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Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

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11–20 of 52 posts

Re: Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

#11
Ask her! First, figure out what exactly she wants to do/make/play with—then pick the best tool for the job.

If she just wants to make web pages, set her up with some webspace and then, after she's gotten HTML and CSS down, show her that she can "make things happen" using PHP and Javascript.

If she wants to make a game, I would personally recommend starting off not with any raw-coding environment at all. Why? Kids don't generally like designing game mechanics—and that's what they're tasked with if they have to turn a general-purpose programming environment—or even a multimedia environment like Flash—into a game engine. If they say they want to make a game, chances are what they want to do is just to re-use ideas they've seen in games they've already played, but with different content assets and "individual-asset mechanics" (i.e. new power-ups, weapons, etc.)

My own recommendation, then, is RPG Maker, partly because it's where I got my own start in logical systems-based thinking, but also because it has a nice, gradually-sloped learning curve, beginning with pure level design, and then transitioning into scripting as the need arises, before finally peaking with the limited ability to rewrite the game engine in the scripting language itself (with just enough chafing to make them crave a better tool.) The only catch is that it isn't free—RMXP is $60USD, as far as I'm aware.

Re: Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

#14
post #7

Install XAMPP from Apachefriends.org and have her start PHP. It's what many schools use for their beginner classes. On Windows, I like PHPDeveloper personal edition for an IDE. It's cheap (or free, I can't recall). PHP is mainstream, and since it's a web technology, she can likely show it off to her friends. It's not hard to find cheap PHP hosting if she ends up building something that she wants to put on the public-…

Come on, PHP is a horrible mess. Sorry to be so blunt, but that's the way it is. Don't start with PHP. I usually leave PHP devs to their own world, but since you suggest spoiling the children, I had to jump in...

As for hosting, you could easily host a Ruby/Sinatra app on Heroku to show off for friends.

Re: Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

#15
If she's interested in games may Kodu would be a good starting point: http://fuse.microsoft.com/kodu/

It's a visual programming language for creating games, it's very simple to create fun and playable games. It would certainly would as a good introduction to modelling and sequencing, which would lead on to "real" programming well.

Re: Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

#17
It strikes me that your choice should reflect her knowledge of math and basic logic. If she has a good grasp of these, then perhaps a "typed" language might be a good idea, otherwise, something like Alice (as suggested below) might be better because it introduces those concepts in a visual way.

Re: Ask HN: Good programming language for kids

#18
Make sure she has an interest in programming first. If she does, do NOT start her out on a graphical programming language like squeak/scratch. Future compsci kids have romantic visions of hackers frantically typing into a green/black terminal to break into the government mainframe. They will be turned off instantly when they see themselves just dragging and dropping blocks onto a white screen.
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