Is your child fascinated by the idea of building video games, apps, or websites? Are you wondering how to help them? If so, you’re not alone! More and more children are becoming fascinated with exploring the world of coding. In the U.S. alone, careers requiring software developers and coding are expected to grow 22% in the next 10 years, and the number of global software developers is projected to grow by 3.2 million by 2024.
The ever-growing market of jobs and hobbies in this field — like writing video game scripts — involves at least rudimentary coding knowledge. As a parent, it’s a good idea to learn the basics so you will be able to communicate with your child on the subject and guide them to the best resources to help them on their journey to becoming a coder.
What is Code/Coding?
Let’s start at the very beginning: computer coding is the act of writing instructions so that a computer can perform. While coding began as an incredibly esoteric and difficult subject to pick up, the language and process have evolved in recent years so that even children can do it (sometimes a lot better and more easily than adults).
What You Need to Start Coding
You don’t need a particularly fancy computer to start writing code — you could even do it on your smartphone (though we don’t recommend it). If you have a computer that can run a web browser, you have all you need to get started.
How is Coding Different From Programming?
There can be some confusion between coding and programming because the roles overlap, but for this article, we are strictly talking about coding. Coding is the written instructions given to a computer to perform. Some coding programs start with the simple task of teaching a computer to say “hello” to the user, students might also learn how to write the code for a simple video game.
Table of Contents
Selecting a Coding Language
One of the first steps in starting to code is in selecting a language. In order to give instructions to a computer, you have to give it instructions using a language that the computer will understand. There are many choices out there, and while it’s hard to say one language is better than another, there are certainly some that are easier for beginners to learn.
With that said, perhaps the most important factor in choosing your child’s first coding language is thinking about the kind of things you want to create. Do you want to make video games? A website? Or maybe you’re thinking of building your own robots? There are coding languages that are better suited for certain tasks than others.
Let’s take a look at some popular languages for beginner coders as well as what they are best used for:
Python
Python is one of the most commonly recommended coding languages for beginners and with good reason. It’s one of the easiest languages to learn and it’s used by coders all over the world.
It’s worth noting that Python runs quite a bit slower than other programming languages, but that won’t matter for many projects, especially when you’re just starting.
[Read: Python for Kids]
Swift
If you’re a Mac user, you might be best off choosing Swift as your first programming language. The language works natively across all Apple devices and is as easy to learn as Python. If you’re interested in creating apps for an iPhone, Apple watches, or any Mac device, this is the language for you. If you are working on a Windows computer, don’t worry, as Swift is available for Windows, too.
HTML, CSS, & Javascript
If you want to start building websites, HTML and CSS are great starting points. They are used to define a website’s overall shape and look, but you would also want to learn how to use a language like Javascript to make your website look fancier and perform some cool actions (for example, having a calculator in your web browser).
One cost-effective method to build websites is to use a web-building platform like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. All three of these allow you to make a fully functioning website without knowing a single line of code. However, HTML, CSS, and Javascript will enable you to add custom parts to the site yourself.
[Read: HTML Benefits]
C#
If you’re thinking about learning to make video games, then this is the best language to start with. Not only does the ultra-popular Unity game engine run C#, but the language is similar enough to C++ and (especially) Java, so that it would be easier to transition to them later down the road for Unreal Engine (a real-time 3-D video game creation tool) or Minecraft modding (making modifications to the Minecraft game).
Using a Code Editor or IDE
Once you’ve decided on a language to code in, it’s time to start writing. So, how exactly does someone “write” code? Technically, you can write code in any text editor program, from notepad to Office Word, but there is a specifically made text editing software, called Code Editors, designed to write code that acts as a code spelling and grammar checker. When you first start learning to code, you must pay special attention to capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Semi-colons, parentheses, brackets, commas, and periods are also vital to your code running correctly, and misplacing them and misusing them will cause issues that are very hard to detect.
Fortunately, many coding languages have code editors that you can download to your computer. Early on, you won’t even need to download a code editor; you can just write, compile, and run your code in your browser. As you and your child advance, you will need to level up your software. That is where these popular code editors come in:
- Visual Studio: The official IDE by Microsoft, Visual Studio is the recommended editor for writing in C++ and C#. It comes with a ton of modular packages, depending on the kind of project you’re trying to make. It even has a package to work with Unity. Just be aware that Visual Studio can take up a pretty hefty amount of storage space, depending on the packages you choose to install.
- Visual Studio Code: The lightweight, non-compiling counterpart to Microsoft’s Visual Studio, VS Code is the editor of choice for many Javascript and Python developers. It is lightweight and easily maintained, requiring little storage space and minimal resources to run. However, its lack of a compiler means that it works best with interpreted languages, (a programming language that executes instructions directly and freely).
- XCode: If you’re working on a Mac, XCode is probably your IDE of choice. It’s free to download from the Apple App Store, and it is designed to complement Apple’s language of choice— Swift. It also works with C++, Java, Python, and other languages.
[Read: Java Benefits]
- Replit.com: If you don’t want to go through the hassle of downloading your own code editor or IDE, using a web-based code editor like Replit, allows you to write all the same code that you would on your desktop. However, in the long-term, it’s strongly recommended that you eventually start coding on your desktop, not just in a browser.
Things to Watch for When You Code
Once you’ve picked a language, got your code editor open, and now you’re starting from an empty page. But there are some common pitfalls to watch for when you start coding. It can be easy to get discouraged if you aren’t careful, so be mindful of these as you get started.
Start Small, Then Slowly Build-Up
Perhaps the most common mistake when starting any hobby, not just coding, is going too big, too soon. You don’t begin a career in carpentry by building a house. In the same manner, you and your child probably won’t start coding by building complex video games or enterprise-level websites. Start with programming your computer to say something like, “Hello World”, then move to basic coding exercises centered around different lessons you learn.
With each small project under your belt, you and your child will be better equipped to move to slightly larger projects while having fun in the process.
Watch Your Syntax
When you’re writing an English paper, a spelling mistake or two won’t ruin the whole thing. The same cannot be said for coding. Syntax is the coding word for “spelling and grammar.” It’s important that you pay special attention to capitalization and punctuation as they are all vital to having your code run correctly, and forgetting them or placing them incorrectly can cause issues.
[Read: Robotics Benefits]
Where to Get Started
If you’ve been reading this article with your child in mind, then you may be interested in signing them up for a coding class. BYJU’S FutureSchool offers courses in coding, math, and music, with more on the way, and your child can schedule a live 1:1 session with a dedicated instructor. Check out the website to look over our catalog or sign up to get a FREE trial.
Sources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/627312/worldwide-developer-population/
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm
You might also like:
HTML for Kids: A Parent’s Guide
Coding in Schools: Why It’s So Important
How Children Can Become Visual Storytellers with Artificial Intelligence
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