Complete Guide to Coding for Teenagers
There are many extracurricular options for students to study in the real world, but gaining computer programming abilities may really set an adolescent apart from the crowd. Teenagers represent the next generation of students preparing to enter the workforce, with a robust IT industry expected to increase.
It’s no surprise that many teenagers already have computer science skills. When you think about it, they’ve been immersed in technology since birth, both at school and at home.
As a parent, you’ve probably seen that your teen is interested in technology. Furthermore, STEM activities and games are likely to have helped students build the abilities required for success in coding and development.
Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about enriching coding camps and courses, and consider how your teen can benefit from being a coder. With the correct encouragement, they might be ready to take their skills to the next level.
What Are the Advantages of Coding
There are numerous reasons why kids should grasp technology, and there are even more prospects for those who learn to code.
If students choose to pursue a bootcamp instead of a four-year degree, familiarity with programming languages and web apps might offer them a head start on future education. However, coding demands students to develop soft skills and problem-solving abilities, both of which are required in many industries.
The following are the most significant advantages for teenagers:
- Developing great problem-solving abilities
- Opportunity to practice collaboration and social skills
- Improving spatial intelligence
- Developing creative and logical thinking abilities
- Playing carefree
- Transferable skills development for usage in future workplaces
Signs Your Teen May Be a Natural Coder
You may have no idea if your adolescent has a natural talent for computer science and coding, but take a deeper look. The warning signs are most likely loud and clear.
Many parents are concerned about screen time for good reason. During screen time, however, children begin to study the inner workings of computers, video games, smartphones, and STEM toys. All of these opportunities can be beneficial to a young learner.
Curriculum advancements have also developed confidence and competency in technology, so students are naturally predisposed to understand how things function.
When it comes to learning, online lessons are more readily available to teens than ever before. So they’re probably already engaged, whether they’re watching YouTube coding videos or playing with Minecraft mods.
If your teen has coding experiences in preschool and elementary school, he or she may be more inclined to pursue it today.
Reasons why your youngster may succeed at coding concepts:
- They are naturally drawn to technology, whether through laptops, tablets, or gaming devices.
- They appreciate difficult educational games such as riddles and problem-solving tasks.
- They have previously experimented with STEM products and applications such as drag-and-drop block coding toys, the preschool enrichment Code-a-pillar, the school-aged robot Miko, and Kano Computer Kits.
- They play games that need programming skills, such as Tynker or Robot Wars.
- They like unrestricted play with construction toys such as LEGO.
- They like structure and are able to follow instructions.
- They choose creative outlets such as art and cooking classes.
The Advantages of Coding for Teens
Job opportunities for skilled programmers are expanding in the technology and cybersecurity areas. Though a full-time career may be years away, kids with the correct skillset will have plenty of chances.
It’s a no-brainer to encourage your teen to learn more about programming. It not only helps students establish new interests that will lead them to a fulfilling and rewarding professional path, but it also helps them build skills that will help them right now. They may also be interested in learning more about algorithms, robots, or Android or iOS mobile app development.
Finally, youths who investigate coding options will:
- Acquire new computing abilities.
- Improve your problem-solving abilities.
- Investigate creative challenges
- Improve your social abilities
- Make the most of their downtime (and use it to learn new coding languages)
Learning to code takes time and determination, and finding the time to learn these skills becomes more difficult once you have a full-time job. So teenagers who may otherwise spend their after-school hours looking at social media or video games should reconsider how they spend their time—and make the most of it.
Many students love the social component of coding as well, because many assignments in coding classes require collaboration with friends and other students. Interacting with those who are similar to you can provide a sense of belonging.
How to Introduce Coding to Your Teen
Most parents would agree that introducing new hobbies to teenagers is not always straightforward; sometimes you have to be subtle.
Parents of teenagers who are already interested in coding principles may have an easier time than others, but if they are not, you may have to get inventive. Fortunately, there are a plethora of intriguing entry points into the field of computer programming that may pique their interest.
If your teen enjoys video games, you could suggest that they learn more about game production. If they are creative, they may enjoy working with animation aspects and learning how to create their own worlds.
You may suggest mobile app development for children who have access to smartphones and tablets and are familiar with how applications work.
Teens may have been exposed to various coding possibilities in school. As a result, people may be inclined to vote for a career path that they are interested in, such as web development or software engineering. Or they may have heard that learning Scratch is an excellent place to start.
