How to Discover Your Child’s Inner Genius
A story about a 12-year-old boy who programs robots.
At 12 years old, Rohan Agrawal knows more than most PhD students in robotics about programming robots. This summer he’s interning at Ologic, a research and development firm that has designed robots for the likes of Google, Disney, and Hasbro. He’s been programming since he was 4 years old, and we were curious about how he got started.
We quickly learned that his story was not just one about a child prodigy programmer but more about how to find and cultivate your child’s inner genius.
Introduce the possibilities and look for the spark
Children are not inspired by going to a piano lesson or taking a math class. They are motivated by the possibilities of what they can accomplish. Is your child fascinated by spaceships? Do they watch So You Think You Can Dance religiously? Introduce them to a wide range of possible interests and see what they are naturally drawn to.
Rohan thought that programming was like waving a magic wand. You could type into your computer and create something that could search the entire internet, help someone in need, or bring a robot to life. His favorite TV show is Modern Marvels, which tells stories of how anything from milk to nuclear submarines were made. He is curious about how things work and are built.
Encourage and empower your child
Help them with how they can get started and encourage them in achieving their dreams. Look for project-based learning experiences that will give them attainable victories and empower them to go further.
At 4 years old, Rohan was inspired by Google. He started learning the basics of programming and even designed some of his own programs. But by the time he was 7, he hit a roadblock. How could he create something really cool without knowing higher level math? He could have easily given up, but through the HomeBrew Robotics Club he discovered that hardware was a great area to start pursuing.
Find resources and a community
Joining communities can help your child in finding mentors, getting help with hard problems, and making friends who have common interests. They create a sense of belonging that keeps children motivated and happy.
Since Rohan’s dad didn’t know much about robotics, he brought Rohan to various events and meet-ups in hopes of finding resources and classes. Some of communities that they would like to thank are:
- Hacker Dojo — a workspace for hackers and thinkers
- The Homebrew Robotics Club — meetup for people interested in robotics
- Hack the Future — mentorship and hackathons
- TechLab Education — project based learning and classes
- The Foothills Amateur Radio Society — meetup for amateur radio enthusiasts
Rohan’s favorite part about programming robots is seeing other people’s reactions to his work, and these groups are full of people who are excited about what he does.
Let them play
No one ever got great at doing something they were forced to do.
I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun. – Thomas Edison
In the past, Rohan’s father tried to get him to play musical instruments or sports, but it never worked out. He says, with amusement, that he can never get Rohan to do what he doesn’t want to do. The subjects that Rohan loves in school all have to do with furthering his goals in robotics. “I was stoked when I learned about proportions,” he said because he could see how he could apply it to programming.
Every child has different interests, but the formula to discovering their inner genius is the same. Expose your child to a wide range of possible interests, see which they gravitate to, and open the doors for them. Children will spend endless hours doing the things they love to do.
At Play-i, we’re developing a fun and accessible way for children to learn computer science at a young age. We’re inspiring creation by cultivating a love for learning.
- See more at: http://play-i.com
