Python Programming at The Stem Makers

Programming helps children learn to problem-solve
Understanding computers and learning the basics of coding helps children to develop an appreciation of how things work. It also teaches them how software engineers use math in order to solve problems in a logical and creative way.
When most parents start curating extracurriculars for their children, they start with the basics: soccer, dance, maybe band practice. Their first idea for entertaining their elementary-schooler probably doesn’t include programming. But should it?
In recent years, the question of why kids should learn to code has spread like wildfire among parenting groups and educational centers. Interest in computer science has skyrocketed in recent years; according to statistics shared in the 2019 State of Computer Science Education Equity and Diversity Report, a full 45 percent of high schools now teach computer science, up from the 25 percent reported by Gallup in 2014.
In our increasingly digital world, parents want their kids to become computer-literate — and why wouldn’t they? Learning to code doesn’t just set students up for career opportunities later on in life; it also provides a host of soft skills and benefits that we will cover later in this article. But when should they start learning?
As it turns out, most professional developers started learning their trade early in life. According to Stack Overflow’s 2020 Developers survey, over 54 percent of professional developers wrote their first line of code by the time they turned 16. While it might seem intuitive to schedule a child’s first coding lesson into their high school curriculum, kids can start coding at a much younger age, sometimes as early as four years old.

• Coding boosts Problem solving skills
• Coding improves computational thinking
• Coding encourages persistence
• Coding teaches creativity
• Coding helps teach digital literacy
• Coding is a career-building skill
• Coding improves confidence and communication skills

It’s safe to say that coding is one of the most constructive hobbies for your child to adopt, especially since it can help them develop persistence, communication, creativity, and higher-order thinking.