Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?

I might give Python an edge for a number of reasons (a shell is a simpler environment than a browser in a number of ways, some of the language features are cleaner), but to say that it's much harder doesn't bear out with my experience. Capable first-timers become productive at about the same rate.

I've found it's mostly experienced developers who trip over JavaScript, because they're carrying a set of expectations and are weirded out when it does something different. Turns out principle of least surprise means different things depending on people's backgrounds.

Feel free to choose to start someone with Python if you prefer it, or if they're likely to want to work in a domain where it makes sense (say, data science), but it's probably not going to change your learn-to-code outcomes much.

I'm not a teacher, but I did begin learning to code when I was about 8. Allow me to offer a bit of anecdata.

I first started to learn to code on the Commodore 64. The first thing I remember making all on my own was a text-based lucky number program. I made various other very simple text-based games, but without someone giving a bit of guidance, I didn't build much that was complex.

When I really started to learn to code was when my parents bought me a modem, and I got into some rather nefarious activities on AOL (phishing, cracking passwords, mass mailing warez, etc). I was on a Power Mac 7100 at the time, and I started to write tools to assist with my endeavours. I mostly used a tool called OneClick which allowed for easy text capture from on-screen elements, recording of macros from user input, etc. I remember my motivation at the time was part competitive (I wanted to create better tools than other people in the community), and part driven by acquisition (I wanted the latest games/applications, etc).

Finally, the third stage of my childhood programming activities came when I switched from Mac to PC as a young teenager (13 or 14). I pirated a copy of Visual Basic 3.0, and started learning network programming. I remember building a very simple multi-user chat server and client program, getting into ASP a bit in order to build web pages, etc. Honestly I'm not sure what my motivation was at the time, but I remember distinctly thinking that this was going to somehow make me special. That by learning to code I'd be approaching a status which is something like a mix between James Bond and the hackers you'd see in movies like, well, Hackers.

I can also say that while my parents and teachers didn't push me (quite the opposite, really - they always wanted me to quit 'playing computer' and do whatever it was that I was supposed to be doing), they definitely encouraged that feeling of "this will make me special" in subtle, unintentional ways. Once certain teachers started catching on, they too helped encourage the idea, but in much less subtle, more intentional ways (you're gonna be the next Bill Gates, kid). I think more than anything else, that's what lead to my successful career in software development.

So, if I can offer any advice, it'd be to focus on motivation of learning first, and facilitation of learning as a close second. Keep the goals simple and attainable, make sure the activities are aligned well with the kids' sense of fun, enjoyment, and/or utility, and I think they'll lap it up quicker than you could ever provide it.

Edit:

One last thing - I think your video is great, but it's not substitute for one-on-one time. As a kid (and as an adult, really) I remember learning well by watching others who were patient enough to let me interrupt and ask questions. I think videos will be great for self-lead learning once the appetite is whetted, but early on one-on-one time will give the kids a much better chance to learn at their own pace.

But, I think programming is a creativity tool, and as such kids can use it for creation. Sadly our tools adds a lot of complexity and doesn't help to make this creativity flow easily. Many kids will be frustrated by the number of details they should learn to move a simple object on the screen. This is why I recommended Scratch Jr. and Alice 3D, while not perfect you can do some advanced stuff with simple programming. If kids are not frustrated or annoyed by the tools they will engage in creative projects in art and/or science because this tool enables incredible new ways of expression.

ZX Spectrum+ from my father in 1988, self-learnt after that.

Made a few games like you, but had no hard drive or disks. Storage mechanism for my programs were pen and paper.

Learnt machine code programming in tenth grade.

Later got a PC with Windows in 1997 and learnt C.