Erin Guyer, who helps lead the youth services at the library, helps Aariv Shah, 8, as he plays Minecraft. Photo by Lisa Fay/The Connection
In today’s tech-infused world, coding has become a sort of pop culture. Children are becoming more aware of technology starting at a younger age, and classes like the Coding Club can expose them to technology in a fun and monitored community space. The first Saturday of every month, unless Vienna has another large town consuming event scheduled, Patrick Henry Library has begun to conduct coding exercises for children. The children are provided with Google Chromebooks, miniature laptops, that have programs such as Disney-themed Infinity Play Lab, and Minecraft Adventure, to help them learn about code while having fun. “We leave it as a self-guided space,” said Erin Guyer, who helps lead the youth services at the library; “I stay in the room to monitor them and I have a computer as well if they need help.” The Minecraft table was most popular, with kids playing the popular adventure computer game. “We usually open it up to registration for 12 kids, but if we have the room we always welcome people who have not registered.” To check the schedule of upcoming events, such as the Coding Club, for children at Patrick Henry Library visit fairfaxcounty.gov/library.