Code Briefing: Do an Hour of Code with your Kids This Week

As a full-stack developer and coding instructor with over a decade of experience, I‘ve seen firsthand the power of learning to code at a young age. When kids are introduced to programming concepts early, it can spark a lifelong passion for technology and open up a world of opportunities.

That‘s why I‘m a huge proponent of the Hour of Code, an annual global movement that takes place every December. The goal is to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. Participants spend just one hour doing an interactive coding activity, game, or tutorial.

Here are some examples of the engaging projects kids can build in a single hour:

• A web page that tells an interactive story or joke
• An animated holiday card to share with family
• A fun app that recommends movies based on your mood
• A piece of digital art made with code
• A game where you navigate a maze or shoot hoops
• A chat bot that talks about your favorite hobby

The tutorials break down the steps so kids can see the code behind the project and even put their own spin on it. For young kids, visual block-based programming languages like Scratch make it easy to drag and drop commands to animate characters and build games.

Since launching in 2013, the Hour of Code has reached over 1 billion participants in more than 180 countries. According to Code.org, the non-profit behind the movement, Hour of Code participants have collectively written over 113 billion lines of code!

The reach is even more impressive when you break it down by grade level. In the most recent year, 41% of Hour of Code participants were in elementary school (K-5), 37% were in middle school (6-8), and 22% were in high school (9-12).

Girls, who are often underrepresented in computer science, made up 45% of participants. This early exposure can help close the gender gap in tech and give girls the confidence to pursue coding.

The impact goes beyond just the number of participants. Research has shown that early computer science education can improve problem-solving abilities and academic performance, particularly in math and science.

One study published in the journal "Education" found that 6th grade students who took a computer programming elective scored significantly higher on cognitive ability tests than those who didn‘t. The benefits were even greater for students from low-income families.

Another study by Gallup found that 66% of K-12 students who participated in Hour of Code said they were more interested in computer science after the event. For many, it was their first introduction to the field.

This early spark of interest can be fanned into a flame with the right support and opportunities. Take the story of Samaira Mehta, who did her first Hour of Code at age 6. She went on to create CoderBunnyz, a board game that teaches coding concepts, and CoderMindz, an online coding education platform. Now at age 14, she‘s the CEO and founder of a company that has taught over 10,000 students in 15 countries!

Stories like Samaira‘s showcase the long-term impact an Hour of Code can have. Many of today‘s successful tech leaders and entrepreneurs started coding as kids too:

• Mark Zuckerberg began coding at a young age, building simple games and a communication tool for his family. He went on to create Facebook as a college sophomore.
• Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, grew up surrounded by computers. She took her first computer science class in high school and later studied history and literature in college. But she says coding gave her a "great foundation for how to think about things."
• Elon Musk taught himself to code as a kid, creating a video game at age 12 which he sold for $500. He went on to study physics and business, but his coding skills enabled him to build Zip2, a startup he sold for $307 million in 1999.

These leaders show that you don‘t have to become a software engineer for coding to pay off. The skills and mindset you develop – problem-solving, creativity, resilience, and more – will serve you well in any career.

So with all these benefits, why isn‘t every school teaching computer science? Only 51% of U.S. high schools currently offer computer science, and access is even lower in elementary and middle schools.

A few key challenges are lack of funding, not enough qualified teachers, and competing demands. Coding is often viewed as an elective or afterschool activity rather than a core subject.

Grassroots efforts like Hour of Code are helping to change that by building awareness and excitement for computer science education. Policymakers are taking notice, with 2022 seeing a record number of state laws passed to expand access.

But there‘s still a long way to go to make high-quality computer science education available for all students, especially girls and underrepresented minorities. According to Code.org, Black and Hispanic students, English language learners, and students with disabilities are less likely to attend schools that offer computer science.

As parents, teachers, and tech professionals, we all have a role to play in advocating for more coding opportunities for kids. If your child‘s school doesn‘t offer computer science, ask about starting a coding club or elective class. Look for camps, workshops, and online resources to supplement their learning.

An hour of code is a great start, but kids need ongoing support and encouragement to keep growing their skills. You can be a cheerleader and mentor for their coding journey, even if you don‘t have a technical background yourself.

When I taught coding workshops for kids, I was always amazed by their creativity and enthusiasm. Given the chance to make something with code, they dreamed up projects I never would have thought of, from a choose-your-own-adventure story to a virtual pet adoption app.

Coding gives kids a powerful tool to express themselves and bring their ideas to life. It‘s so much more than a set of technical skills. It‘s a mindset of solving problems and creating something new.

That‘s what I love about the Hour of Code. It gives every child a chance to experience the magic of coding, if only for an hour. But that hour could be the start of a lifelong journey of discovery and innovation.

So this week, I encourage you to take an hour to code with the young people in your life. Pick a fun tutorial, make something together, and celebrate what you create. Who knows what seeds you might be planting for the future?

Happy coding!