CODING FOR KIDS

Coding is the ‘ability to programme, to learn the writing of a computer code for the composition of a programme’.

It has therefore been thought of as learning to think in this way as early as school age.

On the other hand, Steve Jobs stated in an interview in 1995, referring to the USA, that: “Everyone in this country should learn how to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think”.

Having verified its efficacy, particularly from 2010 onwards, coding for kids became widespread in Italy (in fact, it is also valid for teenagers), both in schools and in parallel educational courses.

Through a playful and entertaining approach, it was found that coding for kids, which can be practised both online and offline, is very stimulating as it develops a range of skills, including:

– problem-solving of increasingly complex issues during the coding process;

– critical thinking, as one examines information and then decides how to proceed;

– perseverance, as it develops the ability to overcome problems to achieve the final result;

– creativity: it starts with a blank screen, and is perhaps the aspect that is most stressed.

One of the most popular coding for kids graphic programming languages that can be used for free is Scratch. It is possible creates stories, animations, music, etc. by dragging and dropping coloured blocks.

SOURCES AND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS

1. Treccani – definition:
   https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/coding_%28altro%29/#:~:text=s.%20m.%20inv.,la%20composizione%20di%20un%20programma.&text=La%20tecnologia%20%C3%A8%20uno%20strumento,non%20il%20suo%20obiettivo%20ovviamente.
2. What is it: https://www.informarsi.net/che-cose-il-coding/ ;
3. Why kids should learn to code: https://medium.com/@andrew.smith_84400/why-kids-should-learn-to-code-311d530b3489 ;
4. What is it?: https://www.codewizardshq.com/what-is-coding-for-kids/#h-the-best-coding-for-kids-resources ;
5. Scratch – website: https://scratch.mit.edu/ : https://www.scratchjr.org/ .

 VIDEO

1. Learning Mole – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-3eArinB7E&list=PLEp6HdXIBkhrkn3esl9tsw-hhLJKkRHwB&ab_channel=LearningMole ;
2. How to Teach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7lMYRzCm74&ab_channel=KidsLearningforLife

IMAGES (in sequential order)

1. Felix Mendoza  from  Pixabay ;
2. Felix Mendoza  from  Pixabay
3. Robo Wunderkind from  Unsplash .