Programming for my kids
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
what about the lego robot stuff.
This signature was proudly tested on animals.
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
Visual Basic.Net with XNA perhaps? If it helps, I started at BASIC, used the similarities to move to legacy VB, then used the syntax similarities to move to VB.Net. VB.Net and C# both use the .Net framework, so moving from one to the other was just a matter of syntax. C# and C/C++ look similar, so it was fairly simple to migrate there. C/C++ both just compile down to ASM; guess where I'm headed next ;P
Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
You're skipping a step. You start by finding out if they have any enthusiasm for it and if not, looking for ways to fire that curiosity and passion in them. Without an eager desire on their part, it's just drudgery no different than scraping an old coat of paint off the back fence. In such a case, there is no language or technology on the planet that will make a difference. Once they're interested, however, the rest comes easily.
Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!
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Visual Basic.Net with XNA perhaps? If it helps, I started at BASIC, used the similarities to move to legacy VB, then used the syntax similarities to move to VB.Net. VB.Net and C# both use the .Net framework, so moving from one to the other was just a matter of syntax. C# and C/C++ look similar, so it was fairly simple to migrate there. C/C++ both just compile down to ASM; guess where I'm headed next ;P
Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow
Computafreak wrote:
guess where I'm headed next
The depraved depths of reverse engineering for fun and profit? :-D
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
Phogram, the successor to KPL (Kids Programming Language): Phogram[^] Can't vouch for it, only can say I've heard good things.
Phrogram runs in an environment that is similar to what working developers use every day, but with simpler controls to write, test and debug code - that makes it easier to learn and more fun to do.
Religiously blogging on the intarwebs since the early 21st century: Kineti L'Tziyon Judah Himango
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
Amarnath S wrote:
Long back, when I started with Fortran IV
Getting a character, number or word to appear on screen felt like the most powerful thing you had ever done, it was magic. Right?
Amarnath S wrote:
The elder one knows how to browse the Internet
She is less likely to be impressed by the scenario above. What I believe you have to do is find a language that will give pretty near instantaneous, visually interesting, results, with very little coding. The oooooh, shiny factor. Whilst at the same time enabling the use of the various coding constructs. In my opinion that language ain't C, and certainly not C++. Although C or C# would be what I would move them onto next. I regret that I have no suggestion about a starting language, since I have no dealings with children of that sort of age I have not kept up with the newer educational theories. Out of interest, I googled good programming language for child and the first three hits were for something called Scratch, which I've never heard of.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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what about the lego robot stuff.
This signature was proudly tested on animals.
Thats where I started :-D It's pretty easy at the start with the program that comes with it... Its just blocks and stuff that you stick together and I suppose you could see if they have an interest in it before getting more complicated. This was with the old one though not the NXT one so I don't know whether its much different or not. The batteries were a killer though, I spent heaps of money buying batteries and then I got rechargeables and a 15 min charger... but that blew up one of the batteries because the fan stopped working. That was the end of that! :rolleyes:
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
Advice on how to help an 11 year old start programming... [^] CP thread a week or so back that has a lot of suggestions.
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
I'd lean towards something web based just because a webpage will have an immediate return of something highly visible. If you do it right in a few years, your kids will be the only ones on the block with non-fubared MySpaceSuccesor pages. :rolleyes:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
For an 11 and 8 year old maybe let them try Small Basic[^] and see if they like it. BTW, I started programming with SQL back in 1999. I learned .net C# and VB.Net in 2001 and have been programming ASP.Net ever since. I have never used an C in my life. I don't think C is used very much so why learn that first?
I didn't get any requirements for the signature
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Amarnath S wrote:
Long back, when I started with Fortran IV
Getting a character, number or word to appear on screen felt like the most powerful thing you had ever done, it was magic. Right?
Amarnath S wrote:
The elder one knows how to browse the Internet
She is less likely to be impressed by the scenario above. What I believe you have to do is find a language that will give pretty near instantaneous, visually interesting, results, with very little coding. The oooooh, shiny factor. Whilst at the same time enabling the use of the various coding constructs. In my opinion that language ain't C, and certainly not C++. Although C or C# would be what I would move them onto next. I regret that I have no suggestion about a starting language, since I have no dealings with children of that sort of age I have not kept up with the newer educational theories. Out of interest, I googled good programming language for child and the first three hits were for something called Scratch, which I've never heard of.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
Smalltalk Squeak
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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Computafreak wrote:
guess where I'm headed next
The depraved depths of reverse engineering for fun and profit? :-D
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I'd lean towards something web based just because a webpage will have an immediate return of something highly visible. If you do it right in a few years, your kids will be the only ones on the block with non-fubared MySpaceSuccesor pages. :rolleyes:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
That's not a bad idea. Start with some basic static HTML, move onto css, than java script, then possibly C# with ASP.Net A natural progression that will give a thorough grounding. What kid wouldn't be proud and excited by their very own home designed web site?
Dave
BTW, in software, hope and pray is not a viable strategy. (Luc Pattyn)
Visual Basic is not used by normal people so we're not covering it here. (Uncyclopedia)
Why are you using VB6? Do you hate yourself? (Christian Graus) -
How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
Assuming that they are actually curious about programming, Smalltalk's Squeak[^]environment might be worth looking into. Very visual, kind of toy like. Personally I couldn't envision using it for professional programming, but as a learning tool, especially for kids, it seems pretty cool.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Oh
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
You can look into the Alice Project[^] created by Randy Pausch. I believe there is a Middle school spin-off, specifically for girls, connected to his original work.
:..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTL -
Pretty much. Some of the mnemonics are rather funny though - STI being a major one
Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow
I knew that looked familiar, but had to look it up. Yea, interrupt driven multitasking in MS DOS. Those were the days.
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For an 11 and 8 year old maybe let them try Small Basic[^] and see if they like it. BTW, I started programming with SQL back in 1999. I learned .net C# and VB.Net in 2001 and have been programming ASP.Net ever since. I have never used an C in my life. I don't think C is used very much so why learn that first?
I didn't get any requirements for the signature
ToddHileHoffer wrote:
I don't think C is used very much
lol :)
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How do I start my two daughters on programming - their ages are 11 and 8. The elder one knows how to browse the Internet. Long back, when I started with Fortran IV, it was pretty easy. But now, where to start? I think it should be C (leaving pointers aside), but give your thoughts. - Amarnath
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I knew that looked familiar, but had to look it up. Yea, interrupt driven multitasking in MS DOS. Those were the days.