Coding can have surprisingly far-reaching benefits beyond logic, problem-solving and math. Learning to code helps kids hone important life skills that'll set them up for success now and in the future. Through our years of teaching kids to code, we've noticed these ten, not-so-obvious, benefits of coding.
Build Grit
Hands-on learning, creative engineering, and solving difficult technological sequences builds confidence and collaboration. Coding teaches students to be resilient and persistent in the face of challenges.
Develop A Growth Mindset
Along with grit comes growth mindset. Nobody likes failure, but making mistakes is how we learn. By recognizing effort and growth over time, students learn their success is based on practice and perseverance rather than innate ability.
21st-Century Literacy
Learning to code is like learning another language that everyone should be able to speak. After all, everywhere we look, we're touched by computers. Knowing the basics helps students communicate with them—and create cool stuff.
Expand Problem Solving Skills
In all their academics, students need to filter through information to find the key pieces that lead to a solution and what better way to learn this than through coding.
Understand The World
Code is everywhere, from smartphones to street lights to art installations to subways. Learning to code is an excellent way for students to discover first-hand the many ways it impacts their lives.
Connect With Role Models
When students see themselves reflected, they see future possibilities. What better way to find coding role models than be inspired by their teachers and peers—people of all genders, ethnicities and abilities contributing to science, engineering, technology and mathematics.
Encourage Empathy
We are a screen society, but we also need to create a person-to-person society—coding teaches students that there is a person behind every screen. This knowledge can reduce cyberbullying and lead to students making more informed choices about the content they share on the internet.
Improve Math Skills
Coding helps students visualize abstract concepts. They learn to break a problem into smaller steps and using logic, sorting, and analyzing to get to the final product—just like in math!
Build Rather Than Consume Tech
Coding is more than screen time. It promotes learning through play for budding developers, inventors and engineers as they can experiment, create, invent and learn using a variety of tools and materials to bring neat things to life with technology.
Enhance Creativity
Innovation often stems from curiosity and creativity. Coding provides opportunities to take risks and create new things in the world with lines of code.
We'd love to hear from you. Did any of these coding benefits surprise you?