How to Teach Kids About Computers
The computer has grown to be such a large part of our day-to-day life, to the point where it’s hard to imagine anyone who is not familiar with a screen, a keypad, or even with touchscreen technology. Yet if you think about it, computers are still very much a new, exciting and at times a frightening discovery for our children.
In the lines below, we’ll give you some tips on how to talk to your children about computers for the first time.
Develop Their Typing Skills
Back in the old days, people actually used to go to typing school, in order to become typists and secretaries. Nowadays, of course, we no longer do that, but there are still ways to test your typing speed and develop your skill. Typing is one of the most basic computer skills that you need to learn before moving forward.
One thing you can do as a teacher or parent to encourage your child’s typing skills is to administer an online typing speed test. As the name suggests, a typing speed test gives you a set of phrases to type at your normal pace and checks the end result to determine how accurately you write on the computer, as well as how rapidly. Practicing with a typing tester can gradually help to improve typing speed.
With many children doing online schooling these days, it’s only natural to want your child to write well and fast. It is one of the most basic thing to learn about computer.
Talk To Them About e-Mails
An e-mail address is a must-have in the digital world, even for a child. Many schools and school-contests require a child to have an e-mail address, or they may just want one to keep in touch with friends, set up social media accounts, etc.
So don’t be afraid to explain to your child how e-mails work and to give them their own personal account, but try, if you can, to use an in-built or downloadable e-mail program that will allow your child to access e-mails without having to browse the Internet (this may be useful particularly if you have a small child). There are many free email client applications available for free. You can use any email client such as Microsoft Windows Mail, Thunderbird from Firefox, Mailbird, and em client.
Introduce Them To Coding
Nowadays, coding has become essential to the world we live in, and seeing how the future is shaping up to be largely digital, it’s only smart to introduce your little one to coding early on. First of all, learning basic coding will develop their cognitive abilities. Second, most children are excited by the notion of animating or learning how to create their very own game, and who knows, these basic tutorials may pave the way for a lifelong passion.
Set Some Ground Rules
While the Internet is great fun, it can also be dangerous, so as you teach your child about using the computer for the first time, make sure you set some basic rules. Notions like:
- Not posting any pictures of themselves online or
- Not sharing personal information with strangers or
- Never meeting someone you meet online in the real world
Should all be established early on, in order to ensure your child’s safety on the Internet. Some parents try to shield their children from the Internet, to protect them, but in today’s digital world, that simply won’t work. It’s a much better idea to build a relationship of trust and understanding with your child from early on!