Coding for Kids
Kids who learn to design games will develop and hone skills that will have an enduring impact on their lives, as well as on society. The future will benefit from their creativity, forward-thinking, and problem-solving abilities. In fact, even playing video games promotes computer knowledge, strategic thinking, and improves spatial awareness. Imagine experiences that combine the two. With that said, here are the benefits of game design for children.
What Is Game Design?
In general, game developers turn game concepts into a playable reality. This is done by programming features, coding visual components, and testing models until the game is market ready.
For kids, game design is also the process of creating a video game, from the initial idea through to the point where others can play it.
Why Should Children Learn Game Design?
Helps With Math
Many people are intimidated by math, and that likely began in their early school days. A lot of it may stem from how math is taught.
But game development enhances kids’ ability to grasp concepts in math, as well as physics. In a game such as Angry Birds, for instance, players must “get” angles and trajectory to produce optimal impact.
In game creation, children employ concepts of speed, direction, geometry, etc., to animate their characters. Making a character dance, run, walk, jump, or whatever, calls for the application of mathematical concepts.
They may not even be totally aware that they’re learning such concepts, but that’s okay, too.
Helps with Storytelling
Game design can’t begin until a story exists. The story must be built around characters, which must also be developed, along with the character’s journey. Take the game Mobile Legends, for instance. Every character has a history, disparate abilities, and shortcomings.
Improves Critical Thinking
Crafting puzzle or maze games allows kids to stretch their capacity for logical thinking, which is a key part of game design. While developing their game, children learn how to reduce various components into smaller parts and then produce a complete game that is challenging and entertaining for people to play.
Improves Self Esteem
While learning game development, kids also learn they have the ability not just to play games, but to create them. This gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Their self-confidence is further boosted when they see that peers are interested in playing the game that they developed.
Improves the Ability to Collaborate
The world is becoming more complex. Complex problems call for collaborative thinking, which game design helps hone. While game development may seem like a solitary exercise, there actually are ample opportunities to interact with others. An example would be when getting someone else’s take on a planned feature’s enjoyability quotient.
Also, when kids’ games are produced and published in public forums, your child may find themselves interacting with other developers to create games that are even more elaborate or sophisticated.
Makes Learning Engaging and Fun
Despite some frustrations along the way, game development is fun, pure, and simple. It promotes the exploration of various aspects of game building, including code, design, characters, themes, interactive elements, etc. Each time progress is made on the production and a component is tested, the child uncovers bugs to be fixed and, and derives a way to do just that.
Improves Problem-Solving
If kids are to develop games, they’re going to have to solve problems. Coding requires thinking about how game characters should perform, for instance, and what obstacles will be present during the journey, which also must be mapped out. The ability to solve problems, and not run from them, will help your child in their future occupation, as well as in life.
Summary
All told, the benefits of game design will be needed in an increasingly digital world that blends reality with innovative technology, and which requires creative, forward thinkers and problem solvers. On top of that, learning game design is a blast.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coding Good For Kids?
We’re living during a high-tech revolution, witnessing life-changing advancements in medicine, environmental conservation, and much more. At the core of all these amazing projects and discoveries is CODE. Code can be the thing that differentiates your child from peers and allows them to stand out as an asset for companies when they are looking for employment. The children who learn to code today will become the creators of the technology tomorrow. Learning to code can help children make a major contribution to the world that they live in and make a lasting impact.
As kids and teens learn to code, they also build essential skills like critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving. They learn to logically sequence events, create playable games, tell good stories, and model real situations. They also learn computational thinking by developing algorithmic and design thinking abilities. Coding for kids has become an essential element of a child’s education and an excellent way to express their creativity and imagination.
How Do I Start My Child Coding?
Coding, otherwise known as programming, is a creative activity for all children. Your child might not care about writing data processing algorithms, but they might enjoy creating games, programming music, designing websites, or just playing with code. Learning to code is for everyone; you don’t have to be good at math or a “techie” to learn how to code. Kids as young as five can learn to code and pick it up faster than most adults.
When your kids are starting, pick a program like MIT’s Scratch or Tynker Junior app. The visual style of these programs makes it easy for young children to learn to code. Scratch and Tynker have a graphical interface that works. Drag-and-drop code blocks snap together. Pieces of code that don’t make computational sense won’t fit together, making syntax errors impossible.
