Nice game for a kids party (ages 6-10) - https://drtechniko.com/2012/04/09/how-to-train-your-robot/ - write "programs" on paper and have an adult "robot" execute the program, which could include having to do silly stuff. Putting them in pairs helps
Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
121–130 of 138 posts
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#122I've never been a parent or teacher, and have not been responsible for raising children in any formal capacity. So, my question is... Are the kids remotely interested in programming, and does it make sense to try teaching them if they show no interest? As a child, I remember pushed towards taking piano lessons and hating every second of it.
> Are the kids remotely interested in programming, and does it make sense to try teaching them if they show no interest? As a child, I remember pushed towards taking piano lessons and hating every second of it.
No one knows the details of your experiences and psyche, I'm not saying that you should continue your piano lessons.
However, parents are primarily responsible from guarding children from their own poor choices among other things. I wish I didn't stop the guitar lessons when I was a child although my mind was primarily on girls, consoles and basketball.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#123Check out Robomind. It is an online environment where you can program an on screen robot. It was designed for kids.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#124Video games are a great entry into the space!
My 6 year old daughter loves video games and constantly wants me to help her make her own. We're currently working out how she wants it to work. I'm going to help her with the art (she'll show me what she wants) and then I'm going to code with her.
I'm not forcing her but she loves the idea so far. I plan on writing up each step on my blog so people can see our progress and, if it's success, maybe it'll help others repeat it.
If she ultimately hates it that's fine. It's mostly me coding and explaining stuff to her because she's so young. I think it's good for kids to have an idea how it works but if they don't want to be a developer like me then that's fine.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#125Hour of Code and then Tynker Tynker Tynker Tynker Tynker. Did I say Tynker? I just spent 3 hours today with my 7 and 9 year olds coding up Minecraft mods.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#126Don't. Kids that age should be playing outdoors.
I'm 38, started coding when I was 6. My life has been amazing because of it.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#127Have a look at Kano on the raspberrypi. Build and code your own computer https://liliputing.com/2016/03/first-look-kanos-raspberry-pi...
It has lessons for Graphics, Minecraft, Music and the command line.
See what interests them and then explore, if they like music then they will have fun with SonicPi etc.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#128I bought my kids (age 4 and 6) an mBot for Christmas. We haven't really started developing for it, but since it is something tangible, I hope to give them some basic ideas what programming is and that they could do it themselves.
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#129Teach them how to be the VC instead
Re: Ask HN: How should I teach code to kids?
#130When I was 12, there's no Facebook, no Bootstrap-like CSS framework, no drag-n-drop build tools. I want to build a forum for own interests and for my class.
I just following the steps one-by-one without asking WHY. Getting the PHP forum source, upload it, change few lines. Then, started to try to change color, adding plugins. (Thanks God! In the old days, there's no good MVC separate framework, I must dig into source to change things to add plugins or change styles. When I did more and more, I started to understand the pattern. And then I tried by testing the code.)
So I believed, maybe started with making a WordPress site rather than just HTML & CSS. Child got an end product to show their friends and able to drop comments in the blog.
Get thing done first -> Then, to understand the basic.