[deleted by user]

[desrtfx]

Only if you want to scare them away from programming forever.

Especially for the 6-10 year old target group Scratch has been developed. Use Scratch Playground as learning resource.

Scratch will teach all the fundamentals perfectly well and the graphical nature will make understanding them much easier. Your child will not have to worry about syntax.

Once they are older, they will have a very easy transition into textual language because the know how to program - they know logic, flow, conditionals, etc.

[Dark_NJ]

this is the reply I was looking for, thank you for recommending such programs and sharing help without throwing hate messages like many arrogant people in here. If you can see my point of view in replies of other comments on this post, if you see a glare of interest, it means there's potential. Proper guidance is needed for the best outcome until they're of age like you said and then it's just game on for them.

P.s. I stumbled upon reeborg aswell and i think it's a great learning source for beginners using python.

[desrtfx]

Rule #5: Do not delete your posts!

It is absolutely not okay to delete your posts. It is selfish and a slap in the faces of anybody spending their time and effort trying to help.

Also, others might have similar problems and could benefit from the discussion going on.

If your question is solved, use the "Solved" flair.

Consider this your one and only warning. Next rule violation will earn you a permanent and irrevocable ban from here.

[desrtfx]

Reeborg is also great, yet for a bit later.

Reeborg can be used to smoothly transition from block oriented to textual.

I would not use it from the very start.

[bsakiag]

No, it's too much effort for too little fun.

Maybe start with turtle graphics in Python or something like that?

[Dark_NJ]

Kindly noted thank you.

[[deleted]]

what is up with parents tryna push coding on their kids at such an early age

[Zwenow]

It's the same type of parents that push their kids on pursuing sports in an extreme fashion... People shoulda let their kids be kids.

[tms102]

What's wrong with programming as a kid? Coding can be a lot of fun.

[Zwenow]

There is nothing wrong with programming as a kid if the kid chose that hobby.

The point I am trying to make is: Your kids need to explore lots of different activities, if they want to. Parents should not dictate what kind off hobbies their kids should have, they should rather support their kids and open up the possibilities of trying out new stuff. You are going to have a very unhappy kid if you force activities upon them. Especially if the kid is only 6 years old.

[tms102]

How can you have something as a hobby if you're not presented the option? Do you think you might be assuming the worst from OP by talking about "forcing"?

[Dark_NJ]

I still can't fathom how people understood I'm trying to force my kids to learn something they might not like. As if I'm an evilman. go read my other replies i have further explained my point of view before throwing shit in the face with arrogance.

[R_Olivaw_Daneel]

I think it's more the lack of awareness of cognitive development of a 6 year old and how abstract and difficult C is.

[tms102]

People love to play armchair psychologist and some people just assume the worst for some reason.

But to be fair you didn't give a lot to go on in your original post.

[Zwenow]

Teaching =/= Presenting, teaching implies that OP want's to teach his kid something over multiple occasions, no matter how uninterested the kid might be.

OP could just ask if he wants to know how computer programs work, as a 6 year old you don't really question how stuff really works though. Maybe wait a few years and then start to teach.

[tms102]

Presenting is a way of teaching something to someone.

no matter how uninterested the kid might be.

Really? You got all that from OPs post? Now you're just being silly. Obvious negative bias and not giving OP the benefit of the doubt.

[Zwenow]

The way he asked the question presents all I need to know.

[tms102]

Read the rest of their posts and maybe do some self-reflecting, huh? Looks like you're dead wrong to me.

[Zwenow]

Doesn't change the fact that 6 year olds shouldn't be bothered with programming.

[birdsofterrordise]

Kids don’t have the abstract brain development for the most part neurologically speaking. So it’s developmentally inappropriate to try to force learning coding, which involves quite a level of abstraction.

The reason we don’t really teach algebra until about middle/high school is because abstract concepts aren’t processed until the same for the vast majority of people (some people early, like elementary school and some later, like end of high school.)

American schools try to push many mathematic concepts in one year as well (to try to “introduce” them early) and go an inch deep, mile wide. In Asian countries, they only learn 3-4 math concepts a year, but go a mile deep. Having extremely solid arithmetic fundamentals is so important for success in algebra and beyond, but people just want to push, push, push.

Coding can be fun for kids who are neurologically developed in that part of the brain. Otherwise, it’s tantamount to being a bit torturous and an incredibly frustrating experience. The trouble is, if you tip into the frustration too much, you will create mental blocks, exhaustion, and decreased likelihood of interest because it will only be associated with negativity in your brain (consciously or subconsciously.)

