There’s is no getting away from the fact that we now live in a digital world. Unless you live in the depths of a peruvian rainforest, technology has become the norm in our homes, workplaces and leisure pursuits. This is very apparent in the way children now learn in a world that is heavily dependent on technology. It is very different from our own childhoods where technology didn’t extend further than watching a video in the school library!
As parents our role is to provide a good balance of learning through technology and learning through the traditional methods. You can’t really avoid technology, as it’s likely that your child will have homework to complete by using a tablet or laptop. Computer science and IT will also be taught in schools.
Are there any fun ways of introducing technology to young children other than playing video games? This article aims to explore your options.
Coding
Coding allows children to create simple games and programmes. There are many free sources available on the internet to use primarily. There are different coding languages available for children. Scratch is a good platform to use, as it allows building block style interfaces to create games, animations and images.
Looking towards the future, once your child has mastered different coding languages they can progress onto the coding used by software developers. Learning to code can lead children onto a potentially lucrative, sought after and rewarding career pathway.
Robots
Robots are fun and exciting, they also have the benefit of combining technology with science. Children can learn to build robots from kits, which teaches engineering skills or can use robots to learn coding as they input commands. Robots have advanced so much in recent years that some have artificial intelligence, realistic movements and speech recognition. Children can learn how important robots are in areas such as medicine and industry.
Animation
Animation allows people to create movies by taking single frame shots and playing the frames back rapidly.The introduction of animation to children teaches so many skills, relating to art and design, technology, computers and storytelling. It also introduces children to many kinds of media relating to film making, TV and media channels such as youtube. Animation is very popular with adults too and is an interest you could share as a family. A quick search will provide you with information on the Best Animation Software available to download. There are also plenty of kits available specifically designed with children in mind.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality is very appealing to children as it allows them access to whole new worlds. Virtual reality is important in areas such as medical engineering and industry in a similar way to robots. Virtual reality should be introduced to very young children with close supervision as there are safety aspects. Headsets can be purchased as well as virtual reality books that contain headsets you construct yourself. Apps downloaded on smart phones can allow your child to experience prehistoric worlds, life in the colosseum and what it’s like to live in a space centre.
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