Learning to code is often presented as an obvious opportunity kids should take. But why exactly should a child learn to code? Coding can help improve a child’s attention to detail, creativity, and academic performance, as well as provide a boost in confidence and the opportunity for a lucrative job as they enter the working world. Speaking of jobs, did you know that as of 2020, only 6% of working people in the US have STEM-related occupations but earn twice as much as their counterparts according to the latest STEM stats? And that’s not all. Read on to find out more!

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Discover The Benefits of Coding: Reasons Why Kids Should Learn How To Code

While it’s easy to give anecdotal evidence of the benefits of coding, it’s even better to see the research backing it up. Below are seven great reasons to learn to code, backed up by research and statistics.

1. Coding helps kids to build creativity

Coding is often seen as a logic-heavy discipline, but creativity plays a huge role in the process as well. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Science and Technology, researchers examined the effects of coding education as it related to elementary school students’ computational thinking and creativity. They found that, when compared to the control group, students in the experimental group showed significant increases in creativity and originality as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Students who learned to code alongside their regular schoolwork were simply more creative in their problem solving!

Because coding allows kids to design and build their own programs and projects, it allows kids to use their imagination and creativity to come up with unique and original ideas. For example, if a child is working on a project to create an animation in Scratch, they might have the opportunity to design their own characters, backgrounds, and storylines.

Another way that kids can learn creativity through coding is by working on projects that require them to think outside the box and find creative solutions to problems. For example, if a child is working on making a game in Minecraft, they might need to come up with creative ways to make the game more challenging or engaging. This could involve adding new features or gameplay mechanics, or finding ways to incorporate elements of surprise or challenge into the game.

Creativity is an essential component of success in school and in life. A study published in the Journal of Creative Behavior found that creativity was significantly related to academic performance in math and reading for elementary school students. Creativity is also important for success in the workforce, as it is highly valued by employers. In a survey of over 1,000 hiring managers, creativity was a sought-after skill that employers look for when hiring.

2. Coding creates more job opportunities

It’s no secret that information technology jobs are some of the highest paying and most in-demand jobs available. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for this field was $97,430 in May 2021, which is more than twice the median annual wage ($45,760) overall. Not on that, but overall employment in this field is expected to grow 15% over the next 10 years, which is much faster than the national average. The highest-paying occupation in 2021 was that of computer and information research scientists, with a median annual salary of $131,490!

3. Coding also boosts your marketability in non-tech fields

Jobs outside of traditional information technology fields still benefit from a coding background. According to a report by Burning Glass, jobs which require coding experience tend to earn about $22,000 more per year than those which don’t, and more traditionally non-tech occupations are looking for applicants who can code. These professions include fields such as marketing, security, and even artists and designers. Roughly 7 million job openings in 2015 valued coding skills as part of the qualifications they were seeking. As with directly tech-related fields, these professions newly looking for coding skills are expected to grow up to 12% faster than the market average!

Here are a few examples of how learning to code can be helpful in a job, even if your child does not dream of being an engineer:

  1. Data analysis: Many jobs, such as market research, finance, and journalism, involve working with large datasets and using tools to analyze and interpret the data. Knowing how to code can be helpful in these types of jobs, as it can allow you to automate data-related tasks and create custom tools for data analysis.
  2. Web development: If you work in a field that involves creating or managing websites, knowing how to code can be a valuable skill. You might use coding skills to design and build websites, or to customize existing websites to feature the latest campaign, and so on.
  3. Project management: Knowing how to code can be helpful for project managers, as it can allow you to understand the technical aspects of projects and communicate more effectively with technical team members.
  4. Marketing: In today's digital world, many marketing jobs involve using technology and the web to reach customers. Knowing how to code can be useful in these types of jobs, as it can allow you to create custom marketing campaigns and tools.

4. Learning to code has been shown to positively impact young learners' logic

As Co-Founder of Apple, Steve Jobs said, “Everyone in this country should learn how to program because it teaches you how to think.” In addition to the pragmatic benefits of coding, studies have shown that learning to code helps teach children how to think. In a study published in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Educational Psychology, researchers tested the claim that learning to program computers improves cognitive skills. Their research showed that a positive transfer to situations which required critical thinking, mathematical skills, metacognition, spatial skills and reasoning existed. Overall, students who learned computer programming skills outperformed those who did not, suggesting that learning to code has certain cognitive benefits for other applications.

