Teaching Computational Thinking Using Creative Coding

Let’s dispel a common misconception: computational thinking (CT) isn’t just essential for those who work with computers. It’s essential for everybody. 

Computational thinking involves developing an inquisitive mindset that understands problems and forms systematic solutions to resolve them. Whether your child wants to be a pilot, a lawyer, or a programmer, they’ll need this logic-based approach to excel in their fields. 

How Can I Develop My Kid’s CT Skills?  

Schools today understand the importance of CT for young generations progressing through a tech-geared world. That’s why they are incorporating learning exercises that teach such skills into the curriculum. 

These include giving kids LEGO sets to put together, asking them to make to-do lists for a bigger task, playing mind games, or solving mathematical problems. Such easily-to-do yet practical activities keep kids invigorated and develop critical thinking abilities.

But, so far, the most effective means of instilling computational thinking in children is via coding. Coding enables young minds to apply CT concepts by presenting them with challenges that are solved via innovative algorithms. 

How Does Coding Teach Computational Thinking? 

Coding helps students visualize CT concepts more concretely. At APTKID, we teach computational skills via code in two ways, depending on the child’s abilities and suited mode of learning: 

1. Unplugged Activities: 

This approach doesn’t involve the use of a computer when teaching code. Our instructors encourage conversations around CT, such as its meaning and applications, to test students’ understanding of the concept behind programming. 

Our tech-proficient teachers create elaborate engineering and math games to teach students how to break complex problems into simpler parts and develop elaborate algorithms to resolve them. They even learn how to ‘debug’ issues by reimagining solutions that don’t work. 

Unplugged exercises are carried out in group sessions so that, along with computational thinking, kids learn essential teamwork and communication skills. 

2. Codable Robots: 

Beyond manual activities, kids progress into the world of automated learning. Our computer programs are customized to suit the mental capacities of children of all ages, with coding problems getting more difficult at each level. 

Codable robots incorporate the mechanical and engineering concepts students have learned via school curriculums into programming exercises. Students learn how to understand complex problems by playing simulated games without an apparent set of instructions. They learn how to recognize patterns by finding commonalities in text, pictures, and numbers shown on screen. 

Computational thinking is instrumental for your child’s future career, especially in a world governed by technology. Regardless of their professional vocation, problem-solving skills will help them tackle issues, big and small, by developing their mental and emotional perceptiveness. 

Contact us today to know more about our expertly crafted programs and invest in a brighter, smarter future for your kids.