Teaching your child the ins and outs of computer programming at a young age will be invaluable as he gets older. Whether your child is more “mechanical” or swings towards the “artistic” side, there are methods out there to introduce programming in a fun, kid friendly way to help your child grasp the concepts and develop an interest.
Before you begin pushing any kind of programming education, make sure that you have things in perspective. Remember that every child is different and while some kids can write full blow iPhone apps at age 10, others will struggle to even install simple software on the family desktop. Don’t push your kid into something that isn’t enjoyable or you will end up with a little person who is terrified and resentful towards technology. Instead, take things slow and let your child guide you.
Your first strategy should be to use games. There are numerous games that teach problem solving and the point is to get your kid in the habit of reasoning and analyzing data accurately. You can find these games for all ages, but a few of the best include Magic Pen, Auditorium, and Fantastic Contraption. Once your child masters the mental ability to conduct basic problem solving, you can move on to some simple programming through games like Light Bot.
By age 8, most kids can start solving some simple programming puzzles through games. Try looking at YouTube for more programming game suggestions and tips from other parents who are teaching their kids the basics. Remember to keep things light and fun. Don’t talk about job sustainability or becoming the next Steve Jobs. Just make it a fun thing you and your child can do together to share your interest in programming and see if he takes the bait. If he turns into the programming guru of the future, that’s just icing on the cake.