1: Confidence building “Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on again? Most of us don’t know the first thing about what makes our laptops, smartphone or video games tick. But by giving our children a technological based education we can give them the confidence to head out into the workplace feeling well equipped. Simply by learning the basics of coding can fundamentally change the way in which our children interact with technology. Coding empowers children to not only consume digital media and technology, but to create it.

2: Logical rationalisation Most kids, when equipped with the knowledge and know-how, have the abilities to master computer coding. Computer coding involves using the more rational (left-hand) side of your brain, which is used for linear thinking, sequencing and applying logic to most situations. Children, however, predominantly use the right-hand side of their brain in order to solve problems through imagination, visualisation and intuition. In order to programme a computer, you need to be able to relay a structured set of instructions and break down problems in a methodical way. Therefore, coding teaches and inspires children to view the world differently.

3: Exploring creativity Although computer coding sounds technical, it does require creativity, and is a lot of fun. If children know how to code, then they can develop apps, video games, websites and more, as they watch their coding come to life. Many of the FunTech summer camps end with your child being able to bring their own game home that they have developed during the week.

4: Storytelling skills Coding always has a set beginning, progressive middle and definitive end – just like telling a story. It has its own language where every letter in the alphabet has a special formula. This thought process has been known to also help children in other aspects of their learning, such as creative writing and oral communication.

5: The art of persistence By experimenting, children can foster their talents and learn through their mistakes. Coding is complex, challenging and can be incredibly frustrating but it can also teach us from a young age, how to solve problems and look for solutions.

6: Career opportunities Most jobs require you to be computer literate, whether it is for using a sale’s till or creating a corporate presentation. But competition in the job market is high and in order to stand out from the crowd your child needs to possess skills over and above those of their fellow peers. Computer jobs are growing at over twice the national average, and rather than just being cool, coding is now becoming a vital skillset. Coding specialists and computer programmers are well-paid professions that are becoming increasingly sought after as the world continues to evolve based on a digital future.

7: Robots will rule the world Today the world is changing faster than we can keep up. Websites, applications and tools are being built to make our lives simpler and perform the most mundane of tasks. From switching on lights to answering the door and even driving our cars we communicate with machines on a daily basis. Machines rely on code in order to perform and therefore in order to prepare our kids for a highly automated future, it is imperative that they understand the basics of code. Give it a few years, and coding will become as essential to our daily lives as human language is today. Putting computer coding back on the curriculum Computing is a compulsory subject on the national curriculum, but it is often only taught in it