One way that kids can learn problem-solving skills through coding is by working on coding projects that require them to troubleshoot and debug their code. For example, if a child is working on a project to create a simple game in Scratch, they might encounter a bug that causes the game to behave unexpectedly. In order to fix the bug, the child will need to identify the problem and come up with a solution. This might involve testing different blocks of code, trying out different approaches, and using logical thinking to determine the root cause of the issue. Another way that kids can learn problem-solving through coding is by working on projects that require them to design and plan their code. For example, if a teen is working on a project to create a simple website, they might need to plan out the layout and functionality of the site, and then use coding skills to bring their plan to life - identifying problems, considering different options, and coming up with creative solutions.

5. Learning to code directly benefits engagement in mathematics

To build on the point that coding benefits the cognitive development of children, studies have also shown a positive correlation between learning to code and performance in mathematics. In a study conducted at St. Catherine University, it was shown that incorporating coding in a middle school math classroom could have a positive impact on student experience and understanding. These findings were supported by both subjective and objective data; these data showed that students were generally more engaged, and the results were supported by a rubric assessing key learner outcomes, accuracy, application, coding efficiency, presentation, and creativity.

6. Making games builds both technical and social skills

One of the most popular types of coding among children, perhaps to nobody’s surprise, is programming games. It turns out that even making games provides substantial benefits! In an article published in Educational Psychologist, researchers looked at the effects of “constructionist gaming;” that is, creating games rather than just playing them. They argued that programming is a maker activity in which people construct an artifact, and that it doesn’t matter whether the artifact is digital, material, or some hybrid of the two. In the process of creating, the creator is engaging in a kind of personal, social, and cultural education. In other words, making games not only introduces children to a range of technical skills, but it also better connects them to each other.

7. Learning to code prepares kids for the future

Nobody knows what the jobs of the future will look like, but we can be fairly confident that technology will continue to be more involved as the world progresses. Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of technological development right now, and according to an article published in Basic Income Studies, AI has already taken the place of humans in areas which were previously thought to be jobs only humans can do. It goes on to state that the displacement of the human worker for traditional jobs can be expected to continue to be significant, which raises the question of what one can do to prepare oneself for that future. A part of the solution suggested by that article is adjusting school curricula to include the basics of programming and algorithms at an early age to ensure children are taught skills which will still be needed as more and more jobs become automated.

Benefits of Coding: Why It’s Important Kids Learn How To Code

When children learn programming, they find out they can learn from their failures, and that failure doesn’t have to be frustrating or a progress-stopper, reports UT Austin. As Kiki Prottsman shares on Code.org, learning computer science at a young age takes pressure off of mistakes.

Young problem solvers can maintain their self-esteem, even as they struggle through subjects that challenge them daily. With most school work, you hand in your assignments for grades and that’s it. The disappointment of a poor grade doesn’t motivate all students to try harder, instead it punishes them to think they’ve failed.

But with computer programming, the moment you hit “Run” on your code, the computer does exactly what you told it to. When you get it wrong, you often know that there’s a problem immediately. You can fix your issue and try again. If you get it wrong a second time, you can keep trying. The result is accelerated learning and an increase in perceived achievement. This leads to persistence, grit and a resilience in all areas of life, whether it be math, reading, piano, or astrophysics.

In short, coding can help your child develop a growth mindset: the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and learning, as opposed to being fixed traits.

Coding is clearly an increasingly important skill set for children to learn. And there are many resources available to help kids learn to code. Set your students up for success by enrolling them in an award-winning free live online introductory coding class offered by Create & Learn. If you’re looking for a way to get your child started right away, check out a fun tutorial for how to create a game on Scratch.

Written by Create & Learn instructor Josh Abbott Salazar. Josh is a teacher, coder, audio engineer, and musician. After graduating with a Master's in Music from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, Josh turned his attention to the technology side of things, and has been working in various aspects of coding and engineering ever since. He runs a small music studio in Nashville called Tango Sound Studios, and develops video games in his spare time.