The document discusses the benefits of computer camps for children. It notes that camps help children learn skills needed for future careers that involve technology, even if they are not interested in coding. The document provides an example of TechSmart Academy, which offers various programming camps. It also shares advice for choosing camps, such as considering the child's age when selecting a programming language to learn. The document emphasizes that camps should make learning fun and engaging for kids.

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Put Computer Camp on Your Kids’ Must­Do List ~
Our kids are growing up in a digital world. Here’s
why a computer coding or programming camp can
help them get ahead — and how to find one they’ll
love.
Attend any college open house, and you’ll hear plenty of talk about the
careers of the future. The common theme? Today’s high school kids need
an education that will prepare them for jobs that already exist, but even
more so they will need to be ready to step into jobs that haven’t been
dreamed up yet. If that’s the case for kids in their late teens, it will be even
more of an issue for those who haven’t left middle school yet. That’s why
Mallika Thoppay, founder of TechSmart Academy in the San Francisco Bay
Area, says that all kids — even those who aren’t really interested in coding
or programming — may benefit from trying a tech­based camp at least once
in their lifetime.
“Technology is playing a huge role in our lives,” she says. “The child is
using apps on their phone, playing video games, visiting websites. They’re
doing these, even if they’re not a technology­oriented child. These camps
give them an idea of what goes on behind the scenes to make these apps,
games, and websites look and work the way they do.”

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Even if your child finds that they don’t want to make a career of
programming, they may develop a peripheral or related interest. For
instance, they may want to explore digital art or graphic design. They might
try digital editing of music or video. Or they may want to conceptualize
game characters or design the story and structure of the levels. Whatever
you do, don’t wait until your child is shopping around for college to start
them exploring! “There are so many careers that span off of programming,”
says Mallika. “It’s important for every child to get a taste of it, and then
decide if it is something they want to do.”
Bay Area parents can check out TechSmart Academy,
which provides summer coding camps, after school enrichment programs,
and programming workshops to children of all ages in subjects that include
(but aren’t limited to) game programming, app development, web design,
and understanding of algorithms and program logic. Recently
ActivityHero asked Mallika a few questions to help all parents make a good
choice for their child’s first computer camp experience. Here are a few
things to think about when comparing computer camps available in your
neck of the woods.
Shop for coding and programming camps > >
What programming language should my child learn?
What they choose as their first language is based more on the age of the
child. For younger kids, obviously a better choice would be something that
requires less typing and uses more “drag and drop” features, which allow
kids to select commands from a menu of programming options (rather than
typing instructions in code). Scratch is definitely the best program for these
kids. It helps them think algorithmically, which will prepare them for more
complicated programming later on.
If your child is 10 or older, even if they haven’t done any programming, they
shouldn’t have to start with Scratch. They should be able to enroll in a
program that teaches Java or Python. Python requires less typing, so that
may help you make a selection that best suits your child.
At TechSmart Academy, most of the audience we teach is higher
elementary and middle school. These kids need a lot of visual stimulation.
We teach programming fundamentals such as use of conditional structures
(if­then statements) and iterative statements (loops) and also core concepts
such as object­oriented programming. The kids can then apply these to
more­complex programs as they move into high school.

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What should I ask when choosing a computer camp?
Parents may want to find out what will be included in the curriculum each
day and what the child will be able to do by the end of the camp. This can
help you ensure that your child will not be under­challenged or
overwhelmed. If they are taking a web design camp at TechSmart
Academy, they will build a website by the end of the camp. They will begin
by using drag and drop, creating something that looks cool visually. But
they also will learn what actually goes into making the site look like that.
We talk about html and Java script so they will learn the coding that goes
behind the drag and drop tools to power those technologies. A camp
director or instructor should be able to explain the camp’s goals in terms
like these, which can give you and your child a better idea of what will be
offered and whether it is a good fit for them.
Shop for coding and programming camps > >
How do kids computer camps differ from classes and
workshops for adults?
We strongly believe that the curriculum needs to be delivered in a way that
makes kids want to learn. Our programs are extremely kid­centric. A child
learns differently from an adult. Ultimately we want a child to want to return
to camp — not just because the parents signed them up for it.
What makes for a great instructor at a computer or tech
camp?
It’s important that an instructor has technical expertise in what’s being
taught, but beyond that, we look for someone who is patient when working
with kids. Ultimately what happens is you go through instructions, and the
kids will ask, “What was that again?” They do that over and over. That’s
how they learn. You need to be patient when explaining concepts, and
sometimes you need to explain them in a different manner. A good
instructor also needs to know when to hold a child’s hand and when to let
go and let the child handle it, so as to allow the child to figure things out.
And the instructor should make learning fun and engaging so the kids will
be excited to come back the next day … and next year.
Posted by: Laura Q // Computer Animation, Computers, Featured Posts, Programming
// October 24, 2016 [http://blog.activityhero.com/computer­camp/]