Topic:
Over the last several years, it has been increasingly common
for parents to begin teaching their children to code almost as early as they
teach them how to read. Many companies that design games for kids have noticed
this new trend and are trying to find ways to profit from it. They have created
many different sorts of games that incorporate basic coding skills into fun,
kid-friendly activities. The Code-A-Pillar, designed for children ages 3 – 8,
performs tasks in an order determined by what position its pieces are placed
in.[1]
Other games such as the LEGO Boost Robotics Creative Toolbox allows kids to
first design 5 LEGO friend and then, using instructions from an app, make their
new ‘friends’ complete specific tasks.[2]
While these companies’ main goals are to make a profit, they have made sure to
introduce coding games at all price points so they are accessible to families
from a variety of economic backgrounds.
Relation to Computer Science:
This directly relates to the field of computer science
because it involves the study of computer science (even though the children may
not realize it). It also helps to stimulate problem solving in children. Many
of these parents are not only doing this because of the high demand for
computer scientists in today’s world, but also due to the overall benefits to
their children’s critical thinking abilities. Mitchel Resnick, director of the
Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT’s Media Lab, highlights many of the
educational benefits children gain by learning to code at an early age saying,
“Coding games and puzzles helps children go beyond a passive role with
technology, using it only to receive information or entertainment, to seeing it
as a tool for creating things, expressing their ideas and sharing them with
others…It also instills design and problem-solving skills, enabling children to
continually adapt and improve strategies. Many learn basic math too, such as
working with coordinates to place figures or lines at a specific place on the
screen.[3]”
The children are not the only ones learning to code through these toys. Many
parents who always believed that programming was too complicated for them to
learn have started to take programming classes after seeing how much their kids
have enjoyed it.
Works Cited:
[1] LASCALA,
MARISA. "The 12 Best STEM Toys That Teach Kids to Code (for Toddlers to
Teens)." Working Mother. N.p., 2 Feb. 2017. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.
[2] LASCALA,
MARISA. "The 12 Best STEM Toys That Teach Kids to Code (for Toddlers to
Teens)." Working Mother. N.p., 2 Feb. 2017. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.
[3] Shellenbarger,
Sue. "New Ways to Teach Young Children to Code." The Wall Street
Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 09 Feb. 2016. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.
Image: https://cdn.penguin.com.au/covers/original/9781740333405.jpg
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