
Coding for Kids: Linda Liukas on Nurturing Your Child’s Technical Imagination - mcone
https://www.dailyfig.com/2016/07/20/coding-for-kids-linda-liukas-on-nurturing-your-childs-technical-imagination/
======
lordnacho
I love how coding is quickly becoming an accepted part of education, rather
than an obscure thing you can do with nerds.

My kid just started school, he's 4 years old. Once a week or so they have a
class where they have a TA dress up as a robot and they think about how to
give him instructions to do stuff. Sounds really fun, and very far away from
the rather dry things you could be doing later on. Hopefully the transition to
actual coding will not be rough.

~~~
code_sardaukar
As someone who was bullied for being a nerd, your statement is very
triggering. Do you think there is a way we can encourage all people to explore
tech _without_ denigrating people with certain personality types/interests?

~~~
thomasfedb
I think lordnacho has a point, in that programming was previously considered
to be an unworthy pursuit and considered antisocial (the arena of the so-
called nerds). It's great that school-aged children are now being widely
encouraged to explore coding.

~~~
shostack
Not only that but programmers and STEM professions are starting to be
highlighted in pop culture in very positive ways such as Big Hero 6.

Contrast that with movies from the 80s or 90s and geeky types might have been
heroic, but it was always despite them being geeky, not because of it. Like it
came with social baggage they needed to overcome vs being their source of
power.

------
fspacef
Really surprised that there was no mention of Raspberry Pi.

As soon as they hit 6 or 7 (or an age where they can sit down and not have to
fidget), buy them a Raspberry Pi. Possibilities are endless, you can have
weekend projects where you build and play a video game or install a camera
etc. (Plenty of well-written guides and demos online)

Not only can they have a great time learning and playing with a real piece of
technology but it can teach delayed gratification, putting in X amount of time
building something before they can reap the benefits.

~~~
S4M
My son is 6, I am planning to do just that when he is completely familiar with
reading - so probably next year.

------
teh_klev
Scott Hanselman interviewed Linda Liukas recently on his podcast, well worth a
listen:

[http://www.hanselminutes.com/547/hello-ruby-with-linda-
liuka...](http://www.hanselminutes.com/547/hello-ruby-with-linda-liukas)

------
johanneskanybal
Bought 3 copies of this book so far.

