Unlocking Critical Thinking: Online Educational Programs for Kids

Critical thinking is often mentioned in pamphlets of schools and educational programs for kids. They would tout that their curricula or program design enhances critical thinking in young learners. And they are right to lean on that to attract students because it is important. 

Critical thinking is an essential life skill; encouraging it at a young age will help kids foster a sense of independence and curiosity. A survey by the Reboot Foundation revealed that 43% believed early childhood ages (0-5) are the best time to develop critical thinking skills. This can have a lasting impact, as another study by the foundation showed that people who engaged in critical thinking activities while in school were 26% less likely to believe in conspiracy theories. 

Speaking of activities, coding is one of those. A study by Metin, Basaran, & Kalyenci identified a positive correlation between coding skills in five-year-olds and analysis and problem-solving, two key components of critical thinking. 

Because of the proven link between coding and critical thinking, it is no surprise that parents and guardians want their children to engage in it. Many are turning to online coding platforms to nurture those abilities because they are accessible and engaging at the same time. 

Introduction to Online Coding Learning

March 2020 was the start of an unprecedented global health crisis. The situation forced people to change their thinking to adjust to the school and office closures. Learning was near-halted, as school administrators grappled with delivering education through online learning platforms. Indeed, 7 in 10 schools moved to online learning in early 2020.

Seemingly overnight, online learning providers experienced a boom in the number of users. And K-12 was one of the biggest areas of growth. Similarly, coding classes for kids online experienced a surge in demand. 

It is no wonder because kids would have had a surplus of time and not know what to do with it. So online coding classes put their time, and energy, to good use. They learned valuable skills in today’s digital world and picked up other lifelong skills and benefits, too. 

Cognitive Development

A study published in Frontiers in Education found that children who did coding had significantly enhanced executive functions, particularly planning and response inhibition. Another research indicates that coding fosters computational thinking skills, which are essential in problem-solving and logical reasoning. 

Problem-Solving and Creativity

Problem-solving and creativity can go hand-in-hand in coding. The activity allows kids to explore ideas and build those projects using their coding know-how. This leads them to innovate and think outside the box. Not only that, but coding requires some mathematical and logical thinking, leading children to develop enhanced problem-solving abilities. 

Social Skills and Collaboration

Sure, children can learn and do coding by themselves. Often, though, coding projects require kids to work together. This allows them to practice their communication skills and enhances their teamwork skills. Not only that but a collaborative environment teaches them to value other perspectives. 

Future Career Preparedness 

When kids are exposed to coding, they are most likely to be interested in STEM careers. Studies have shown that this can inspire children to pursue related fields later. 

Emotional Resilience

In coding, problems arise now and then. Bugs appear and coders need to squash them before they can move forward. This situation can teach kids that failure is part of the learning process. Rather than be stumped and give up, coding will allow them to develop emotional resilience as they troubleshoot and refine their coding projects. Young children will have a more positive disposition when faced with a challenge and approach them creatively. 

Recommended Coding Programs for Critical Thinking

There are plenty of coding programs available online. Some are completely free while others have free versions and paid versions. Meanwhile, there are in-depth and advanced courses that are paid only. Here are a few that children can access easily with an adult’s assistance:

CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey offers numerous benefits to young learners of coding. It boasts that its program allows kids to develop their critical thinking skills. One example is the coding adventure where they learn how to code while helping an adorable monkey catch bananas. This starter program has 30 levels that will take about an hour to complete. It guides kids in unlocking new coding skills in an interactive and fun game-based course. Young coding learners will get their jumpstart in CoffeeScript, a programming language on par with JavaScript in functionality. 

Once students complete the initial hour-long free course, they can unlock other free Hour of Code activities. They can choose from Python-based trivia chatbots, block-based games, and other CoffeeScript-based gamified coding learning programs.

Minecraft

Minecraft may be an enigma to most adults, but kids adore it. They can create whatever they want, from whimsical objects to sci-fi settings. This digital LEGO-like world has an edition called Minecraft Education. In 10 lessons spanning 30 hours, Minecraft Education takes young learners on adventures with conditionals, functions, coordinates, and more. 

Children can also gain several life skills with Minecraft. The game has a mode that pushes children to kick into problem-solving gear. The open world also promotes creativity; they can build anything they want and even bring enormous dragons to life. Additionally, kids do not have to worry about a pre-set endgame. That means they can decide when a game ends–allowing them to practice self-direction. 

