Kids’ experience of technology is radically different than that of their parents’. Technology is part of their everyday life when they’re communicating (mobile, social networks), doing sports (eg. fitness trackers), learning (online materials, or discussing the homework on facebook), playing (video games, online games), or just chilling out (watching videos, listening music on their phone, scrolling through 9gag or Instagram).

And what can their parents do? They don’t know this world. They feel they can’t watch out for their children while they are on the digital playground. Parents are afraid of this world, so they often try to steer the kids away from it. I know for a fact that this is impossible, and unnecessary. Instead, we must grow up to this challenge, and be there for them — however we can — in their digital world and be a reassuring source of guidance. We must not leave kids alone in a field that is getting more complicated day by day.

Computers and digital “smart” devices are devouring our world. Whether it’s a good thing we should welcome, or a dangerous one we should fear, is another topic. Did you know for example that there’s a good chance that in the next hundred years the true General Artificial Intelligence will be discovered, and it will most likely determine the fate of humanity? Maybe even before we run out of fossil fuels. Computers are really that important.

Kids should learn how to handle the huge amount of information they receive, how to use the new digital devices emerging day-by-day. Not how to push a button or how to delete a widget from the home screen, but how to use the possibilities that a device offers them to their advantage, for their own good. They should learn how to communicate with these devices. What gestures to use? What language to speak with them? What to expect of them? How to use them for their own advantage? How to ask their own questions? Some example:

How to search for something on Google?

How to delete a person’s posts from my Facebook feed?

How to make my smartphone to solve my math homework?

What is a secure password for my bank account?

And no matter how hard engineers and programmers work on it every day, the digital world still speaks a different language.

The language of programming

“I think everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer. Should learn a computer language.

Because it teaches you how to think.”

…said Steve Jobs in The lost interview.

Learning programming (or “coding”) is something like learning to drive. You had an instructor with a car, and you learned to drive that car. And for some reason you are suddenly allowed to drive any car. And that’s alright with everyone, because we know that all cars are similar, and anyway, the bigger part of being allowed to drive is to know the roadsigns and know the rules.

All the same with programming — or as we should call it: communication with digital devices — you can learn the rules, signs, and the techniques in one programming language, and then if you have to code in another one — speak to a different machine, you won’t have to re-learn the whole thing to do so.

Don’t think of programming as typing mysterious code in front of a black terminal on a loud keyboard — that is history. It is about creatively solving problems in an existing system of rules and constraints (remember Lego?). But it’s also required merely to use computers and technology. Whether you like it or not, computers are already part of our everyday life. As cars and television became just some 50–60 years ago. For our children this is no longer a new possibility or a passing trend, but the very foundation of their mindset. In a good way. The possibilities and the doors opened by modern tools and ideas like connectivity, network, online community and Wikipedia are the very base on which the future is being built right now. And it is being built by our children. So we better give them the chance to learn to use them creatively.

“… I feel like programming is the closest thing we have to magic. It allows you to create things with words.”

Programming is the practical implementation of computing, the ability to be able to comprehend the ideas and logic that governs the field. This is an essential skill and an effective way to learn how to discover this world, and create something in it. Because currently this is the language we can speak with the machines our life depends on.

At the same time, learning computing and algorithms helps you to think. Acting as a mirror of your thought process, a program can augment your ability to solve a problem, and amplify your innate skills. It promotes 4C skills (Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking and Creativity) and helps to learn how to build efficient mental models.

But should every child learn computing? I quote Simon Peyton Jones, an honorary Professor of Computer Science at the University of Glasgow to answer this question:

“Should every child do it? From primary school? So let me ask you this: Why do we ask every child to learn Science from primary school? Not because they are all going to become physicists. So why? It’s because science teaches us something about the world around us; and if we know nothing about the way the world around us works, we are disempowered citizens. Even when you switch on the light, you know that the light doesn’t happen by magic, it happens by electricity, that comes along wires, the wires can be dangerous, the electricity comes from a power station, the power station burns fuel, it may cause global warming… all of that is underpinned by the science knowledge you gained at school, whether or not you’re a scientist.”

…so Computing is the new Science.

Where are those training wheels?

Recognizing this trend and realizing that programming is not only a profession with more than 1.4 million unoccupied jobs till 2020 (in the US), but a global mission of teaching people how to thrive in the new digital world; organizations, companies, brands, politicians and whole governments began to take action.

Code.org started in January 2013: with some jaw dropping facts, videos and even a speech from President Obama, it became a huge movement (“Hour of Code”), and an endless source of engaging tutorials.

The U.K. government started an educational shift and made computer science and programming mandatory for every children in secondary schools, and put computing at the heart of their curriculum, ahead of USA and in fact the whole world.

BBC decided to give away at least two million little wearable computers to 7yro children to start creating and coding.

A part of the CoderDojo network, free computer programming clubs are forming every day around the world with the help of volunteers.

Small ventures began to develop and manufacture educational toys and devices like Codie, Piper, Kano and many other, which promote tangible and real experiences (instead of pure virtual ones on the screen).

Toy industry also tries to keep the pace by introducing similar products.

Educational content creators start to realize this trend and how efficient is computing as an engaging learning material.

There are many other opportunities if you’d rather play with your kids away from the screen: games like RoboRally, or just games, eg. Dr. Techniko’s How to train your robot, both promoting logical thinking and the mindset of programming.

So the world started to move, but change is hard and change is slow, especially in schools. Teachers have to be trained for the curriculum, new devices have to be purchased, schedules have to be changed, performance monitoring systems have to be installed, and the list goes on. As a parent, you better not wait until someone at school teaches your kid computer science and programming. Take this matter into your own hands, go and find your children a game, toy, educational videos, and make sure he or she spends quality time looking at the screen — and with you.