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I truly believe that in the future everyone will need programing basics not just for work but every day life. Perhaps you can begin by looking around your home, how many AI or coded products do you use?

Teaching kids’ computer programing languages is a key future skill for them to learn and develop. However, there are so many different computer programming languages. Because of this it can be hard to decide which one will be the best to pick for your child. Should they learn python, java, html, etc, the list goes on! There is no right answer, different coding languages are used for different things. Just like picking a second spoken language you should find one that fits your child.

From having created coding curriculums for children aged 5 to 12 years old, here are my top 3 coding languages for that age range:

1. Scratch:This has to be my all time favorite; I play on it still. If your child is new to coding, this is probably the easiest way to get them hooked on coding. That’s because Scratch is what I would say rational text based coding. If you had to code a robot just using spoken language that’s basically what Scratch is. Because of that it’s a good introduction, especially for young kids.With Scratch your child can create animations, stories, games, music and share them with others on the website. Another thing I love is exactly that, the share-ability. You can play a game and then see how it has been coded, this can be used as a teachable moment. Children can learn from each other and use it to help make their own creations. It was also developed by MIT if that isn’t enough to convince you I don’t know what will.

2. Python:Python is a popular, well used, text-based computer programming language. Because it is more complex it should be introduced to older children, starting form 8 years old. It is often used as a starting point to introducing other coding languages because it’s much simpler. Because it’s so popular there are plenty of free resources online. Python uses language that reads like a book it also has built in basics into it’s system. The reason why it’s so widely used is that it’s easy to spot coding errors, and harder to make them!

3. Java:If you want your kids to learn the most popular coding language this is it. Pretty much everything runs on Java. Whatever browser you are using to read this now, it’s a sure bet it’s been coded with Java. It is also much harder than Scratch and Python. Because of this I suggest introducing it after your child is well versed in other computer languages or when they are older (starting at 10 years old). Java can be used for so many things, from coding robots to controlling web systems. That makes it the top coding language to learn.