Why should kids learn coding?

Based on a recent report by PwC¹, Artificial Intelligence (AI) could contribute a potential US$15 trillion to the global economy by 2030. One of the essential skills that will help in a digital economy is ‘coding’. We are discussing five important reasons why your kids should learn coding. Let us know your comments and questions below.

1. One of the most important skills for future jobs

As more and more routine tasks are getting automated, and the global economy moves faster towards a total digital economy², the majority of career opportunities will be available in the digital field or industries adopting new technologies. Hence, it is a must that your kid learn the skills to be ready with the changing workforce environment. It is expected that the method and tools used in coding will change over time, and some of the coding tasks will be automated too. The number of programmers is expected to grow for the next few years, and coding skills will be an essential skill required for years to come irrespective of the industry your children chooses for their career. Though there are 24 million programmers globally³, businesses are still struggling to recruit skilled programmers. Hence the demand for highly experienced programmers is expected to go up in the next decade.

2. Helps creativity and gives satisfaction

Coding offers opportunities to enhance other skills, such as drawing and art appreciation. Most of the programming tools and languages, such as Python, helps to draw shapes and color programmatically along with solving real-life computational problems.

Students are usually encouraged by teachers to work on the algorithm in their own ways. Alternative solutions are generally presented to them once they attempt their method. This way, students get a chance to work on their answers and get satisfaction from their creativity.

3. Helps to improve problem-solving skills

As computers only understand precise instructions given with specific grammar (syntax), coding requires a structured way of thinking to provide those instructions. Practicing and solving coding problems inculcate structured thinking and problem-solving skills in students early on. Developing these skills help students in their studies to answer mathematical or science questions more efficiently.

4. Coding is a productive hobby

These days kids spend a significant portion of the day watching YouTube videos and playing games ⁴ on various devices. If Parents can guide their kids to allocate a part of their screen-time to coding, they can utilize their screen-time more productively to create simple applications. The activity of creating computer programs can help the kids to hone their coding and entrepreneurship skills. It is not very difficult for a 10-year-old to create a simple website if sufficient time is allocated for learning. As programming jobs typically offer a more flexible work environment and entrepreneurial opportunities, “Coding” is considered as a very productive and future proof hobby for kids.

5. Coding is fun

Debugging or correcting the computer programs by finding errors in the code is similar to solving a puzzle. While some of the students might find it tough, most of the students enjoy the process, especially when they can find the errors/ bugs and correct them quickly. Many students wanted to learn to code as they wanted to develop fun computer games. However, that is not an easy task, especially for beginners. But with practice and learning higher-level concepts and tools, it is possible too. With the latest AI technologies available with simplified forms, kids can learn and implement solutions using natural language processing (NLP), e.g., a Quiz for Google Home.