{"id":2769,"date":"2014-04-29T02:26:02","date_gmt":"2014-04-29T02:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tynker.com\/blog\/?p=2769"},"modified":"2023-08-06T21:59:39","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T04:59:39","slug":"wake-up-call-start-programming-learning-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tynker.com\/blog\/wake-up-call-start-programming-learning-early\/","title":{"rendered":"Wake-Up Call: Start Programming Learning Early"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marky Dewhirst got a wake-up call one evening as she was driving home from work. The radio was tuned to NPR and she heard a discussion<\/a> that suggested that kids should start learning computer programming in elementary school itself or they would be at a disadvantage. When the host said (only half-jokingly), \u201cMy daughter’s behind, I think. She’s 4 and hasn’t started coding,\u201d it made Marky pause and consider. With two older children already in college and one in middle school, she realized that she did not want to lose the window of opportunity with her youngest, William, who is a 4th grader at Travis Elementary.<\/p>\n

She immediately began doing her research into programming classes and lessons for William and came up with a shortlist of programming learning options, including Tynker.<\/p>\n

When she looked up Tynker, she found many attractive features. \u201cI really liked seeing what other kids had built,\u201d she says. She called William over for a look because \u201cWhen you first start coding, you basically follow instructions and you don\u2019t really know what you\u2019re working towards.  It is important to children to see the end result and goal and get inspired.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marky\u2019s instincts were spot-on because William got very excited looking at the possibilities with Tynker. They signed up for the course and William took to Tynker like \u201ca duck to water!\u201d says mom. \u201cOne of the things that I am passionate about is that kids should love learning,\u201d she says, feeling very happy about William\u2019s engagement with Tynker. She regrets she didn\u2019t know about the program when her older kids were in school and is encouraging daughter Olivia to look into Tynker. \u201cIt would be great if she learned programming too!\u201d<\/p>\n

William is now on Chapter 8 of the course. For him Tynker is also a form of relaxation because, as a ballet student, he is used to \"William<\/a>tough drills and intense practices. His arduous ballet training helps him with the many sports he plays, like basketball, ice hockey, and soccer. Tynker is what he does for fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my friends told me they learned programming, I wanted to try it too,\u201d he says. \u201cI really like Tynker because you enjoy and learn at the same time.\u201d He admits that he loves the fires, explosions, and robots.<\/p>\n

With Dylan, his Labrador-mix dog, and a bunch of pet tortoises to keep him company after school, William is working on a program that can make a character talk and jump at the same time. One of the projects he is proudest of involves a visual joke with puppies and a dragon character! Here it is \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n