Readers know me for my passion for technology, of course, but I also am interested in education and encouraging students to gain the critical skills needed for the jobs of the future. I didn’t learn about coding or computers until my senior year in high school. But thanks to that exposure, I went on to become a programmer and have been in the field for more than 30 years. Today, kids as young as 5 have numerous opportunities to learn about technology, coding and robotics. If you are looking for ways to give your children these skills and experiences, here are a few camps and classes available in the St. Louis area.
» Create A Loop: Are you looking for a Saturday activity for your child? This nonprofit teaches advanced computer programming skills, design skills leveraging Adobe suite, music and sound engineering, and game design. They also offer summer programs. (createaloop.org)
» Snapology: If your children are obsessed with Legos, they will love this. Snapology offers classes, birthday parties, camps and field trips in the areas of robotics, coding, STEAM, engineering and animation. If you are looking for a variety of options, this is a great way to see where your child’s interest might take them. It also offers corporate team-building events. (snapology.com)
» Maryville Science and Robotics Program: The five-week weekend program is available for kindergartners through sixth-graders. It teaches key skills while kids explore Lego robotics, coding and inventing with Little Bits and Makerspace. (maryville.edu)
» theCoderSchool: The No. 1 Silicon Valley kids’ coding program is now available in St. Louis. Starting at age 7, students use Scratch or Snap! in a project-based learning environment. They have Code Coaches® with a 6:1 ratio of students to coaches. A progression tree curriculum starts with the fundamentals, then progresses through programming languages such as Python and Javascript. (thecoderschool.com)
» GlobalHack: Kids from ages 10 to 18 have the opportunity to learn how to write programs for mobile platforms this summer. (globalhack.org)
» iD Tech at Washington University: The university offers private technology lessons through the national organization iF Tech for kids ages 7 to 19. It also offers summer camps that cover everything from coding, game development, robotics, 3-D printing and more. (idtech.com)
Exposing kids to technology education helps them develop skills for problem solving and both critical and creative thinking. Most employers look for these soft skills across all industries and career fields. Even though your kids may not pursue coding in the future, they will at least have a greater understanding of how their gadgets work!
Sheila Burkett is an information technology expert and CEO of Spry Digital, an interactive design agency delivering smart digital solutions. Follow Spry Digital on Twitter (@sprydigital), Facebook (facebook.com/sprydigital), Instagram (@sprydigital) or LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/spry-digital-llc).
