I'm looking for advice on getting my 11-year-old interested in coding. He has a little experience from playing Minecraft but that's about it. Should I start him off with Scratch or dive into Python? I'm planning on enrolling him in a coding course, but I'm not sure which direction to go. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you considered Pico8? It’s a simple programming environment that's great for beginners and uses Lua, which is also used in Roblox. It can make the learning curve a bit easier while still keeping things fun and engaging. Check out their website for more info!
I recommend a couple of excellent books that are perfect for his age: 'Create Your Own Computer Games with Python' and 'Making Games with Python and Pygame.' They're both free to read online, and they'll set him up with a solid understanding of Python. Starting with a curriculum like this can really help him succeed and prepare for high school programming classes.
Scratch is a fantastic place to start! It's really visual and fun, which can help him grasp the basics without getting bogged down by tricky syntax. Plus, there are tons of resources online. Once he gets the hang of it, he'll be ready to transition to Python for more complex projects.
Absolutely! Visual programming makes learning more enjoyable, especially for younger kids. It’s amazing how quickly they pick things up when they’re engaged.
Thanks for the suggestions! Would it make sense for him to read these over the summer and then take a course next school year?