How to Introduce Excel to Your 9-Year-Old: A Fun Journey
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Chapter 1: A New Approach to Learning Excel
In my quest to make Microsoft Excel engaging for my daughters, I had an unexpected opportunity arise when I shared a detailed list of my credit card transactions with them.
Photo by Bermix Studio
Like many parents, I appreciate timeless ideas that gradually build up to a satisfying conclusion, akin to the narrative style of Morgan Freeman’s iconic film, Shawshank Redemption. However, I also enjoy the light-heartedness of family vacations. Unfortunately, our travel plans were derailed last December due to the Omicron variant, which left us homebound in Houston, Texas. During this time, my wife challenged me to find ways to make Excel enjoyable for our kids during the holiday break.
Initially, I was not keen on the idea; Excel felt distant from the holiday spirit or any form of fun. However, a surprising conversation with my nine-year-old daughter two weeks into the new year reignited my interest.
Fast forward to that fateful morning when I was walking my younger daughter to school. I often initiate conversations with questions, but that day, my daughter turned the tables. She asked me, “How is work?” to which I replied, “It’s fine.” Still groggy and in need of my morning coffee, I was taken aback when she followed up with, “Are you working with any interesting data?” My interest piqued, I responded affirmatively, and she continued with, “Did you create any interesting graphs?”
Suddenly, the childlike curiosity in me was awakened. I described a color-coded chart I was developing that represented our electricity usage throughout the week. I expressed my goal of making every hour as green as possible for a sustainable future. Her eyes widened as she remarked, “So you’re helping to make our future better?”
With a smile, I mentioned some partners in this initiative, and she asked, “Dad, are you going to be famous?” I replied, “I want to be impactful,” as we reached the school entrance and she darted inside, pondering the meaning of 'impactful.' I returned home feeling revitalized, realizing I had turned a typically dry subject like Excel into a meaningful conversation.
Section 1.1: The First Excel Experiment
I believe that making a lasting impression is crucial, and the words of Bryan Stevenson from his TED Talk about justice resonated with me, particularly regarding identity. He shared a touching story about a promise he made to his grandmother to avoid alcohol, which stayed with him throughout his life.
Inspired by his message, I decided to incorporate this concept into Excel by asking my daughters to create a simple table that listed our extended family members, including their names, ages, and places of birth. This exercise allowed them to explore "what if" scenarios, calculating ages based on user-inputted years.
This engaging activity not only taught them about Excel features like relative and fixed cell references but also sparked laughter as they discovered interesting facts about their ancestors. Excel has evolved significantly; it can now even separate first and last names for us. Furthermore, the data tab can convert current locations into maps, enriching their learning experience about family history.
The best part? The conversations it generated around the dinner table were priceless. My daughters were particularly amused that their last name was short compared to their great-grandfathers' lengthy names, which led to fascinating stories about naming conventions in South India.
The first video, Basic Excel for Kids - Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide, provides an engaging introduction to Excel for young learners.
Section 1.2: The Second Excel Experiment
I have a secret to share about my hiring criteria for analysts: I have a soft spot for the term "pivot table." To explore this feature, I needed a substantial amount of data, so I decided to utilize my credit card transactions from the past year.
When I shared this data with my daughters, they were ecstatic, feeling like they had exclusive access to my personal records. I prompted them with the question, "How many times did we visit your favorite restaurant last year?" They initially attempted to count manually, which proved tedious. I encouraged them to use filters, and they quickly grasped the concept.
As they began to explore further, I introduced them to pivot tables. Their eyes lit up as they realized how easy it was to analyze the data. They identified the month we spent the most money, which coincided with a vacation, and my older daughter even created a graph to visualize our expenses, while my younger daughter experimented with color palettes.
The experience transformed from simply using Excel to presenting insightful data. They engaged in discussions about what questions to ask and how to derive answers from the data. Throughout this journey, they encountered challenges, such as dealing with grocery store names attached to store numbers, which sparked their problem-solving skills.
As I reflected on this experience, I was reminded of the wisdom shared by Malcolm Gladwell: knowledge alone is insufficient; understanding is key. We must strive to provide children with opportunities to learn through experience rather than mere instruction.
Chapter 2: An Ode to Parents
Ultimately, the success of these experiments lies in whether the kids remember and apply what they've learned in real life. The conversation I had with my daughter on the way to school motivated me to document this journey, hoping it might inspire another parent out there.
Parenting is about creating lasting memories—those that our children will cherish for a lifetime. Our goal is not merely to provide them with fish for dinner but to equip them with the tools to fish for themselves. We can either teach them how to use those tools or accompany them on their journey of discovery.
I personally dislike lectures and prefer discussions that promote learning through exploration. What resonates with me might resonate with children too. With that belief in mind, I continue to walk alongside my daughters, eager for the questions they might pose tomorrow.
The second video, Use Excel to Teach Your Children Mental Arithmetic: Adding and Multiplying, showcases creative ways to teach kids essential math skills using Excel.