If you’re wondering how to get your child to learn coding, you may want to consider a gamified learning experience.
Let’s face one fact here, kids love to engage themselves in fun, and playful activities. According to NIH , kids between the ages of 5 to 17 spend 1.5 hours to 2 hours per day on average playing video games. In many cases, the average time spent a day playing video games crosses 4 to 5 hours.
In this modern era, you can’t stop your kids from playing video games. It’s a very common, and accessible source of entertainment. But what you can do is, you can turn their passion into a life skill by introducing them to coding games.
So, while playing these games, your kids won’t have that mundane feeling of having to learn the tradition like they do at school. But rather in a more fun, and engaging way. And, that’s why you should consider a gamified learning approach, and introduce your kids to fun coding games. Let them learn programming while having fun, and enjoying the learning process. Kids learn best when they’re truly interested, and also when it comes from a sense of passion.
Beyond passion and interest, coding games offer significant benefits for kids. In this article, lets explore the top 10 advantages of coding games for kids.
10 Benefits of Coding Games for Kids
1. Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills
While playing coding games like Flexbox Froggy, CSS Diner, Minecraft, and more, your kids will have to solve many problems to progress further in the game.
Initially, they will have it easier, and as they progress to higher levels, it will become more challenging, and it will push them to figure out various solutions.
The whole experience will teach them to solve problems better, and also develop a problem-solving mindset from an early age.
2. Improved Logical Thinking
These coding games are designed to develop logical thinking abilities. Each stage, or each level in these games comes with unique challenges that your kids will have to solve.
By focusing on the problems, and progressing through each level, they will learn to brainstorm and figure out mysteries. Ultimately it will contribute to developing their cognitive abilities and logical thinking capabilities.
Not to mention, as their logical thinking abilities progressively improve by playing different coding games and learning to code, they’re likely to do better in school, especially in science and maths.
3. Boosted Creativity
Figuring out the problems in these coding games requires a lot of creativity. So they will definitely have to think out of the box when it comes to solving different problems.
While they get more familiar with coding, there’s a chance that they will probably develop a passion for using their acquired skills to create their own game or app.
Coding itself is a creative skill, and by learning to code by playing these coding games your child will have a basic understanding of concepts. Not to mention, they can start creating their own games on platforms like Scratch by MIT.
4. Strengthened Math Skills
Although coding isn’t directly related to maths, nor will these coding games help your kids improve their math skills. The thing that it will do is, it will substantially elevate their logical thinking capabilities, and they will be able to rationalize and understand concepts better.
So, as maths and science are ultimately all about logical understanding, and problem-solving, by playing these coding games, and learning to code, they will have a much higher chance of excelling in academics especially logical subjects like maths and science.
According to various studies, it has been proven that kids who actively play games and learn to code tend to excel more in school.
5. Increased Persistence
To the honest, these coding games aren’t that easy. It may seem quite easy at first, especially to let players get familiarized with the basics, but as they progress to higher levels, it gets more and more difficult.
The beauty of it, as it gets more difficult, your kids will feel more compelled to figure it out anyhow. And, with that, it will help them develop effective interpersonal skills like improved persistence and resilience.
It can also contribute to their integral personality development, and help them make more mature decisions in the future. Kids who learn to code also tend to be less impulsive, as they progressively learn to relate to more realistic, and rational scenarios.
6. Enhanced Attention to Detail
Every coding game requires extensive mental focus. These games tend to be quite challenging, and by playing them your kids will not just learn to code, they will also acquire superior attention to detail.
There are many clues, and cues in these games to solve difficult puzzles and overcome challenging mysteries. So, in order to figure out various solutions, it is imperative for your child to pay a lot of attention, particularly to small details to identify the clues.
By playing these coding games, your child is most likely to develop enhanced attention to detail, as they are likely to get used to finding clues here and there.
7. Better Understanding of Technology
Children who play coding games and gradually learn to code gain a deeper understanding of technology. By actively using a computer, they become more familiar with modern tech.
Plus, the biggest advantage of learning to code is, that they get a basic idea of how digital tools are made. So, they know the basic processes of creating and developing apps, websites, and games.
These days some coding platforms like Scratch are also tapping into the basics of AI. All these learning experiences will help kids adapt to modern technologies faster, and if they grow a passion for it, they can contribute to the development of future tech.
8. Collaboration and Communication
Coding game platforms like Scratch or Minecraft have an open community to engage with. So, while learning to code, and playing coding games your child can communicate with their peers, and learn to work as a team.
Team efforts, or collaborating to solve specific tasks can significantly improve their collaborative and communication skills.
It can also help them develop their interpersonal skills from an early age, plus help them improve their social skills progressively.
9. Fun and Engaging Learning Experience
As I have discussed briefly at the beginning of this article, kids tend to involve themselves in fun learning experiences and engaging.
Coding games are specifically designed for young kids from the ages of 5 to 16 to encourage them to fall in love with coding and steadily grow a passion for it.
If you consider any subject boring, there’s a high chance that the learning process will not be so effective either. This applies tenfold more for kids as they tend to engage in activities that they’re actually interested in.
If you're looking to provide your child with a fun and engaging learning experience, coding games are an excellent way to start and even explore further.
10. Preparation for Future Careers
As technology continues to advance, coding has become an essential skill in many industries. By learning to code at a young age, children gain a head start in preparing for future careers in fields like software development, data science, and artificial intelligence.
These skills are not only valuable for tech-specific roles but also provide a strong foundation for problem-solving and analytical thinking, which are crucial in virtually any career.
Moreover, early exposure to coding helps children develop adaptability and resilience, qualities that are increasingly important in a rapidly changing job market. As they progress, they’ll be better equipped to tackle complex challenges and embrace new opportunities, giving them a competitive edge in their future professional lives.
Based on our research, here are 8 future-proof career opportunities in coding that can set the stage for long-term success.