Why is it good to teach children development skills from an early age?
Parents always want only the best for their children, and some of them are aware that their children can achieve a good future by acquiring certain skills. Given the rapid development of technology and the demand for a workforce with technical skills, it's a good idea to spark your child's interest in technology and programming at an early age.
Find out what all the advantages of such early adoption of technical skills are and how to do it. So that everything does not remain only in theory, at the end we bring you information about this week's KulenDayz event in Croatia, through which you can direct your children into the tech world through education and play.
The benefits of developing developer skills in childhood
1. Development of logical thinking and creativity
68% of parents think that children should know how to code, regardless of what job they will do in the future. In addition to the fact that it will probably be represented in many branches of economic activity in the future, coding also has other, implicit values such as the development of logical thinking and creativity.
One of the most important components of logical thinking is breaking the whole into smaller parts, and observing how they work together. Programming can help children do just that. In addition, the fact that the solution to a problem can be reached in several ways will help children to practice creativity.
2. Practicing persistence and focused work
We all know that in programming there are often situations where something does not work as it should - or it is not immediately clear to the developers how to solve a certain problem. However, this does not mean that they are giving up - they are looking for a solution.
A good teacher will know that persistence is key in programming, and children will learn through practice and the trial and error method not to give up when the first problems appear.
In addition, programming requires focus - not only on specific coding but also on long-term focus on a specific project. Smaller development projects at a young age can help them immerse themselves in their tasks and learn how to pay attention to one thing in the long run.
3. Clearer application of mathematical principles
Many children at school have problems with mathematics - they find it boring, abstract, and not applicable. Given that many of its elements are present in development, children will be able to experience the practical application of mathematics and thus become interested in it. Maybe that way you'll avoid hearing those rhetorical children's questions: When will I need this? Or Who is this useful for?
It is good to create the idea from an early age that some parts of mathematics are still useful later in life.
4. Painless adoption of the basic principles of development
We like to say that children absorb like sponges. Mastering useful skills in childhood means that in adulthood they will be able to build on them because they have already covered the "base" or foundations.
Simple workshops where children can learn the basic principles of computer game development, such as those included in the KulenDayz Kidz program, are a great way to get kids interested in programming.
5. Preparation for career development in the future
As many as 77% of parents believe that coding is the most valuable skill their children need to be successful in the growing digital economy. This is not really surprising, because we are already seeing the growth of the entire IT and tech sector and the lack of manpower for it.
It is to be expected that in the future more and more branches of the economy will be digitized. Knowing digital skills from an early age will enable children to more easily upgrade more complex skills in adulthood. In addition, the development of logical and creative thinking as well as practicing perseverance will be useful for children who decide on careers in unrelated fields.
How to point a child's interest in technical fields direction?
Children of different ages have different interests, wishes, and needs. They also have different levels of focus that they can maintain on a certain activity.
Parents and teachers know that imposing and forcing children to learn something complex is not effective. Therefore, even when learning to code and acquiring technical skills, it is good to have an approach that will "work": And what else but through a game?
Research shows that play is the best way for children to learn skills for the 21st century. Learning through play should have these 5 elements in order to be successful:
1. Cheerful environment and positive atmosphere
Both children and adults learn better when the experience itself and the atmosphere are positive. What should be avoided is strictness, especially at an earlier age. The joy of learning stimulates the secretion of dopamine in the brain, which significantly affects memory, attention, and motivation.
2. Application of what has been learned in the real world
We all know that memorizing "nerds" doesn't lead to much success in the long run, and it's also boring! Applying knowledge to something concrete is a very necessary element for children to learn successfully. That is why at the KulenDayz Kidz conference, younger children will have the opportunity to create animations and mini-games, and older children will be able to create a website with a simple game. Such tasks automatically give them an idea of what that occupation looks like, without them thinking too much about it when enrolling in college.
3. Active mental and physical involvement in the game
We all learn in different ways and each of us has a different way of learning. However, learning by doing is the approach that has the best effect on children's development. It includes the active involvement of the child in the game through independent work - for example, the teacher shows how to do something, and the children then try to do it themselves.
4. Repetition and trying something new
When children try to do something, for example, to program a game, it is not likely that everything will go smoothly. Multiple attempts to make something "work" can be frustrating, but it will actually lead to a more permanent imprint in the child's memory. It is important that children test certain hypotheses themselves and understand what works and what doesn't through the introduction of new elements that can influence the result.
5. Social environment
Children like to be surrounded by people and other children. Besides making the experience itself more fun, children can learn a lot by interacting with others. For example, if they learn programming in a group, they will see how others think and see different ways of approaching the same problem.
At the KulenDayz Kidz workshop, participants will be divided into smaller groups that will provide them with an optimal environment for acquiring new knowledge.
Free programming workshop for children in Croatia
As we mentioned in the introduction, in the end, we tell you more about the IT conference where you can take your child and let him learn everything that was talked about in the text.
As part of the large regional IT conference KulenDayz in Osijek, a free programming workshop for children sponsored by EPAM is being held.
KulenDayz Kidz powered by EPAM will be held on the second day of the conference, on Saturday, September 3, 2022. Children from the first to fourth and from the fifth to the eighth grade can participate in age-appropriate workshops and thus slowly step into our IT world.
A workshop was organized for the younger group in Scratch, a creative programming platform intended for children. Children will create simple animations and games according to their knowledge with the help of an expert lecturer.
Older children will be able to create a website in the style of Minecraft and connect to it a simple game (which they will create themselves) with the help of CSS code. In this way, they will learn the basics of HTML and CSS. For both workshops, children need their own laptop on which they can further develop what they learned during the workshop. We should not forget to mention that lunch is also provided for children.
What are you waiting for? Join a different IT conference with a Slavonian flair from September 2nd to 4th in Osijek! A handful of interesting lectures at attractive locations, an excellent gastronomic offer, and of course - free workshops for children at the KulenDayz Kidz part of the program await you.
Get tickets here, and see the detailed program. See you there!
