Coding for the Early Years

When you think about coding, does it make you cringe? That was my first thought, but I’ve come a long way. Now if you want to talk to me about coding for the early years, I can with all honesty say I’ve got this, and you’ve got this.

To date, we have run two Coding 101 workshops for early years professionals with great success. Best of all, we have learned from one another. For example in last week’s workshop, we spent time discussing different books that can be used to enhance coding while building literacy skills - what a great way to see the ideas bloom. For the purposes of the workshop, we worked with Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Eric Carle, but our list of books is growing. The Resource Centre now has a coding section that houses low-tech tools to explore with your children.

The workshop format also offers an opportunity to explore the various precoding activities available. We build marble tracks, establish patterns and set up grids to work for both technological coding and non-technological coding experiences.

If you’re interested in attending the next Coding 101, please call me at 519-434-3644 ext 602 or email me at pbudden@childreach.on.ca to be added to a waitlist.

This workshop is geared towards working with what we already know about child development and what we can do to prepare children for the always evolving world of technology in the future.

Written by Patti Budden, Resource Support Specialist