Girls are as curious and capable as boys, yet they are often less likely to be encouraged toward computing, robotics and engineering. By the time they are teenagers, many have decided that technology is "not for them". Early, positive experiences can change that.
What helps
- Start young and keep it fun. Block coding, stories and games make early success likely.
- Learn in small groups. Girls often thrive when they can collaborate, ask questions and not feel watched.
- Show real role models. Meeting women who build software and robots makes the path real.
- Connect to purposes girls care about. Health, the environment, education and community problems are all good starting points.
- Praise effort and problem solving, not only quick answers.
What families can do
Give girls the same access to laptops and phones as everyone else. Ask them to show you what they have made. Let them try things and fail without comment.
What we have seen
When we ran our International Day of the Girl session with twenty girls, we saw how quickly confidence grew once they had made something work. You can read the story in our Portfolio.
If your school or organisation would like a girls-in-tech session, get in touch.