spend time with peers in various games. And today's kids are ready to spend hours playing on smartphones or tablets. Learning to program contributes to the desire to learn.
5. Vocabulary development and the basics of learning a foreign language. Interesting words appear in the child's vocabulary that he takes in class. As you know, the programming language is English. Thus, children will start studying it even without specialized courses.

Ways to learn programming

So, you've already decided that your child definitely needs to learn programming. It remains to decide where to start. You can buy books by well-known developers on a particular language. But they are written for adults and the child is unlikely to master even the basics. What should I do?

Books are different from books. There are special adapted versions of such literature for children. Such books are written in a playful way and are easy for children to understand.

In addition to books, you can also teach your child programming using special programs. Such applications are now developed for both PCs and mobile devices. There are even special software environments like Scratch or Snap!

Before we describe the third method teaching children to program, first, let's talk about the problems parents face when they try to teach children to develop on their own.

Teaching children to program: parents' most frequent problems

So, if you plan to teach your child programming on your own using books or special applications, you need to prepare for the fact that you will have to explain some points to the children yourself. And this is where the first problem comes in. If you are a developer yourself or have some knowledge in this area, things will be much easier. Although, in addition to experience in this field, you also need to have some pedagogical skills in order to be able to convey information to the child in an accessible form.

But what if there is no such knowledge? Or is there no pedagogical experience to explain to the child in an accessible way why this or that action is necessary and why certain actions are needed?

The second important point is interest. The child will find the first classes very interesting, and he will be happy to learn something new for himself, especially if it is some kind of game. But after the first lessons, interest may begin to fade, especially if the child faces difficulties and does not understand what exactly and why he is doing it. The books provide all the information in a fairly detailed and adapted manner. But even that is sometimes not enough. And when children face difficulties, they often try to avoid them. As a result, a good start in programming can end in vain.

Finally, another important problem that any parent can face when a child learns the basics of development on their own is the schedule. Children go to school by a certain time. The same goes for various circles and sections. And when it comes to some independent classes that take place at home, you need to draw up a special schedule for them and, most importantly, follow it strictly. This is not always the case, especially since parents will have to monitor everything themselves.

And this is where the third method comes in handy — specialized courses. This is the best way, as experienced teachers with practical skills and experience in programming will work with the child.

Why courses? Let's consider the main advantages of this approach:

1. The child will be constantly under the supervision of a specialist. His every step will be supervised by a professional. This will help to avoid unnecessary mistakes both in the learning process and when completing practical tasks.
2. Teachers not only know theory, but also know how to captivate children. If kids read a book or play games, they can't always get it through. This is not possible when working with a teacher. The teacher tries to interest the child so that he completes all the tasks.
3. All classes are playful and have a clear program. The course has a specific goal, as opposed to studying programming on your own through books or specialized games.
4. Control over the knowledge gained. Teachers check how well children understand the material. This allows you to proceed to the next stage with confidence that the previous one has already been learned.

And so much more.

How to teach a child to program: conclusions

In this article, we looked at how and why to teach a child programming. You have learned about the existence of several methods and learned which one is the most optimal and effective.