We expect our kids to learn to read, but can children really learn to code? Science says yes. Whether you anticipate chatbots revolutionizing Google Search or financial institutions investing more into blockchain technology, the next generation will benefit from an early education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Between episodes of Bluey, I plan to introduce these concepts as soon as possible. Here’s my plan for high-value preschool coding activities.
Two Years Without a Screen
Our daughter will not touch a screen for the first two years of her life. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that infants and toddlers don’t benefit from online media the same way they benefit from direct interactions with their caregivers.
So, we interact with her the old-fashioned way. We talk and encourage exploration. We encourage and reward dextrous physical movements. And, despite longing for more rest, we won’t let her play on a tablet until (at least) her second birthday.
What happens after that? Coding, baby!
Preschool Coding Ideas: Where to Start
The same Media and Young Minds article from the AAP notes that kids from 2 to 5 years old can benefit from up to one-hour of high-quality video content, so long as parents, “. . . help children understand what they are seeing, and help them apply what they learn to the world around them.”
That isn’t an invitation to turn on Caillou (no parent should be put through that). Instead, it’s a nod to the importance of interactive viewing.
In Kelly J. Sheehan’s preschool coding research on using a coding app while parenting, I learned that kids and adults experience high levels of engagement when using some coding apps together. I’m not surprised. Their experiment shows, “. . .that coding apps may be a rich context for STEM learning, and that specific parent-child interactions can scaffold their children's learning from STEM apps.”
I plan to start my daughter’s screen time with tried-and-true programs like Sesame Street. This show changed children’s television for Gen X and older Millennials, showing that not all programming needed to advertise a toy tie-in. It also inspired a surprising Russian adaptation.
So what’s the digital equivalent?
Michael Rich, MD, MPH, FAAP opined in 2020 that, “we do not yet have a gold standard like Sesame Street in the world of educational apps.” That’s hard to dismiss. There are several popular mobile apps for kids, but nothing offers the pervasive cultural impact of the show with the big yellow bird and the trash-can monster.
When I’m ready to teach kids to code, I plan to use programs like codeSpark Academy. They offer a free 14-day trial when you apply the code FT14 during signup, and the benefits look promising. The program looks like a video game. It presents puzzles and introduces basic mathematical concepts right away.
The codeSpark program also rewards reading, pattern recognition, and (every programmer’s favorite) automation.
Why Should We Teach Preschoolers How to Code?
Kids learn so many things from a solid STEM education, and programming is part of that. We should teach preschoolers how to code because they use the fundamentals in every other part of their education.
Coding relies on reading, logic, math, critical thinking, and creative thinking. What more could you ask for?
Computer Science Resources for Parents
After reading the literature on early-childhood development and the importance of introducing computer literacy the same way we introduce the arts, I started looking for preschool coding products.
I’ve broken this down into two categories. First, I created a list of apps that introduce coding and math concepts to young kids. Next, I made an early Christmas list. Those are the most exciting STEM toys I could find this year. If children really can learn to code, they won’t find better inspiration anywhere else.
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