“As a dad myself, I know only too well just how crucial these free resources are for busy parents,” says Grant Smith, VP of education
As UK families enter another week of lockdown, the demand for virtual development resources for children is ongoing. To help keep children engaged at home, kids coding brand Code Ninjas is providing a whole host of extra-curricular resources that families can access for free.
Whilst it specialises in teaching kids to code by building games, robots and drones, the brand’s digital resources also include themes on wellbeing and mindfulness. Grant Smith, VP of education at Code Ninjas, is fronting many of the how-to style articles. These advise families on all manner of subjects, from how to assess a child’s emotional state during lockdown, to hands-on STEM projects using readily-available household items, and even recommendations on coding books for children to read at home.
This is part of Code Ninjas’ ongoing commitment to support their Ninjas, existing and new, throughout this phase of uncertainty. New resources are uploaded regularly to the Code Ninjas blog page so that all families – regardless of whether their child is a current student or not – can read through the content at their own convenience. And of course, there are still free coding demonstration videos, featuring fun projects that are presented and narrated by Grant.
“It goes without saying that this is an unnerving time for everyone, but children are likely to feel particularly confused and anxious during lockdown,” said Grant. “At Code Ninjas, our whole brand is built around the fun and safe environment we’ve created for our students, which we are passionate about upholding, even if it’s via a virtual format. Learning to code is about so much more than understanding the fundamental languages and processes – it’s also about gaining the confidence to communicate with peers. Many of these free resources focus on that very skill, including an article suggesting playful activities parents can do with their children to process the new emotions they might be experiencing right now.
“For as long as our students around the world are in lockdown, we’ll continue to provide these free resources on a regular basis.”
With specific age groups now planning to go back to school – a phased reopening of schools in England has seen children in reception, year one and six returning from 1 June.
These resources are as crucial now than ever before. With teaching staff having to manage curriculums across multiple age groups, it’s likely that significant components of IT programmes will get overlooked. And for children still being home-schooled, brands like Code Ninjas are supporting parents to navigate the overwhelming task of maintaining their child’s education, in a fun yet productive way.
“We’re constantly bearing in mind what it is that families need right now,” added Grant. “As a dad myself, I know only too well just how crucial these free resources are for busy parents.”