HN Explorer

Ask HN: Youngest possible age to start learning how to code?

2 points by kenji_ggl ↗ HN
In your opinion, what is the youngest possible age at which children can start learning how to code?

Also, what would your approach be to teaching a child at that age?

10 comments

[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 22.6 ms ] thread
madeel
How about learning not to code. Rather then being obtrusive, we should fix the education system which brain washes people worse than religion.
sparkie
Let's not teach children to read or do basic math either. We should try and make sure they don't learn the skills that will give them the greatest opportunities in life.
madeel
How much is math do you actually use in programming or everyday life think substantially %age wise?

The greatest opportunities has hardly anything todo with what you learn at school in the practical sense.

sparkie
Almost all people use at least basic arithmetic daily. They need it to count their change. There was a time, and not too long ago, where people could not do the basic calculations needed to conduct trade, and would require a smart man to tell them how much their chickens are worth.

Before the printing press (and at least a century after), most people could not read. This excluded them from scientific discovery too, since it was the means that people could exchange information over distance.

If you aren't able to do basic programming in a generation or two, you will probably be excluded from science too.

We're not suggesting every child needs to become a CS doc, but computers will be such a fundamental part of nearly every aspect of life, that the ones who can't hack programming will be treated like the children who can't read or count change in today's world - effectively useless. (Even more so since their "manual labour" is no longer necessary)

imauld
Probably once they are old enough to show that they are interested in it.
lurker_primo
If we expand the question to include problem solving, logical thinking, building things using different components(ex. Lego), there isn't an age where a child couldn't learn. Having a strong foundation in these topics will definitely help the child if he/she learns to code later in life.
dontJudge
The moment they can read. Sure you can literally define structures and processes before that, but doing the real deal on a computer before you can read... is going to be a disaster.

You need to read your own code to get your bearings of where you are in the file. Anything more complex than 5 instructions is a no-go for non-readers.

ngwill
I started with Logo at age 8. Mum taught me the basics and then gave me a book to read. Self taught from then on and haven't looked back.
simonpure
I personally got hooked at age 7 after my dad showed me how to draw circles in BASIC.

I don't think it's so much about a specific age, but to help stimulate a kid's imagination what's possible with a general purpose programming language.