

Ask HN: What is good language / project to teach 12-year old to code? - geedy

Thinking HTML&#x2F;javascript, text game, but am open to other suggestions.  I am quick to pick up languages (I already write a lot of different languages).  I want to make sure that I choose something interesting enough to keep his attention if he really is wanting to learn to code.
======
euroclydon
With JavaScript/HTML, Scratch, or anything that requires the internet, I'm
concerned about attention span. I don't want to commit some, "it was better in
the old days" fallacy, my 6 and 8 years olds are using scratch, but when
they're 12, my plan is to give them an offline PC and a printed copy of Learn
Python the Hard Way. It's just too easy to be distracted by the internet. When
they're 16 (we homeschool, so I can do this) I'm going to let them take a half
a year off from other studies and work through The Elements of Computing
Systems, where they will built their own VM, language and compiler in Java.

~~~
csense
> It's just too easy to be distracted by the internet.

But OTOH a lot of documentation, help, and resources are available on the
Internet. Learning to program was much more difficult in the old days when
those resources weren't available.

------
farseer
Start with C#/VB. The drag and drop GUI creation in .NET is a powerful tool
for new programmers and kids alike. I learnt that with VB5 when I was 13 and
was creating simple GUI based apps within a few days. A powerful IDE is
absoluately necessary when learning the first language because it allows a
newbie to explore things without opening any technical documentation. You can
also go the HTML/JS route, again with an IDE that allows drag and drop of
components. Stay away from python and java for now.

------
eightyone
Check out the book Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming. It
covers how to make a couple different 2D games.

[http://www.amazon.com/Python-Kids-Playful-Introduction-
Progr...](http://www.amazon.com/Python-Kids-Playful-Introduction-
Programming/dp/1593274076)

~~~
geedy
Have you used this resource much? How easy do you think it would be to adapt
some of the projects in this book to javascript? Thanks!

------
deadfall
Scratch (developed by MIT) is very useful to teach kids
functions/modules/loops/etc.
[http://scratch.mit.edu/](http://scratch.mit.edu/)

------
kellishaver
I've been doing HTML/JavaScript with my 11yr old. We're pair programming a
little offline web app she can put on her iPod touch.

------
83a
have you already looked at [http://processing.org/](http://processing.org/) ?
although i don't like java i think it's quite cool, because:

\- good documentation

\- many small examples you can start from

\- all built in (video/sound/grafik)

\- you can extend it by using java

------
jamesjguthrie
Android or iOS apps is a good idea as kids will enjoy seeing the apps they've
built running on their phones.

------
csense
Write video games in Python / Pygame.

Sweigart is a good online resource.

