3 signs your kids are ready to start coding (and what that means anyway)

Technology is everywhere, from smartphones to smart refrigerators! Our children are growing up in this golden age of technology, where more often, they learn to swipe before they can even  write! Yes, that sounds crazy and whether you like it or not–technology is a part of their learning and coding is quickly turning into a second language that all children should learn. 

You may be asking, “what exactly is coding anyways??” It’s the language of the future! Coding is the action of talking to a computer, and coding has many languages it can speak. In order for us to speak to a computer, a website, or even a phone app, it needs a translator. This is coding–a form of writing, that humans (with training) can learn and interpret, and the computer can still understand. Like we said, it’s a second language and we all know how beneficial learning a second language is to children.


So here are 3 signs your child may be ready to start coding!

1. Your child has basic reading, computer mouse, and keyboard skills.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Since we are telling computers what to do with written (or typed) language–your child should have basic letter recognition and reading skills. It is also useful if your child has mouse and keyboard skills as well. Though some coding websites work on a tablet, most coding projects need a computer. 

2. Your child is curious and likes to solve puzzles. 
You might be saying, “wait, aren’t all children curious?” and to that, we say EXACTLY. We’ve all been victims to children’s endless questions, especially “why” questions because they want to understand their world and how and why things work the way they work. Coding naturally taps into this curiosity because it is a form of creative problem-solving and studying coding allows kids to develop critical thinking skills. Asking a computer a question requires patience, troubleshooting, and creativity. Bonus, most children that start coding see an immediate benefit in their math and reading comprehension scores!

3. Your child falls and gets back up again. 
All coders will tell you that coding is essentially, try this and see if it works. if it doesn’t, try something else and see if that works. Sound familiar? Eerily like when you were trying to teach your child to ride a bike, or read, or really anything right? Failure is a part of learning and if your child bounces right back to keep trying, they are ready to learn to code. 

In a nutshell, all children can learn to code and the benefits are immeasurable. So, are you ready to give your kids the tools for the future?