Roblox

Roblox is another game geared towards kids. Players can design their own games, and much like Minecraft, it lets them explore the limits of their creativity. On top of that, it has educational templates for learning concepts related to coding and digital citizenship. Once they have a grasp of building worlds on the video game platform, students can develop multi-level games and through that, develop critical thinking. 

Create & Learn

Create & Learn offers awarding-winning live online kids coding classes that covers a wide range of topics. For students who are new to coding, their free coding classes are great places to start and get a feel about coding by learning with an experienced teacher. They also offer free kids events that feature industry speakers from NASA and more.

Arduino

Arduino is more complex than other coding programs on this list. That is because it involves both hardware and software. They may need an adult with electronic know-how to assist them with connecting electronic parts. And, depending on the project, sharp tools and hot implements could be in the picture. 

So, how does Arduino help children learn how to code while developing critical thinking skills? The Arduino Student Kit, in particular, offers a structured, step-by-step approach to learning coding and electronics even without prior knowledge. It enables kids to learn and explore at their own pace, letting them think critically about the material they are learning about. 

Features of Effective Programs or Platforms

Much like software organizations use, coding programs or platforms for young learners must have these essential characteristics to make them effective:

Personalized Learning Paths

Children do not learn the same way or pace as their peers. That is why programs must allow for individualized learning paths. In this way, young learners can learn and understand each new concept at their own pace. 

Hands-on Projects

Platforms should have tangible projects like apps or games. With a hands-on approach, young students can absorb coding concepts better as they apply them in real-world scenarios. 

Interactive Content

Any material targeted towards young students should be interactive to keep them engaged. As such, effective programs must have gamified tutorials to make learning coding more fun. Varying levels and rewards will also motivate them to tackle challenges and be persistent in problem-solving. 

Visual Programming Languages

Coding is visual, yes, but those lines of code will not catch children’s interest automatically. For a coding program to be effective, it must be visual. For example, it could be block-based so children could grasp coding concepts without being bogged down by complex terms and syntax.

Community and Collaboration

Platforms that have forums or channels for young learners to communicate with each other are great. Children can talk with peers who work on the same projects or challenges. They can even find others to collaborate with on community or group projects. 

Accessibility

Great coding platforms have to be accessible. They do not have to be free entirely, although free courses are great. Codemonkey, for example, has several free resources and activities called Hour of Code. Children can progress to much more complex learning levels under paid plans. 

Real Programming Languages

For skills learned in coding programs to be transferrable, those programs must utilize real programming languages. They may start with blocks and little codes but eventually advance to common languages like Python and JavaScript. In this way, they can prepare for future coding opportunities. 

Focus on Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

We have mentioned it earlier–coding encourages students to think critically about a problem and come up with creative solutions. Effective coding programs for kids must challenge them with puzzles and similar tests to foster logical reasoning and critical thinking. 

Tips for Parents

Coding programs are effective by themselves but kids will be more successful with help from their parents or guardians. That does not necessarily mean holding their hands throughout the learning process all the time. But here are some things that adults can do to make it a fun and rewarding journey for the learner and the parents:

Start with the Basics

Guide your young learner with the basics. Introduce them to building-block concepts so they can start learning about coding without being overwhelmed. In this case, you can choose a program that introduces concepts gently step-by-step. 

Engage in Project-Based Programs

Having a goal to build with their learned skills can make kids more focused and engaged. It can be a simple game, program, or application. This will allow them to see something tangible out of their efforts. 

Establish a Routine

It is best to set aside a specific time for learning coding. Building a habit and consistent practice can help reinforce learning. 

Be Present

Parents and guardians, show interest in your children’s projects. Ask questions about what they are learning. Show support when needed, especially when they are stumped about a concept or challenge. You can even learn and tackle a project together with them. Doing so will not even require you to have any 1 year online masters in education programs cheap but this may encourage you to embark on one. 

Promote Collaboration

Encourage your young learner to work with their peers. Guide them as they meet with a coding community, whether online or in person. This experience can enhance their communication skills and their learning through teamwork. 

Empowering Your Child’s Future Through Online Learning 

Critical thinking is crucial for children’s development. It will allow them to ask questions and think well about the concepts and ideas they encounter now and later in life. And it makes them foolproof against conspiracy theories, too. 

School can indeed help them to learn how to think critically. However, online learning through coding can enhance that further. That is possible through interactive and engaging platforms that promote problem-solving and creativity. 

There are myriad options for learning how to code online for kids. You can explore each of them to find the program that works best for your young learner (and you!). Assess these education programs on coding to determine whether to continue using them as your children progress to more complex and advanced coding lessons. You can do that with the free resources before shelling out for paid plans.