When everything else fails, enroll them in an introductory class with their best friend. Coding students of all ages can enhance their communication soft skills in order to collaborate. If your teen is shy, practicing those abilities with someone you already know can help.
What Are the Best Coding Camps and Classes for Teens?
Coding classes and camps are developed for children of all ages, but as students get older, it becomes easier to narrow down the alternatives and choose programs that match their needs.
Consider the following while selecting a program:
- The student’s age.
- Their pursuits (teens are often interested in video games, websites, or robots)
- Social abilities (some teens thrive in a classroom, others benefit from one-on-one lessons)
- Availability (some students favor enrollment in a camp over school break, or enroll in immersive classes that work around their schedule; others find that online classes offer the best flexibility)
- Learning mode (some students learn best with a program that grows with them and their interests; others value structured curriculum)
Best Coding Languages to Learn for Teens
If you’re just starting out in the world of coding, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Different programs introduce different programming languages, and it is always advisable for any newcomer to start with the basics. The following are the finest coding languages for teenagers:
HTML
If you introduce your child to HTML early on, they are more likely to pick up other complex programming languages such as JavaScript, PHP, and Ruby. HTML (or HyperText Markup Language) is a modular and visual programming language that defines paragraphs, headers, images, links, and other data on a website.
CSS
CSS (or Cascading Style Sheets) is another modular and visual coding language that may be mastered at a young age. Creative teens will like how code controls the colors, fonts, backgrounds, and animations that appear when they visit any typical website.
JavaScript
JavaScript workouts can help to develop logic and problem-solving skills. Teens who study JavaScript can gain a solid understanding of how coding is used in web development and app building.
Python
Python, one of the simplest syntaxes to learn, continues to expand in use-cases and has grown in importance in the world of coding languages. It’s a programming language that helps kids enhance their problem-solving and creativity skills, as well as their writing abilities. It is also becoming more popular as a prerequisite for data science career paths.
C++
C++ is a low-level language that is extensively used for many applications and is a good place to start if you’re new to programming. Teens should be aware that it is capable of creating anything from games to operating systems, browsers, apps, and more.
C#
C# Once your kid has mastered Java and C++, it’s logical to expect them to go on to a multi-paradigm programming language like C#, which will help them become more productive and efficient engineers.
Best Tools and Platforms for Teaching Your Teen to Code
Help your kid learn to code by using accessible, user-friendly coding platforms and apps like the ones described below. The more they practice the skills they learn in classes and camps, the more probable it is that they will comprehend the principles of coding and learn how to apply their programming knowledge creatively.
Micro:bit
This wearable technology, when compared to a pocket-sized computer, reinforces basic coding and programming abilities. Teens may program it to function as a digital watch, fitness tracker, games console, and other devices.
Coding Base
If your high schooler is just getting started, Coding Ground is an excellent resource for teaching them the fundamentals of programming languages such as Java, C++, and Python (and any language, really). It’s an appealing choice for parents who want to learn to code with little effort. It’s simple to use and a wonderful program for novices. It’s accessible online via a browser.
JSFiddle (JavaScript)
Teens looking for social and collaborative activities will enjoy everything that JSFiddle has to offer. They will be able to use it to display their own collaborative or user-created HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code snippets, known as “fiddles.” It’s a wonderful place for pre-teens and teens to get their feet wet in the field of creative coding as far as safe social media activities go.
PLAYCANVAS (JavaScript)
PLAYCANVAS is a popular cloud-based platform that encourages teens to create and share games. The engine can simulate rigid-body physics and handle three-dimensional audio and animations. It’s extremely fascinating and entertaining, and best of all, it allows kids to interact with 3D.
VEX
This curriculum is ideal for kids who are interested in robotics. Through this STEM event, students of all ages may learn more about robots. Its easy-to-assemble design teaches kids about programming, sensors, and automation while also refining crucial computational thinking skills.
Locate Teen Coding Classes and Camps in Your Area
Tokyo Coding Club’s coding workshops for kids aim to motivate youths and children of all ages to learn the fundamentals of coding. With a child-focused learning methodology, we offer coding classes in a virtual learning environment, in-person, and individual one-on-one lessons.
Classes are provided in-person and online from our Tokyo location. When you’re ready to enroll your teen, contact us. We’d be pleased to guide you in the proper direction if you have any inquiries about programs that cater to certain interests.
