Essential tech skills for children
Technology plays a huge role in our everyday lives. From the smartphones we use to get in contact with people and navigate around town, to the tablets and laptops we carry with us to store documents and facilitate our work, technology and devices are with us almost all the time. It is important that we help our children develop tech skills at a young age, as technology is ingrained into many aspects of our lives and can come in handy for online learning. We have compiled a list of essential tech skills to help your child develop and hone, which will benefit them beyond their schooling years.
1. Mouse and keyboard skills
Children today are exposed to mouse and keyboards from a very young age when using a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Typing and using a mouse are both useful skills that can be mastered at any age, however, the younger the better as they will have more time and opportunities to refine and strengthen their skills. Teaching your child how to use a mouse will allow them to navigate and control where and what they click on, whether it’s opening and closing tabs, pausing and playing a video, and much more. On the other hand, solid keyboard skills take time to develop and children can learn by practising typing words or sentences. Some may learn faster than others, but it’s important to remember that practice makes perfect.
2. Keyboard shortcut skills
Once your child becomes more familiar and confident with using a keyboard, they can take the next step of learning keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts are a combination of keys that provide quick access to a specific function or action. Learning all the basic keyboard shortcuts enables children to become efficient learners and workers. For example, shortcuts such as copying, pasting, printing, window switching, and bookmarking are all beneficial to students who complete their school work online. If your child owns common devices from Windows or Apple, it may be worth checking out what shortcuts are available listed on their website.
3. Word processing skills
Helping your child develop and practise utilising basic word processing skills effectively will benefit them beyond the classroom. Word processing involves creating, editing, formatting texts, inserting clips or images, and saving and printing documents. Word processing is a basic skill to cultivate, and is necessary for classroom learning and eventually, university studies. If your child owns a device or uses one for their education, it is very likely that they will be required to use word processing softwares to complete their school homework or assignments. Useful softwares that you can introduce to your child could include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Google Drive. If your child has an advanced interest in G-suite or Microsoft products, you can introduce them to Google Sheets or Excel.
4. Internet browsing skills
As children grow up, they will continue to develop and enhance their technical skills. If you believe your child is at an advanced level with technology or is tech savvy, it may be time to introduce them to Internet browsers. Help your child familiarise themselves with the Internet and allow them to open up and use different Internet browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Depending on your child’s age and tech abilities, they will most likely be introduced to additional software and Internet browsers to utilise at school, so it is always beneficial to help and prepare them early. While there are a wealth of benefits of using the Internet for learning, it is also important to take an active role in protecting your child online.
Technology and education go hand in hand, with technology now predominant in our children’s lives and their learning. Children can benefit from early exposure to essential tech skills, as it will give them a head start and help them become proficient tech gurus. At NumberWorks’nWords, we embrace technology by helping young learners develop and enhance their tech skills through our computer-based maths and English tuition. Get in touch to learn more about our after-school tuition, or contact your local centre and book a free assessment!
