Web development is a major STEM skill that every budding programmer should learn. Over 60% of companies, businesses, and individuals have websites. CSS is the brain behind beautiful website interfaces. It is a style sheet programming language that is used to emphasize the analogy of markup languages like HTML.
Programming and Stem education for kids requires patience, consistent learning, and practice. Introducing kids to complex coding languages and concepts might discourage them, but when you begin with simple languages like CSS and Html, kids would have the opportunity to learn from scratch and digest the core fundamentals of programming.
In addition to coding a website, programmers and web developers must also know how to design the interface and outlook of the websites they create. Aesthetically pleasing websites have proven to attract more viewers compared to others. Teaching CSS to kids should be mandatory and every programmer, regardless of their niches, must have basic knowledge of CSS and how it works.
This article provides a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about CSS coding for kids- its fundamentals, advantages, and how you can teach it to kids.
Overview of Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets, CSS, is a major part of hypertext markup languages. It represents the designs and cascading of a website. CSS describes how HTML elements are represented in a website. Just like HTML, Cascading Style Sheets introduces learners to the world of programming and STEM at large. It is a simple, important programming format that can never outlive its value.
HTML and CSS are closely linked to each other. However, CSS is a subset of HTML that cannot function independently. CSS concerns itself with styling, which includes background, color, font, and animation, among others. With one HTML page, you can have multiple styles, as CSS can be used to monitor and control the layout of multiple pages. In addition, kids can learn the rudiments of Html, CSS, and JavaScript and learn how to build websites. JavaScript is a proper programming language used to build websites and web apps, HTML defines the structure of the web, and CSS determines the layout of the page.
Why Teach CSS to Kids
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are highly important when creating websites. CSS determines the layout of web pages, one tool, which, if properly utilized can improve your website's look and feel. Kids need to learn the elements of CSS, as it will continue to be a useful tool in programming.
Learning CSS also improves kids’ performance in STEM. Beyond building a website and making it work, it is also important that you build aesthetically pleasing websites. There is no limit to the amazing things you can achieve with CSS; you can play around with colors, themes, backgrounds, 3D animation, font, and so much more, all of which build creativity in kids.
CSS is also great for beginners with little or no experience in coding. Unlike other programming languages, CSS requires no code. All you need is to understand the basics, symbols, and terminologies and you’re good to go! In addition, CSS provides a solid foundation for kids in tech. Learning Html CSS helps kids acquire the fundamental skills needed for them to learn other programming languages easily.
CSS is a broad scope that allows progressive and self-paced learning. Kids will learn by doing and monitor their progress as they progress in their lessons. In general, CSS provides an incredible coding experience for beginners and develops their interest in learning other advanced coding languages.
How do you explain CSS to kids?
To demystify Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to kids, let them understand that it is the tool responsible for making websites look so beautiful and “animaty”. It formats Html tags and adds styles to a website. The fastest way for kids to learn is through hands-on activities. Beyond explaining what CSS is and how it works, you should also show them live examples through actual websites.
When teaching kids CSS, you are also required to teach them Html. CSS is responsible for the style, font, color, and background of websites, while Html concerns itself with the structure and optimization of web pages. While HTML is independent and can perform alone, CSS is mutually inclusive to HTML and cannot be used independently.
To begin with CSS, you will need to insert a CSS file to an Html page. Then, you can begin to make modifications to the background, style, etc. without an Html page, CSS cannot function, so we recommend that kids learn Html before CSS.
Difference Between HTML and CSS
HTML and CSS are highly similar, yet different in scope and function. While Html is a markup programming language used to optimize websites, CSS is a stylesheet language that adds flavor and aesthetics to an Html language.
Here are the fundamental differences between HTML and CSS.
- HTML is responsible for the structural outlook of a website. It involves tools such as paragraphs, tags, headings, etc. CSS, however, is responsible for the aesthetics and design of a website. It includes elements like color, background, font, pictures, animation, etc., to make a website attractive and easy to navigate.
- HTML is an independent element that can stand alone, while CSS is a subset of Html and cannot be used independently.
- You cannot use HTML inside a CSS sheet, but you can use CSS inside HTML.
- HTML helps improve user experience, while CSS improves user experience.
CSS Courses for Kids
Intro to CSS and HTML for Kids
Organized by CodeWizard, this introduction to CSS course includes live classes for kids between the ages of 8-18 to gain hands-on experience with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. The classes are divided into segments for ease of access, and to allow kids to learn at their pace.
Classes at the elementary level include web development using HTML and CSS. Kids will learn how to use basic Html tags, like the image and header tag. They will also learn the rudiments of CSS styling, which include color, animation, photo, background, etc.
Middle school CSS focuses on advanced CSS and how kids can creatively dally around CSS styling. Then, they will proceed to create interactive websites using advanced tools. This course is a complete programming package that equips kids with the fundamentals of CSS, JavaScript, and Html, all in 3 months.
Kids Coding- Introduction to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
By John Bura and Mammoth Interactive, this beginner web development course offers kids the opportunity to learn the rudiments of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It combines both theoretical and practical lessons and issues certificates upon completion. By the end of this course, kids should be able to identify CSS styling and Html code, as well as differentiate between JavaScript, Html, and CSS.
Web Development 1 with CSS/HTML
This is an incredible CSS course that employs fun, gamified methods to teach kids the basics of web development with CSS and HTML. Owned by CodaKid, this course provides hands-on learning in CSS and HTML. From learning the structure of a website to learning the rudiments of CSS and Html and their importance in web development, this course is everything and more.
Parents can subscribe to the monthly or yearly plan and gain unlimited access to all courses, and multiple projects with Roblox, Minecraft, games, etc. The course is flexible and allows kids to learn at their own pace.
Advantages of CSS
One of the many advantages of CSS for kids is that it builds creativity in kids. CSS relates to aesthetics and kids can explore colors, pictures, videos, animation, fonts, etc., to build incredible web layouts.
Mistakes are inevitable in programming. However, recurrent or excess mistakes can leave you burned out, frustrated, and overwhelmed. A big flex about CSS is its ability to allow web pages to load faster. CSS automatically reduces the size of HTML files, hence cursing web pages to load faster and better.
CSS is a style sheet that can be used to style multiple web pages with the same specifications. It is easy to maintain and does not require a high cost of maintenance. Also, when compared to HTM, CSS has a relatively higher backup and support system.
Frequently Asked Questions
CSS is not an actual programming language and does not need coding. However, it is a style sheet language dependent on other markup languages like HTML. CSS, however, is a great way for kids to begin in the world of programming, as it lays the solid foundation for web development and STEM education in general.
Yes. HTML promotes hands-on learning and is recommended for kids to learn. Kids can begin with HTML as early as nine years of age. It is a hypertext markup language that is super easy and fun to learn.
Final Thoughts On Teaching Kids CSS
Cascading style sheets serve as a fun and incredible way to introduce your kids to STEM. Unlike advanced programming, CSS is easy to learn and shows visible results while learning. Despite its simplicity, CSS is important, especially for learners who want to pursue careers in web development.
More Inspiration on Coding Languages for Kids
- Why There Are So Many Programming Languages
- HTML for Kids Beginner Guide Overview
- CSS for Kids Beginner Guide Overview
- Block Coding for Kids
- iOS Programming with Swift for Kids
- Top Tips for iOS Programming with Swift for Kids
- Block vs Text Based Coding for Kids
- Tynker Coding for Kids Overview
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