Learning

4 Reasons Your Kid Should Learn to Code

We asked our friends at codeSpark (creators of the award-winning learn-to-code platform codeSpark Academy) to share four reasons why they think kids as young as four should start coding!

1. Children develop gender stereotypes younger than you’d think.

Studies show that children develop ideas of what girls do and what boys do in early elementary school. Kids as young as four can learn to code when you get the mouse and keyboard out of the way, so igniting an interest in coding before they develop ideas of what a coder looks like increases their likelihood to pursue coding and other STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) fields.

We're thrilled that half of codeSpark Academy players are girls. We have powerful female characters -- these include police officer, ninja and astronaut to name a few -- and we’ve also included product features that when tested, improved completion rates in girls by 22%.

2. Coding turns kids into technology makers.

Understanding that you can actually build and create things using code transforms a tablet, phone or computer from a passive consumption device into a powerful tool of creation. In codeSpark Academy kids quickly go from learning coding concepts to building and designing their own side-scrolling games. We want to show kids how fun and creative coding is, and ignite a curiosity in computer science.

What making a game looks like in codeSpark Academy.

3. Confidence, problem solving and the joy of figuring things out.

The beautiful thing about computer science is that there is never just one solution to a problem. Learning to code improves children’s ability to problem solve creatively and teaches kids how easy it can be to figure things out on their own. The more kids code, the more confident they become in their ability to find solutions to complex problems. Our research shows that after just 3 sessions of codeSpark Academy, 56% of players showed increased confidence in their ability to problem solve.

Watching their smiling faces when they learn a new concept — they’re all so excited and delighted by it. I love how The Foos sneak in coding concepts, so kids are having fun while learning. — Taylor Shivani, coding instructor

4. Transferable benefits including math and reading

Sequencing, the step-by-step order in which instructions should occur, is a basic skill in coding and is also a critical building block for literacy. So while not all kids will grow up to become computer programmers, the skills they develop while learning to code will be the foundation of their ability to problem solve with confidence and improve their math and reading.

codeSpark is offering friends of Sago Mini a chance to check out codeSpark Academy free for 7 days. Learn more here.