5 Top Tips for Teaching Kids Swift for iOS Development

Swift provides an easy way for kids to get into coding, programming, and developing their very first app. Swift is the programming language of all iOS devices, which is easy and intuitive to learn, makes it possible for kids to access the language and build amazing projects with it. We are going to talk about Swift programming and gives tips on things to know before teaching kids show to develop with Swift.

These days, more kids, including pre-kindergartens, are being introduced to the world of coding and technology platforms. Giving them a leg up by teaching them Swift provides a world of possibility, including them learning how to be creators instead of consumers of technologies inside of this two sided ecosystem.

best tips for teaching kids coding development ios

Overview of Swift Coding for Kids

Swift coding for kids is one of the best ways of introducing kids to the world of programming. There is provision for most kids to learn how to code, regardless of their age and experience.

Swift coding is divided into two major curricula:

Everyone Can Code Learners: This is designed for kids between the ages of 8 and 9. The curriculum includes a series of gaming activities designed to teach kids how to code Swift from scratch.

Everyone Can Code: Swift’s Everyone Can Code program for kids is suitable for learners aged 9 years and above. It requires no prior coding experience, and its terminologies include regular command words such as “go”, “jump”, “forward”, “slide”, etc.

Swift coding for kids uses a structured teaching curriculum for learners. Coding for kids, according to Swift, is best understood when learners follow a strictly structured guide. Kids cannot jump a lesson or deviate from the curriculum.

To understand a lesson completely, they need to complete it. Although Swift’s method of teaching is strict, it is worth every bit of it!

Best Tips for Swift for Kids Learning About iOS Development

Swift for kids is awesome, provided that you understand how it works. Here are the top best tips for coding with kids.

Hacking With Swift

If you want your kids to get the most out of coding, then Hacking with Swift is a great place to get them started. Hacking with Swift consists of several tutorials authored by Paul Hudson. It includes over 20 free tutorials that your kids can choose from.

Hacking with Swift is a resourceful tool that is entirely compatible with beginners. For kids who have no experience with coding, starting with the basic introductions might be a good start for them! Kids who have prior knowledge of coding can just hop on one of the projects and continue from there.

The projects use a step-by-step guide to ensure learners get the most out of it. Some of the projects kids can create include Introduction to Swift, Word Scramble, Debugging, Swifty Ninja, and many more!

Learn With Apple Physical Books

Who says kids can only learn how to code with Swift on Swift Playground? Apple books are equally as great in teaching Swift coding to kids. The books can also serve as a better guide to help kids understand how Swift Playgrounds work.

Teachers can also benefit from Swift’s Apple books. They can draft a curriculum for their kids, follow the lessons, and draw general tips on how best to teach kids how to code in Swift.

The three major Apple books for teaching coding are A Quick Start to Code, Everyone Can Code Puzzles, and Everyone Can Code Adventures. The books have a download option, and teachers can print out lessons for their students subsequently.

Everyone Can Code Books

The book is a free 40-hour book filled with puzzles and activities that teach kids everything they need to know with coding swift. Each chapter of the book is a continuation of the previous and kids can always rely on their knowledge to help them through the next chapters.

Because Swift is an exclusive Apple programming language, it is only available for download via the Apple play store.

Everyone Can Code Adventure

This is an upgrade from Everyone Can Code Books. Here, kids will learn about how to create advanced projects with Swift. Kids can practice real-world coding with the adventures and explore big projects on the Swift playgrounds.

Apple Workshops

Another channel for kids to learn how to code with Swift is to attend an Apple workshop. The goal of the workshops is to give kids a live experience with Apple software developers. They can interact with professional Apple developers and even ask questions.

The workshops take place periodically and parents should take their kids there from time to time. It helps motivate kids to work harder and become professionals in the field.

Swift Playgrounds

To help your kids get the most out of Swift, you have to download the Swifts playgrounds app on the Apple store. Kids can hop on several projects, ranging from basic to more advanced projects.

Kids can also customize their playgrounds to make learning more attractive and fun! The playgrounds, however, are only limited to Mac and iPad. With everyday practice, kids will learn the art of using real-life codes to solve problems.

The beauty of Swift playgrounds is that kids can choose to work on as many playgrounds as they want at a time. For beginners, it is better to stick to a simple playground to focus on the basics. Kids that have a certain level of experience with the playgrounds can have fun across different playgrounds.

Things to Know About Swift Programming

Every programming language has its pros and cons.

Here are the pros of Swift programming for kids:

It is easy to use.
Kids are not limited to one mode of learning. They can explore different methods and learn important hacks on how to build projects with Swift.
Swift programming allows kids to learn at their own pace. Its rigid pattern and guides have proven to be effective in teaching kids how to code.

Here are the cons of Swift programming for kids:

Swift is only available on Apple, and kids are limited in what they can build. More often than not, kids find it difficult to jump to real-world programming. The learning process on Swift Playground is highly simplified for kids, and when they are faced with real programming, it becomes difficult to catch up.
Swift is a text-based programming language, hence, it is only suitable for kids aged 8 years and above.

Easy Swift Projects for Kids to Learn App Development

There are numerous projects kids can hop on with Swift programming. Here are some of the best Swift coding projects for kids.

Hello Swift

Hello Swift is an iOS programming app for kids and other beginners. It is available in both paperback and e-copy. It follows a linear step-by-step guide for kids to learn how to build apps. The lessons are written in a way that helps kids gradually absorb the terms and process of building an iOS app.

Hello Swift for kids comes with numerous benefits, some of which include a well-illustrated analysis of building an app. Kids are given tons of puzzles and other activities at the end of each lesson. This coding curriculum is effective as kids will get to build as many smaller apps as they want to test their expertise.

Swifty Words

This project helps kids build their vocabulary in the coding niche. Kids will learn how to set up a word guessing game and learn Swift terminologies. It is an interesting project that helps with the memorization and definition of terms.

Fundamentals of Swift

This is as important as learning how to code itself. Here, kids will learn the basics fundamentals that make up the language. Some of the terminologies include bug fixing, conditional codes, parameters, commands, loops, operators, variables, functions, etc.

Learn to Code Videos

Swift not only offers the opportunity for kids to code apps, but it also helps them with the skills needed for coding videos. The videos are short and kept between 2 minutes or less. The activities and challenges in the videos form the base of kids’ knowledge of coding videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Swift free for kids?

Swift coding is free for kids and other interested learners. The Swift playgrounds app is free for download, and the activities there do not require any form of parents. Also, the Apple books are completely free for download!

What age can kids start learning Swift for iOS development?

Swift is suitable for kids aged from 7 years and above. The programming language is text-based and requires literacy to learn. Kids who cannot read properly cannot code in Swift. There are other programming languages designed for little children who cannot read and write yet.

best tips for teaching kids swift ios development

Final Thoughts

If your kids want to learn a programming language, the fundamentals should truly be taught learning Python for object oriented programming. However, Swift’s platform and environment make it easy to teach kids how to develop on a specific platform (Apple’s) and be able to create specifically on things they probably already do on a daily basis – develop gaming apps on iOS for their iPads, iPhones, and Macbooks! Swift is definitely user friendly, but will definitely need kids to be patient as they ramp up on the tools as well as the language they need to write in.

More Inspiration on Coding Platforms for Kids

These are some of the best platforms we've found that can help foster kids ability to code. These platforms have been built to support kids as well as allow them to grow and scale their learning journey in computer science and programming.