Older children can learn to code with Python by building games, art, music, and more. Some programs like Tynker offer a placement test to set your child on the right track for their age and experience level.
What Age Is Best To Introduce Coding To Kids?
Every child learns at their own pace. They can learn different subjects at varying rates and ways. Experts believe that children should learn coding at an early age. According to MIT, the best age for kids to start learning coding languages such as Scratch Jr. or Tynker Jr. is from 5 to 7. Many programs allow your children to progress at their own pace or hire an instructor to help them move along.
With Tynker, a placement test will place your child on the correct path based on age and skill level, and Tynker supports children up to age 18 with real-world text languages like Python and JavaScript. Children progress to more difficult coding courses with the support of interactive tutorials and video instructions at their own pace.
Which Is The Best Coding For Kids Program?
With so many great services available, learning to code has never been easier! For example, Scratch and Tynker provide innovative visual coding languages that make coding fun. Coding is a great way to broaden your child’s worldview and develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Here is a few coding-for-kids options to review:
Game-based learning—Game-based platforms such as Tynker and the challenges on Code.org motivate kids to use code to complete game levels.
Independent learning with Scratch—Scratch from MIT is a great way of getting started with code. Although they don’t have courses, there’s a vibrant community to learn from.
Online courses—Enroll in a Python or JavaScript course on Codecademy or Tynker or learn to code with Processing on Khan Academy. Tynker offers advanced courses like Processing 1, using p5.js to introduce the foundational concepts of art and computer science.
Build an app—Learn to build your own iOS app using Swift. Install the Swift Playgrounds app by Apple.
Use a book—Learn by following along with books like Mission Python, Super Scratch Programming Adventure, or Coding with Minecraft. Tynker has a series of super-informative coding activity books, including Code These Games, Code These Minecraft Mods, and Code This Art.
Why Is Coding Needed?
Coding is the method of instructing a computer to perform a specific task. You may also hear coding referred to as software programming or computer programming. These instructions are communicated using a language that computers can understand, like visual blocks, JavaScript and Python.
Coding for kids lays the groundwork for our world’s technology, from microprocessors in everyday items like refrigerators and water heaters to sophisticated programs that run our cars and buildings. Learning to code is a great opportunity for children of all ages to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, while building the necessary focus and organization to see projects through to completion.
Coding usually begins with drag-and-drop visual programming in which children connect blocks together to make programs. Visual programming teaches fundamental concepts without typing or syntax by placing the focus on the logic behind the code. Once they’ve learned the basics, children can transition to real-world programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and C.
From online coding courses and games to offline learning, from in-person coding instruction to live online tutoring, there are endless coding resources available. The best coding platforms and programs like Scratch, Code.org and Tynker give children of all ages and experience levels the ability to code while making the process fun and engaging.
Why Should We Use Tynker Coding For Kids?
Tynker is the world’s number one coding platform for children ages 5 to 18 for a reason—it works! Tynker powers the creativity of over 60 million students and serves thousands of schools and educators worldwide.
Tynker’s award-winning, gamified courses and coding for kids activities encourage kids to complete projects as they have fun, allowing them to progress from novices to experts using languages like Python. Tynker’s interactive lessons have built-in tutorials for all ages and skill levels. Our highly rated mobile app (4.7 stars) lets students take Tynker on the go. Learning how to code with Tynker unlocks and empowers children’s creativity, teaching them life-long skills they can use today and into the future.
How Do I Teach My 7-Year-Old Code?
Learning to code is for everyone; you don’t have to be good at math or a “techie” to learn how to code. Kids as young as five can learn to code and pick it up faster than most adults. Tynker Junior is a fun, interactive way to spark your kid’s interest in coding. Kids (ages 5-7) learn coding basics by connecting picture blocks to move their characters. Tynker’s immersive game-like coding courses and interactive lessons with built-in tutorials are perfect for beginners 5+ through experts 18+.
What Options Are There For Coding For Teens?
Code.org has a yearlong course in Computer Science Principles that introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world.
Tynker has coding for kids courses that align with subject standards like CCSS-ELA, CCSS-Math, NGSS and CS standards such as CSTA, ISTE, CA CS, UK National Curriculum, and several state-level standards like TEKS.
Tynker is recognized by College Board as an endorsed curriculum provider for AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A.
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