As a teen in high school, you may constantly hear how important it is to get involved in some kind of extracurricular activity. Whether it’s a sports team, art class, or a math or science club – all of these activities are seen as a means to gain new skills, make new friends, and also improve your chances of getting into the college/university of your choice.

This all may sound like unnecessary nagging, but the benefits are real, and investing your time now (while you have it) into a fun afterschool activity will be well worth it in the long run. That being said, you should find an activity/hobby that you’re really interested in – that way it will be both fun and rewarding.

Computer Programming Classes

One area of study that you may not have considered is computer programming. Most schools don’t usually push for or promote the idea of teaching programming basics for kids despite the fact that learning this stuff is actually pretty useful.

Coding schools like Real Programming 4 Kids understand how important learning programming can be for a kid’s future. After all, coding is necessary for anyone who wants to become a web, app, or software developer – all job titles that are in high demand.

They teach kids between the ages of 7 to 17 and start with the basics, working them up through the different industry-standard programming languages like Java, Python, C#, and C++. The best part about it is that coding is taught via video game creation, that way there’s an element of fun in the mix.

It allows you to visualize the code that you write and see it work in action, helping you connect the dots about everything you learn. And if you love video games then that means you can start developing your career early on for a job in the gaming industry. It’s a win-win!

Benefits of Learning Code

There are many benefits to learning how to code that goes beyond simply widening your career opportunities and beefing up your resume. When you learn how to code you are:

  • Developing your problem-solving skills
  • Enhancing your computational thinking
  • Exercising your creativity
  • Learning a new language

You also get to experience difficult challenges and the reward of overcoming them and achieving something you set out to do. This involves being patient, observant, and willing to work with others in order to learn.

Though coding can definitely seem challenging (even to an adult!) it’s easier to learn than you think, especially with the right instructors by your side. Developing your own video game is not only fun, but the skills you pick up from coding can be used throughout your life – for career opportunities, and for personal growth.

So the next time you are wondering what kind of extracurricular you should be looking into, consider computer programming. It’ll look great on your college/university application, and you’ll also have tons of fun while developing useful skills.