Thanks to Ozobot for the review product. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

I recently read that 65% of the jobs that people who are currently children will have don’t even exist yet. Say what?!?! It’s just a tad overwhelming to think about how in the world to prepare our kids for work that hasn’t even been created yet.

But one thing I do feel confident about is that it is critical for our children to understand how technology works. I’m not talking about how to find Netflix on the iPad, either. I’m talking about having a basic understanding of what goes on inside a computer so that it can play Netflix in the first place, or run the game you like to play. I’m talking about coding.

I think this is a foundational language (yes, language!) that today’s children need to learn in order to be better prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. Will computers still run the same way that they do now in 15 years? Most likely not, but I know that when I was growing up, understanding how to play on an Apple IIe was a gateway for me to feel comfortable on a Dell and an iMac and beyond. The same is true for our kids. Knowing the basic language of computers will make them more comfortable to adapt and thrive as technology shifts and changes.

So how do you help a young child learn how to code? There are actually a surprisingly large number of options out there, and I’ll be highlighting a few of them this holiday season. I think perhaps the most budget-friendly option I found (that is amazing…there are other budget-friendly options that don’t wow me) is the Ozobot. You can get an Ozobot Starter Pack for $49.99.

The recommended minimum age for this awesome little robot is 6. Obviously you would need to make a judgment call based on your own child’s interests. After playing around with it a while myself (during which time I learned quite a bit, which was fun!), I think it’s going to be perfect for my oldest in about 8 months, when she turns 7.

You can find this adorable, customizeable, tiny robot at places like Barnes & Noble,  Toys R Us and Amazon. Curious how it works? Well, it’s coding language is color-based! It comes with a booklet that shows you the color sequences that you can use to give the robot different instructions. Little ones can use some of the provided materials to create a course for the ozobot to run on, or they can draw their own (markers are included). They can also use a tablet and the free Ozobot app to play more fun games!

The starter pack comes with over 20 activities for your ozobot to perform, as well as code on reusable stickers and ozobot skins with sticker sheets so you can create a customized look for your bot. A USB charging cable is also included.

What an amazing, budget-friendly option for parents who want to get their kids starting with the world of coding. I’m really impressed with this product, and I’m looking forward to learning right alongside my kids! To the future!!!