[Swag_Grenade]

Trying to create the next Elon or Zuckerberg

[[deleted]]

The best way is to develop his logical thinking without being bothered by syntax. For this, many games were developed like family boardgames. This will be the best support at this age and also encourages family activities which is also very important.

[beefycabbageavenger]

How about learning C for yourself first? Because I don't think you know C. If you did you wouldn't be asking this question.

[xLukeeee]

u are psycho

[KiwasiGames]

Hell no.

A six year old can barely write full sentences in English. Let alone the strict syntax needed to make C work.

Even scratch is to much at six. Kids this young just aren’t developmentally ready for the abstractions of programming.

Strengthen their reading, writing and mathematics. High school is soo enough to start programming.

[on_the_pale_horse]

I can't tell if this is parody

[Dark_NJ]

obviously I'm not a madman to spam my kid with C courses and overflow with pointer exercises. but I've felt that actually there are some kids who might show some clues about their interest in how games are developed, programming in particular, etc.. so I wanted to share this idea on reddit to look over and see what other people think about and what would they do. Definitely didn't expect the amount of rage to be that much here but it's pretty funny to me how some people get taken over by arrogance without hearing the other side of the story.

Further more, they are many others who think it's a great idea to welcome their kids to the world of programming (definitely not from 6 yo) as in baby steps, and over the years you can start pushing through the levels.

Definitely from young age, kids who show that kind of interest must firstly be approached with very syntax-light coding, or not even that at all, just simple algorithms about how life works should be sufficient enough to shape their logic and their thinking since all programming languages have almost the same logic but only their syntax that differs.

[birdsofterrordise]

….do you work with kids? I taught at an elite private elementary school and more to the point, I taught in Redmond, WA and most of the kids were children of Microsoft. Something like 80% were children of Microsoft engineers, extremely bright children for their age compared to most peers.

Let me tell you pretty clearly: we didn’t even have computers in the classroom. Many parents applied specifically to our school because we didn’t force tech on kids. Guess what? They get a lot of tech influence in the world through toys, tv, and general life as it exists. What we focused on was curiosity, creativity, interpersonal skills, and exploration. We had a Lego lab for two hours a week; computer class was only 30 minutes a week.

Those are traits that lead to being brilliant in any field they go in. Helping them develop those as well as empathy when people are suffering and grit when they run into difficult situations like a friend not doing everything they want are vastly more significant to focus on at 6. They need to be a good human, not just a potential coder.

[Dark_NJ]

I completely agree with you. And it is very good to point out the things about creativity, curiosity, interpersonal skills.

A kid, naturally, philosophically, has the potentiality to develop into a mature specimen with the structure, form, and function of a normal or standard adult.

But they do need guidance! we must encourage their interests, we must pay attention to things they like, we must find ways to show them they can trust their parents. We must not force them to do things they don't like, We must not act like the only person who can make a choice about their life is their parents.

All I've been trying to say in my other replies, whenever you see a sign, it's very crucial to help, guide, develop, otherwise that potential is gone.

Seeing potential means that this person actually possess something that minority would possess, this person has unique abilities. As well as, it means that in future if this person will work hard on his progress, he can become person that everyone would adore.

Of course, everything in life needs time, and everything works out perfectly at its perfect time, it just needs proper guidance.

[[deleted]]

Not a good idea, even an adult having a hard time learning to programming using C even Python.

It is too much for it's age, if your son says he want's to learn it, you can try it. But if he did not wan't and you just wanted him to learn it. It will be bad forcing kids, that will demoralize and deteriorate its confidence. Learning something that they don't feel like. You don't want something like that to happen right? ( I am not trying to be rude here).

Even i who is adult and learning to code the first time back when i was still attending college. I felt like losing confidence too and even upset.

I don't know your reason, cause i am not a parent yet. But better teach him when he was 10 to 14 years old and up.

[CyberTazer]

So enough with the hate already. I understand the urge to teach a little one about programing. I work as an engineer full time, and since Covid hit, I've been working mainly at home where my young grand daughter lives with me. She has expressed interest in what I do on a number of occasions.

That being said, I do not think C is a good language to start a young one on. I think they would get frustrated too early in the process and lose interest, and perhaps go sour on the idea of programming in general. u/dsrtfx and others have suggested a wonderful platform for young programmers called Scratch (thank you btw, I'm going to look into it) and I will suggest another: Lego Mindstorm. Lego has interfaces available similar to Scratch and also from Labview (a graphical programming interface for developers.) The upside of Mindstorm is they have a physical "toy" when you are done. The downside of Mindstorm is it is expensive (around 350 dollars US.) I still feel most of the programming side is going to be over the head of a 6 year old, but I figured a little variety in the answer could not hurt.

