5 Reasons Why Kids and Teens Should Learn to Code

5 Reasons Why Kids and Teens Should Learn to Code
5 Reasons Why Kids and Teens Should Learn to Code

With over 1 million computer programming and computer science jobs expected to remain unfilled in 2020, parents and schools have realized that coding is just as important as writing, math, reading. In fact, for modern students who will be joining colleges and entering the workforce, it has become the basic thing that they cannot afford to overlook. There are many other reasons why kids and teens should learn to code. Here are the top 5 reasons

 

  1. Programmers are in high demand

According to a study done by Code.org, 71% of all STEM job opportunities are computers science related and yet only a paltry 8% of STEM graduates have done computer science. This means there is a serious shortage of computer science graduates. Thankfully, learning to code will boost your kid’s chances of securing a lucrative career.

 

  1. Programming can change the world

In the past, people relied a lot on the written words to spread their ideas. But nowadays writing is not enough to bring the change needed. For instance, in the recent Arab spring, social media played a huge role in enabling the revolutionary demonstrations and protests that changed the Middle East. While writing played a very important role, people also needed a way to protest and organize. No matter how well written an essay is, it couldn’t have brought about the change required. From all these, we can see that programming is changing the world.

 

  1. Coding teaches you about teaching and learning

Kids and teens who are introduced to computer science early often get interested and want to study things that are not covered in the class content. These kids often teach themselves how to achieve their goals by watching tutorials, experimenting, reading and looking at other programs. This leads to the creation of experts in certain areas. For instance, a kid who has figured out how to create a game not only becomes the teacher but also the sought after a student who can help others to solve their problems.

 

  1. Kids and teens will better understand the world around them

It’s true that most people do not know what makes our laptops, Smartphone, video games and other social media networks. Basic programming knowledge can actually change the way we interact with the technologies and the devices that we use daily. This can greatly open our eyes to the endless opportunities for coding.

 

  1. Coding can boost their creativity and problem-solving skills

When you learn a new language you would want to use it to express yourself. This is also true with code. Coding will empower teens and kids to not only consume technology and digital data but also create it. Instead of using an app or pay video game, these kids can imagine making their own videos and envision developing their own websites. More so, when kids code they take difficult problems and breaks them down into smaller parts that can be solved. They learn how to approach a problem the way software engineers does with computational and logical thinking.

 

Coding is becoming increasingly important as a life skill, and should be taught in the early parts of schooling. In fact, coding is now just as important as math and science. This is according to the CEO of Codakid, David Dodge.

 

Well if you have a kid or teen that has coding interest, you need to help them learn to code. Even if they don’t have interest, still consider encouraging them. This is not only important but also good for their future.