How to learn coding with your kid and have fun?

Has your kid demonstrated some math and logic thinking skills and you want to encourage him to explore these capabilities? Or you are a devoted parent/developer and want your kid understands what you do (if such a thing it is possible!)? Or maybe, you just want enjoy together in a great and constructive way. That is why we will talk about how to learn coding with your kid.

It is not just the inherent benefit of learning to code because it is a profession in vogue or a futuristic career. By teaching an individual the basics of programming at an early age, you are helping them to develop their logical, analytical and creative thinking, this will ensure successful professional growth even if they do not choose a career in the ??computer science area. It provides them with more problem resolution capabilities, structure and systematic reasoning applicable to any life situations.

Well, in this article, we will introduce you the most popular sites and mobile apps – from an open wide of existing ones � that intend to develop the analytical and creative thinking process in children mostly based on a gamification strategy. You can choose the one that you prefer to start to learn coding and have fun with your kid right now!

What to consider?

First, and most important of all, is to understand that the objective is your kid having fun during learning.

Beyond the app or learning platform of your choice, the most important thing is to define the way that you will guide and assign your kids activities and projects to learn:

• Do not fill them with a lot of work, establish short tasks instead.
• Do not force them to fulfilled a task, have patient and respect their rhythm, every kid is different (and thinking is heavier than you think!)
• At beginning, you have to develop assignments as there were like a game.
• Yes, discipline is necessary, but does not have to be a pain.
• Avoid using your phone as a learning tool. Ideally, the child should have their own device to access the game-work environment.
• Let kids create, guide them but do not try to influence them to much with whatever you know. Yes, especially if you are a developer! Let them be!
• If they do not like it after all, just drop it, it worth the try…life goes on!

Next thing to consider, is the age of your kid, which would be matter in the decision of what choice it will be better to use for the very beginning. Let’s not pretend that a 7 years old understands or even wants to write a line of code that is almost unintelligible for them. Let’s find the right option for the child’s interests and capabilities.

Remember, with kids the main goal is to have fun, always! So, let them play with it as they wish if they want from time to time.

Funniest and most popular sites and apps to learn to code for kids

We introduce you the most popular sites and mobile apps to learn coding for kids. Most of them at no cost. These are just a few from an open wide range of available ones. You can choose the better that suits your needs to begin.

Scratch Jr

Scratch Jr is an environment for visual programming with a simple drag & drop interface, kids do not have to read or have mathematics knowledge yet in order to use it. Is so much easy to use and it helps to develop creative and systematic thinking. It is the most recommended option if you want to start from the scratch.

Minecraft

Yes, Minecraft is a video game, but it is not just a game. While playing, kids develops structured thinking and learn the basic concepts of coding. Like playing with Lego, as it has no specific goals, kids can choose the way to play it and this put the creative part to work.

CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey it is a game-oriented platform with educational purposes that intends to teach coding basis meanwhile kids navigate through different tools and levels. The kids do not need to have any previous experience, however the final goal is to teach them to code in real programming languages.

Code Karts

Code Karts is a mobile app raceway game based that introduces coding basis through a set of puzzles and obstacles that develops child�s logical thinking.

Daisy The Dinosaur

Daisy The Dinosaur is an app that intend to teach kids the fundamental logic of programming while they are playing. Based in a drag and drop interface which goal is to make Daisy take life.

There are a large variety of paid options too such Tynker, Osmo coding, Wonder Workshops Dash and Dot Robotics Kits and others.

Ready to code!

At this point, you must be ready to start to learn coding with your kid and having fun, or maybe already begun and you are not reading the end of this article.

Do not be surprised if your kid tomorrow comes to you asking for others platforms to follow this path. Once their developer skills going better you can encourage and guide them to take a look at new and more advanced platforms such a Khan Academy, Code.org, BitsBox, Codecademy, Codakid, Code Monster, Swift Playgrounds, and there is a very large list of them.

Please, do not forget, the main goal is to have fun while you learn coding with your kid.

And last but not least, a child growth is not based just in knowledge, love them more.

Have fun and good code!