Why do my children need to learn to code? What’s all the fuss? 


One of our most critical roles as parents is preparing our children for their future, and the future is informed by an entrenched understanding of technology.
It is therefore important that, as parents, we provide our children with the right tools and skills to equip them with a wide range of opportunities whenever we can, in whatever way we can, and coding is among the best way out there.

Coding is what makes it possible for us to create computer software, apps and websites. Your browser, your operating software on your cell phone, your favourite apps – they’re all made with code.

Apple’s coding language, Swift, is the perfect language to introduce your children to.
Swift is used in Apple products like iPhone, Mac, iPads, and Apple TVs. It’s an excellent way for children to learn to code as it allows them to learn and apply their knowledge in a fun and engaging way by creating apps and games.

By exposing children to the language of code at a young age, we begin to develop what we call ‘The 4 C’s of coding’:

Confidence - Encouraging children to maintain a ‘can-do’ attitude towards solving difficult problems. One of the coding concepts that children learn during coding is the term
‘Debugging’- the process of identifying and fixing a bug. They learn that it takes perseverance to solve a problem and ‘debug’ their code.
Creativity -. By teaching children to experiment, make mistakes, explore their ideas and question their assumptions we are developing their questioning mindset which is where creative thinking begins.
Collaboration- Working in teams is an essential life skill. Coding may be seen as an independent task but it calls for collaboration.
Computational thinking - Coding provides children with a new way of thinking that can be used to solve a variety of problems. Computational thinking is a problem-solving process. 

It is predicted that Coding will be the most important skill in the future to have. Programmers are in high demand and learning to code will increase your child’s chance of securing a successful career path.

As Steve Jobs once said, “Everybody should learn to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.”


By Mike Notley