Project report
The state of the field of computational thinking in early childhood education
Marina Umaschi Bers, Amanda L. Strawhacker, Amanda Sullivan ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This report reviews the state of computational thinking (CT) education in early childhood settings, from kindergarten through pre-primary school. It examines how CT skills and computer programming concepts can be introduced to young children who are still developing literacy and numeracy. The report emphasizes that CT tools and curricula must be designed for children who learn through play, have limited attention spans, and cannot yet read or write. It situates CT as a complementary foundational skill alongside traditional early learning domains.
Key points
- Computational thinking and programming skills are presented as essential for academic and professional success
- CT is being introduced globally to children as young as kindergarten and pre-primary age
- Early childhood CT education must account for children's developmental characteristics including play-based learning, short attention spans, and limited working memory
- CT tools and curricula need to be specifically designed for pre-literate learners
- CT is positioned as a foundational skill that complements literacy and numeracy in early learning
Limitations
This report is a literature review and does not evaluate the effectiveness of any specific CT interventions or programs. It does not provide data on outcomes for children or compare different approaches to teaching computational thinking in early childhood.
Abstract
Computer programming and associated Computational Thinking (CT) skills are essential to thriving in today’s academic and professional world. There has been a growing focus globally on fostering CT skills as well as on introducing computer programming concepts and languages beginning as early as kindergarten and pre-primary school. Tools, curriculum, and frameworks to promote CT in the early years must be designed and implemented in ways that engage children who cannot yet read and write, who learn through play, and who have a short attention span and limited working memory but also strong natural curiosity. This review summarises empirical and theoretical literature on the state of the field of CT as it relates to early learning and development, a time when young children are being introduced to foundational skills, such as literacy and numeracy, which can carefully be complemented by an exploration of CT.