Programming is becoming more and more important, with technology progressing at incredible rates programming has become an essential skill. Programming is very simple to learn and can be as easy as putting together jigsaw pieces. Learning a programming language is not only a great skill to have but it also improves other areas such as problem-solving. So here are the top 3 languages for kids to learn.
1 - Scratch
Scratch is a free educational language that uses building blocks to create games. As a visual language Scratch is one of the easiest to pick up and learn. It takes 2 blocks to make a character walk but has the depth of a full programming language. Scratch is a great first step in the world of programming and creating games as it teaches basic concepts in a graphical way.
Creating games in scratch can be done all through a web browser so there is no need to download or set anything up. It takes 2 clicks to begin building a game in Scratch. It also comes with all the tools you need to build your first proper game, including an area to create your own characters to place in the game world.
2 - Python
Python is a great language to learn, it is a platform to begin text-based coding. Python offers a language that is simple enough that is quick to understand but complex enough that many games and apps can be developed.
Python teaches programming fundamentals meaning that your child will learn how to use different data structures such as lists and tuples, along with understanding variables, loops and conditional statements. This is why Python is one of the most popular languages for children to learn first.
3 - JavaScript
JavaScript got popular with the advent of modern web browsers and probably forever it will remain linked to the web. JavaScript may be a little bit more difficult to learn, than Python. However, it’s appeal to children is the ability to create your own dynamic pages - they can code a game or a funny app that runs directly in a browser. This allows children to easily share they work with they friends, adding to the many advantages of coding one extra - socialising. There is nothing better then the feel to be admired by your peers.