Why Estonia Has Started Teaching Its First-Graders To CodeSo why start so early? “We want to change thinking that computers and programs are just things as they are. There is an opportunity to create something, and be a smart user of technology,” she says. Lauringson started the project not long after completing three years of maternity leave, and has a son in kindergarden. “He is four years old, and I am thinking of ways to start [him] programming,” she says.
Estonia's ProgeTiiger coordinator Ave Lauringson
For the youngest students, the new courses won’t be strictly focused on learning programming languages like Java, Perl and C++. Rather they’ll ease kids into the necessary skills for coding like logic, which has the benefit of some overlap with subjects like math and potentially, robotics.