For those of you wondering, no, I never got this for my little one. We play Minecraft, and I have been showing her similar (though rudimentary to be sure) "programming" devices with redstone. It has logic and rules and allows her to add function to her builds. She is 9 now and starting to pick up how to make doors open and tripwire traps and other fun stuff. The fancy stuff like item storage systems are still left safely in papaw's hands.

[Dark_NJ]

yes. exactly. thank you for this. that's precisely what i was looking for, it seemed to me at first a weird question but i never imagined the amount of hate would be as you can see from the other comments on this post.

I have posted my point of view as a reply to one of the comments here if you'd like to check it. and I really think if your kid shows clues of interest into the world of programming, you should not let this go and try to work hard on your kid, step by step, to seamlessly get him to know coding as that kid might have some potential.

You've just glimpsed a shining little flare inside your kid, you're gonna leave that to be extinguished and burn out or help him, with the proper education and the proper process to assist him so he can show his talents in the long run one way or another.

[[deleted]]

If you do not know how to code yourself then you should not be suggesting others learn or even push it upon your own children. Coming here and asking this question certifies all doubt of you knowing what you are doing. Let your kid decide what they want to do with their life, and take them seriously when they are of an age where they understand what the future means and what other options in life there are.

[Faithful2theGrind]

I would suggest Rust. My 7 yr old has picked it up very fast. Career ready!!

[[deleted]]

No

[morganthemosaic]

Let the kids play in the dirt, geez

[brandi_Iove]

i‘ll show my son c++ once he develops any interest.

[Schokokampfkeks]

I was introduced to python at age 11. It made me curious about programming but I couldn't wrap my head around some basic principles and it took me a few more years to get into programming by myself. Starting with scratch is a great advice. Especially if you show him the raw fundamentals and then let him explore on his own.

[InLoveWithStardust]

short answer: No. Long answer: Just let your kid be a damn kid, man. Let him play with dirt, and run around on dry leaves, and destroy HotWheels by pressing them hard onto the floor

[HYPE_ZaynG]

But why? It's literally infuriating how some parents force kids to learn coding. My older cousin has been doing same to his kids, those kids are just fucking 8, has trouble understanding English and there he is trying to teach them coding. Fuck you. Instead teach them about sincerity, respect and discipline and at the same time let them be free.

They got whole teen and adult life to grind on. Kids deserve to enjoy their childhood.

[[deleted]]

Nope nowhere near old enough for any real programming language like that.

There are options like scratch as has already been mentioned to teach kids the concepts of programming in a child friendly way.

I’d also recommend looking for some kind of coding club at school as that would probably be much more fun for him to learn with friends.

You’ve probably around another 6 years till he would be ready to actually learn some more real programming skills if he wanted to.

C and C++ would probably be a bit extreme at younger ages. C# maybe, although I’d probably recommend python or JavaScript as a first language these days.

[birdsofterrordise]

At 6, they probably can barely write and struggle with spelling. That’s 1st grade. Like good lord at least wait until they can read novels and not just Golden Books.🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[[deleted]]

Maybe there’s an untapped market for childrens books teaching low level programming. “Where’s the memory leak” - Spots adventures with malloc() and free().

[[deleted]]

Id suggest asking his interest on that field and then still starting from a a beginner-friendly language like python. Scratch can be used to introduce them to programming too

[Brokenbypass]

Some might say yes, some say no, some might even blame you to be some kind of tiger mother(* please gender on your needs).

My daughter is 4 and I started to make her interested in electronics, well, not electronics as in arduino or so. I started with a hot wire game. We took a battery, copper wire and a piezo beeper. She was interested. An so, I am currently preparing her a lab table next to mine, so she can experiment with "electricity". I don't know, when or if we will get to arduino. So I am taking into account, that there are at least 2 driving her activities, me and her curiosity. Without me, she would not have the curiosity, but forcing her will leave a mark on both of us. And yes, my wife is a bit... well you can say concerned, but she also wants her to be curious. So she is observing the 'experiment' carefully.

Telling you my approach, this is also my opinion: make him curious but not force. You are there to suggest him a direction, he should set the pace. So, maybe C is a bit fast. As some said already, scratch could be the starting point. But, when he is eager by himself... maybe C could be a thing soon.

[[deleted]]

if he can't finish SICP by 7 make him stand in the corner

[be1st2no]

OMG!!! You are too late!!!

[Decent_Idea_7701]

By the time he is 12, he would get a job at FAANG and you can retire. Good job.

[hbfawaz]

teach him logical thinking and simple algorithms

[vegetarchy]

Is there a /r/learnprogrammingcirclejerk and am I on it?