Top 3 Coding Languages For Your Kids

Coding is the new most sought-after trend for kids! Considering how dependent we all are on technology, it comes as no surprise that more and more parents want their children to be well-equipped with the language of computers. Many parents today prefer coding to be a part of school curriculum, and rightly so. According to a study conducted by Burning Glass Technologies in 2018, 70% of the fastest-growing skills and 26% of the highest-paying skills in Singapore are computer-science related (source – link). The pathway to some of the best opportunities across many professions? It’s through the development of computer science skills.  

Learning to code at a young age can set a child up for a lifetime of success. Thanks to the new norm of online education, children these days are comfortable with the idea of learning virtually. Young minds are malleable and absorb knowledge quickly. The earlier your children learn to code, the easier it becomes for them to master the skill. To read about the benefits of starting your child’s coding journey at a young age, click here. 

But, with an abundance of programming languages to choose from, how do parents understand the difference and choose the right language for their child?  

While we can provide universal and general recommendations for different age groups, not every language is the right fit for every student. Some kids may simply demonstrate a knack for coding and dive right into complex languages, and some might find it frustrating and difficult to dig into the text of a language and might want to start with something simple. So, here’s a list of languages to choose from based on your child’s aptitude and interest: 

 

• Scratch (For 7-12 year olds) – A platform that allows kids to create games, apps, interactive stories, animated characters, add music, sound effects and voiceovers. It offers a solid foundation of coding principles. Rather than using complex coding, it promotes learning by creating, dragging and dropping colorful command blocks. Being the easiest coding language for children to learn, it is the right choice to begin with before moving to more complex ones.  

 

• Python (12 years and older): Named after the Monty Python series, Python is a scripting language considered to be the easiest to learn. Fun fact: Python is used frequently by companies like Google and Disney and popular social platforms like Instagram, Spotify and YouTube were also created using Python. Due to its user-friendly syntax, children are able to write lines of code easier and quicker than other languages. With Python, your children can create their own games, websites, animations and even build robots.  

 

• Java (10 years and older): Java is another widely used programming language. Twitter, Minecraft and Gmail were created in Java. It is harder to learn than Python and Scratch and best suited for children with more experience. 

 

We at AlphaGen Learning have a desire to guide your children to become the leaders of tomorrow! Our approach is simple: we believe in hands-on experience, real world projects that pique a child’s interest and one-on-one focus. Our classes are personalized and interactive, because we believe that every child learns, just not in the same way! Want to start your child’s coding journey? Book a free trial class today.