Hi everyone, my name is Amina! I am a software engineer and I make YouTube videos :)
Coding was a huge learning curve for me and there’s so much information out there. I recently put together a beginner friendly document with a breakdown of what my job looks like, what software and frameworks I use all attached with free and beginner friendly resources to get you started. The world is changing at a rapid pace and with the digital space evolving, a skill like coding is extremely useful. I put together this roadmap for parents and children to engage and interact with the fundamentals of programming in a fun, interactive way. You’ll be surprised at how much children pick up so please be patient with them and most importantly, have fun! All the resources I’ve attached are free.
Parents, I promise you coding is not as daunting as you think. I can totally understand the pressure of children a million questions when learning and given the current climate things can feel very overwhelming. I’ve created a table of resources that can help you get started with your child on their journey into programming and who knows… you might end up enjoying it more than you expected.
Parent friendly coding resources
Teaching your child how to code
https://www.superprof.co.uk/blog/tips-for-parents-teaching-your-children-how-to-code/
7 coding tips for parents
https://www.codingdojo.com/blog/7-coding-tips-for-parents
9 tips for Moms learning to code
https://www.coursereport.com/blog/8-tips-for-moms-learning-to-code
How to teach kids to code
https://www.idtech.com/blog/how-to-teach-kids-to-code
Supporting your child with their coding
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/math-and-science/how-to-get-kids-started-with-coding/
Why parents should encourage their children to learn to code
https://funtech.co.uk/latest/13-reasons-why-every-parent-should-encourage-their-child-to-learn-coding-skills
What is a computer?
A computer is a machine that is able to take information. When you do this, you are giving it an input. You can also do some work on or make changes to the information. This is called a process. When you create and return new information, it is called an output.
HTML is the skeleton of a webpage. You use it to draw where you want things to go on your page, a bit like when you have drawings in a colouring book.
CSS describes what the webpage will look like. For example, the colours you will use or which font to make the title. CSS is what makes the webpage look pretty.
JavaScript is a language to write programs that run in web pages. It controls how the page responds when a viewer clicks a button or moves the mouse. JavaScript lets you play music and create amazing visual effects.
Here is a good introduction of what you can do with coding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5bXW_gEJl8
Useful apps to install/practice coding with
Code.org - comes with a free parent guide!
https://codakid.com/code-org/
CodeAKid - Has a free trial
https://my.codakid.com/free-trial/
CodeCombat - intermediate level and is geared more towards gaming
https://my.codakid.com/free-trial/
Khan Academy - Beginner friendly & has free courses in other subjects
https://www.khanacademy.org/
Kodable - Compatible with iPad
https://www.kodable.com/
CodeSpark Academy - available on Apple and Android
https://codespark.com/
Tynker (personal favourite) - Compatible with iPad
https://codakid.com/tynker-vs-codakid/
LightBot - Beginner friendly & parent friendly
https://lightbot.com/
Scratch
https://scratch.mit.edu/
Daisy the Dinosaur
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daisy-the-dinosaur/id490514278
Spritebox
https://spritebox.com/
Nancy Drew codes and clues
http://www.nancydrewcodesandclues.com/
Hopscotch (Amazing for kids from 3 years old - 11 years old)
https://www.gethopscotch.com/
Codemonkey
www.codemonkey.com
Child friendly textbooks and articles
JavaScript for kids
https://pepa.holla.cz/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JavaScript-for-Kids.pdf
CSS facts for kids
https://kids.kiddle.co/Cascading_Style_Sheets
What is HTML?
http://www.goodellgroup.com/tutorial/chapter1.html
Child friendly coding YT channels
123 Code
* Introduces the children to computers, coding, instructions, sequences and visual programming languages.
LearningMole
* What is coding & types of coding
Socratica Kids
* What is a computer?
SciShow Kids
* How do computers work?
RUMPUS
* BBC series on what are computers & what coding is