The rise of technology has taken over everything today. And, coding is the core of technology. It is a creative process where you make something from scratch. For kids, it’s the difference between knowing how to navigate a website or play a game and building a website or game on their own.

Coding is the process of using a programming language to get a computer to behave how you want it to. Or in other words, Coding is a skill where you take instructions and translate them into a language that the computer understands since computers do not communicate like humans.

When children learn to code, they are also learning several important 21st-century concepts– and this can lead to some of the top careers today.

There is no such harm in inculcating something in the beginning and to support that, kids should also learn to code. But, there are some precautions too. Computer programming brings the creative element out of every child. Because programming requires the use of logical thinking, children tend to think differently. It triggers their thinking ability. Therefore, this is an exercise for the brain to train logical ability. It also builds problem-solving skills. It trains the brain to think deeply, identify the troubles, and break things up, then put the pieces together with a solution. These kinds of troubleshooting skills help a kid become a smarter person. Technology surrounds us; supports our work, facilitates communication, enables social connectivity, and upholds nearly every industry in the economy. Children need to know technology; in other words, they need to be digitally literate.

But, as everything has its pros and cons, everyone has a different perspective on this subject. As we know nowadays teaching coding to kids is the latest millennial obsession. Aggressive campaigns pushing Indian parents and schools to embrace coding might help meet corporate targets, but they are creating a fear that a generation of children will lose out if their parents don’t sign them up for these coding programs. Due to paid enrollment, parental stress induces fear and stress in the kid. Due to scheduling enforcement, the kid loses out on many other activities which, if done regularly instead of learning to code, could truly boost his health and kid-worthy fun.

When kids learn to code at an early age sometimes even before learning principles of mathematics and logic, they are missing out on crucial steps. Kids just want to have fun, and programming is a technical subject that should be left to grown-ups. Sometimes, parents forced their children, irrespective of their aptitudes to join online courses in coding. By introducing them early, we are only overloading kids’ brains with extra baggage.

Also, Coding classes demand more screen time. Today, spending too much time in front of screens, using mobile devices, computers, and tablets, is one of the main problems for parents. But keeping them away from digital devices is not the solution. Create a balance between children’s weekly activities related to technology and those without technology.

Create some places in your home where you do not use mobile devices and make time to spend there. For instance, while having a meal you should not use mobile devices or the internet.

Now, to ensure that every child benefits, computer languages are grouped into different age groups and styles. This means that younger children between the ages of four and seven can use block coding, while older kids who know how to read can focus on text-based programming languages.

Programming is trending and no one wants to miss out. However, that does not degrade other skills. You should also understand that coding takes time. Kids cannot start coding real apps and games just like that. It might take years before they fully grasp the concepts and that’s okay. 

So, it is up to parents now to understand both sides and decide if they want their kids to Code or to Code Avoid.