NA: Computer programming for kids

Sam D

Sam D

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Sam D
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Back in MY day...if we wanted our computer to do anything beyond turning on, we had to type in a program. As a result, I got pretty good at BASIC and really enjoyed getting the computer to do things I dreamed up.

Nowadays, its seems one only really needs to know to click on that blue 'e' to open up a whole world on the internet. And kids are missing out on bending the computer to their will. In the meantime, I've gotten farther away from any kind of programming.

So here's the question: does anyone have any suggestions for a 10 year old kid to start playing with programming.

Thanks!
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

Remember Lenny? (where is he, anyway?) His kids did the Lego Robot thing - took some awards, IIRC...
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

Get them an old Commodore 64 or Apple II.

Problem Solved :-)
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

The magic word: LEGO!!! Thanks.

As far as the Commodore 64, that was quite a step up from my VIC-20. But the Commodore will still go down as my best Christmas present ever.
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

Have her/him build a website. Google will host a free site or blog. Or look under Geocities on Yahoo. Your internet provider may also have free websites. Try here for a blog, too: https://www.blogger.com/start

S/he can create a wiki at http://www.wikispaces.com/ or get involved in editing wikipedia or its clones.:yes:

If you want to go back to real programming, try downloading a development system from Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/express/download/#webInstall
 
Started looking around a bit. Here's something from MIT:

http://scratch.mit.edu/

This could get the ball rolling on logic problem solving and program flow.
 
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I would only worry about getting the kid to program if he wants to learn it.

What happened since we were kids is the day arrived that you could learn to drive a car without having to carry a wrench. We were on the cusp of that in our day, but you still needed to know how to ISSUE commands to copy files and such. Not no more. (In my case I WANTED to know how to write something for my business and I had done programming in school.)

As far as knowing how a computer works, I got a lot out of a college level digital logic course in learning how the hardware inside works. I honestly could tell you now how every pretty much every hardware part works. You might look for those Radio Shack or other electronics lab kits, too.
 
mikea said:
I would only worry about getting the kid to program if he wants to learn it.

What happened since we were kids is the day arrived that you could learn to drive a car without having to carry a wrench.
Click to expand...

Sometime in the 1800's, some parent who lived next to the new "grocery store" lamented trying to get his kid interested in learning how to hunt, too, I'm sure. ;)
 
mikea said:
I would only worry about getting the kid to program if he wants to learn it.
Click to expand...

Point taken. I'm looking at basic exposure at this point. If there is no interest, so be it. But I remember how much I got out of it and I wonder if it would do the same for them.

I am still reaping benefits -- I've complimented on my atc communication. I think its because I think of it like programming and just try to avoid 'sytax errors'!
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

AuntPeggy said:
Have her/him build a website. Google will host a free site or blog. Or look under Geocities on Yahoo. Your internet provider may also have free websites. Try here for a blog, too: https://www.blogger.com/start

S/he can create a wiki at http://www.wikispaces.com/ or get involved in editing wikipedia or its clones.:yes:

If you want to go back to real programming, try downloading a development system from Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/express/download/#webInstall
Click to expand...

The express stuff from Microsoft is interesting. Not sure I want to encourage any kind of 'web presence' right now.
 
Re: NA: Comuter programming for kids

Cap'n Jack said:
Visual Basic Express for a starter

I also seem to remember some "make your own" robot kits with programming-

Lego seems to have a kit but I have no experience with it. Sure looks fun...
http://mindstorms.lego.com/Products/Default.aspx
Click to expand...

I got one of those for my daughter several years ago when she expressed a strong interest in "robots". Didn't lead to much though. I suspect that I would have wanted one in the worst way when I was a kid though. Quite a step beyond the "robots" I made with my motorized Erector set(s).
 
MAT-LAB. Most useless language ever, but sure can teach a lot.

Also - Visual Basic Express or Java Programming. PHP is pretty danged easy, and something that will serve a real purpose in the kid's life also.

My start was with learning how to write batch files, which progressed into QBASIC and DarkBASIC. There's no need to teach kids that crap anymore.
 
vontresc said:
Well there's always LOGO. I had a lot of fun playing with turtle graphics....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_(programming_language)
http://www.softronix.com/logo.html
Click to expand...

That's what got my son hooked on computers. About the time he turned 6 we walked into a computer store and they sat him down in front of an Apple II with LOGO running on it. In a matter of minutes he had that turtle running all over the screen. Turns around and says, "Daddy, I want a 'puter!" 6 YEARS OLD! 1982. Heck, when I was 6 I had no idea what a computer was, and the ones that existed filled buildings. He's now 32 and still hasn't met a computer that was fast enough, had enough memory or a large enough hard drive. Although he has come close when working here at Intel on temp assignments. :D
 
What road warrior recommended is the best idea. No kid is going to want to learn a straight up language that is useful like C++ that has no real results until you know the language real well and then spend a lot of time with it.

john smith said:
PYTHON is the language being used for gaming.
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Ummm....It is used for some scripting within games... There is no way it used to program any modern 3D game out there besides that. I'm not saying Python is a bad language, infact, I like it. But its definitely not the language for creating games...
 
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wildwobby said:
Ummm....It is used for some scripting within games... There is no way it used to program any modern 3D game out there besides that. I'm not saying Python is a bad language, infact, I like it. But its definitely not the language for creating games...
Click to expand...

There are plenty of basic game engines out there for Python that allow you to make some basic games. This is a good way to learn as it may hold a kids attention:

http://www.pygame.org
 
jesse said:
There are plenty of basic game engines out there for Python that allow you to make some basic games. This is a good way to learn as it may hold a kids attention:

http://www.pygame.org
Click to expand...

Yes, but by saying "Python IS the language being used for gaming" is extremely misleading to say the least.
 
Get him a linux box to noodle with. If he's going to be technically inquisitive, he'll figure out what to do with it :D

The web is, unfortunately, going to be the hub for socially-inspired learning for a little while. Yeah, there's reams of unsavory stuff and people out there, but he's gonna get exposed to it at some point. A lot of the young nerds I know started out by tweaking their myspace templates and such. Some moved into IRC and the "hacker community", others just swap mp3s and can't be bothered with the innards.

I only got into being a nerd via BBSing and the social aspect -- learning C to tweak out WWIV BBS software. I think without the idea that it's cool, it won't appeal at all. I was 9 at the time, by the way, and while all the porn flying around (yeah, even then) didn't interest me that much, I made a killing selling dot matrix printouts to the upper graders at 50 cents per page. heh.

$0.02, I'm no parent, just a nerd with a lot of young employees, and I see what they're into.
 
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