Learning to Code Video Games is the Ultimate Summer Activity for Kids

The summertime is the best time for kids to take a break from school, change their routines, and plunge themselves into fun activities that keep them busy and stimulated. Children learn in many ways, even when school is out of session.

Parents understand that we live in a digital world, and technology will only play a larger role as things progress. Those looking for fun summer activities that help them learn should consider online coding classes that teach kids how to code their own video games.

It might not be a traditional summer activity, but coding camps with extra-long sessions have been popular for years for multiple reasons.

Games Are Fun and Engaging

If you ask a child, “do you want to spend your summer break learning math?” you may not get the most overly enthusiastic responses. But ask, “do you want to learn how to create your own video games?” and you’ll see their faces light up.

Kids love playing video games and learning how to design, program, and code their own becomes a type of game. Plus, the best coding programs use gamification concepts in the lessons. Programmers design video games to be engaging and even addictive for kids — educators apply these same dynamics to get kids hooked on learning.

Even kids as young as seven can learn to code proficiently enough to make a game they can play with friends and family! Students need a carrot to chase when it comes to driving them to learn, and creating a video game is a strong motivator for kids.

Children will have a tangible achievement to pursue, one that gives them a rewarding sense of accomplishment.

Math Lessons On the Sly

Look for a program created by mathematicians. Then, when you enroll your kids, summer coding classes will teach them fundamental math concepts without them even realizing they’re learning.

Young children can learn how integers, vectors, and trigonometry works. Lessons should be framed in a way that keeps them motivated to learn. But they’ll still walk away with sharper math skills, better problem-solving abilities, and a taste for how to think like an engineer.

Manageable Classroom Environments

Whether classes are on or offline, there needs to be a small ratio of students per teacher, or sessions can get disorderly quickly. Students shouldn’t have to raise their voices or compete with their peers to get their teacher’s attention.

It’s only fair to set teachers up with a supportive atmosphere where they can focus on the course content, not classroom management issues. Everybody thrives when classrooms are small and manageable.

The leading online coding camps cap class sizes at four students per teacher. Plus, the sessions should always run as scheduled, even if your child is the only student. Parents love this level of predictability, and students get ample support during their coding journey.

Young Teachers

Kids get excited to learn when they relate to their teachers. For this reason, teachers should also have grown up playing video games if they’re going to instruct the next generation of gamers.

Adults today who grew up playing games tend to look back on this period with something approaching pure childhood nostalgia. Their enthusiasm for video games can’t be faked.

Children can sniff out when adults feign excitement to try and light a fire under them. Computer science or computer engineering undergrads who grew up playing video games themselves make the ideal teachers for today’s youth.

Popular Coding Languages

Kids need to have fun learning soft coding skills, but they also need to learn the specific coding languages that they’ll likely encounter later in school or the workforce. There’s a difference between knowing how to think like an engineer and knowing how to write code in, say, C++.

Look for a program that teaches kids how to code in:

• Python
• Java
• JavaScript
• C#
• C++

It doesn’t matter whether your child is a total coding rookie or they’ve written many lines of code. The leading programs have courses suitable for total beginners and experienced coders alike. If you have any questions about which course is right for your child, don’t hesitate to contact them!

Some programs even offer a free trial lesson, so parents can gauge what the program is like, and children can test the waters before taking a plunge.

Long Sessions

Finally, summer coding camp is all about harnessing the extended time children have while school pauses. Instead of weekly one-hour sessions, children can take more immersive three-hour classes each day.

Children exit the program with the knowledge that would otherwise take months to learn in a matter of weeks or even days. That’s what a coding deep dive is all about.

Kids have fun when school is on pause, but that doesn’t mean the learning needs to stop. Look for a summer online coding camp for kids that ticks off all the above boxes, and they’ll have fun while absorbing vital digital skills.