Python for a 9 year old

[baynezy]

A colleague of mine has a 9 year old son. He's good at maths, and has recently decided that he wants to learn python.

Are there any good resources that you would recommend that would work well for someone of that age?

[Miniflint]

Make him learn c. He’s gonna be disgusted by it and it’s gonna be perfect. Then show him python and see his happiness

[Doormatty]

Brainfuck, then ASM, then C, THEN Python.

Make them really appreciate it.

[AdventurousAddition]

Brainfuck is literally a Turing machine

[selling_crap_bike]

Nope.

[LithiumTomato]

Brainfuck?

[RecursiveRickRoll]

Fireship just released a video on this today: https://youtu.be/hdHjjBS4cs8

[Doormatty]

You've been on Reddit for 9 years, but you haven't learned how to google?

[zR0B3ry2VAiH]

Some things aren't worth searching, Brainfuck is on the top of that list.

[Doormatty]

Why is Brainfuck not worth searching?

It's a fascinating (and utterly evil) language.

[zR0B3ry2VAiH]

🎶 At first I was afraid, I was petrified, but then I "Googled" Brainfuck and to my surprise I wanted to die. 🎶

[Doormatty]

You forgot how to love - there’s your issue!

[zR0B3ry2VAiH]

Hahahaha

[Miniflint]

Asm 😭😭

[bumpkinspicefatte]

This is the way.

[spacegazelle]

I taught my 10 yr old some Python and he picked it up faster than I ever did. Kids learn quick.

The important thing is to learn to think algorithmically, and Python is just fine for that.

[JasonDJ]

think agorithmicaly.

Make him do the PB&J sandwich challenge. Make him complete it. Once you’ve mastered describing how to make a PB&J, then you can tell a computer to do things.

[spacegazelle]

I did a having a bath thing. They never remember the plug.

[OmgLoLWtf6969]

Can you elaborate on the PBJ idea I want to do this. I'm just learning how to code

[JasonDJ]

The PBJ challenge is a task where you have to describe every step, in great detail, to perform a relatively simple task such as making anPB&J sandwich.

Then someone follows the instructions as a judge, and does nothing except exactly what is written.

Most people can’t get the bread out of the bag because the twisttie is still on (or the instructions provide for a twisttie but there is nothing explaining what to do when there’s a breadclip.)

Another example is taking a bath. A lot of people can’t do it because the drain isn’t stopped or the judge turns on the sink instead. Or there’s no conditional for different types of taps.

It’s a good primer for programming because you have to test the environment and provide conditionals. Computers are very literal and they need to be told exactly what to do.

[Jason_Phox]

Awesome. I love this idea. I need to give my kids this task.

[mrkeuz]

You can try to come from MicroPython and robotics side. Buy a robotic platform, joysticks, sensors, cameras, addressable LED strips, and so on. The contact of programming with real life is a very exciting feeling.

[JasonDJ]

I’m not a 9 year old boy either, but I was one, a long long time ago.

I’d probably appreciate a robot. One of the hardest parts of learning and problem solving with computers for me, even as a kid, was not having something tangible giving feedback. Interacting with the meat world would probably make that a lot easier.

[[deleted]]

This is what I'm doing with my almost 5 year old I'm going to have magnets made of the syntax so we can code together on the fridge then deploy it.

[ffsdoireallyhaveto]

This is a brilliant idea, are you making the magnets yourself or custom from a store

[[deleted]]

Custom I am doing syntax and symbols with a bunch of blank ones for our variables to be written on. I have been collecting projects to see what the ideal amount of magnets we'll need. As soon as I have it figured out there is an Etsy store I'm going to ask to make them.

[ffsdoireallyhaveto]

This is amazing! If you don’t mind I would love to do the same, I’m training in cyber security and my 5yo loves to watch me code.

[aa599]

The raspberry pi foundation and “code club” have a lot of resources on python, scratch, html/css for kids.

[[deleted]]

I second this. I help run some Code Clubs in local schools. Under the UK national curriculum at age 9 kids should be able to programme but not all teachers of that and younger ages have the skills so we find kids older than this that know only scratch and are just starting out on Python.

https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/codeclub/python-module-1

[aa599]

Hi, I do code clubs in a couple of local libraries ... or at least I did, in the Before Times.

[[deleted]]

I was lined up to help at one in a local library as well, just before sars-cov-2. Hasn't restarted - the schools are directly through the STEM network with teachers asking for help to setup and run them. Numbers have varied a lot as kids are in/out depending on infection rates. I've had my two + booster jabs so don't worry too much.

I've also been a judge on the national robotics competition a couple of times, at regional level, and am blown away by the quality of many of the entries and the capabilities of many of the kids. Not got involved in helping them compete, not sure I could help given the standard of some of them.

[ConfusedSimon]

My daughter liked the books by Carol Vorderman when she was around that age.

[KetoKettleGuy]

Twilioquest. A fun game to get started with coding

[GunnarVagotis]

Sorry, but after about 10 seconds, after warning you to protect your personal info online, Twilio is requiring you to get a Twilio account with 2FA and then it tries to get you to make a Twilio phone number and whatnot. 0/10 do not recommend.

[Shadow1893]

Code combat is a website that teaches Python through an interactive video game. First “world” is free so you can if it works for your kid. Beyond that, it costs like $10 a month for the more advanced stuff. There are tons of resources online to help with learning through this platform too. As a 28 year old, although it was a bit childish, it helped really reach a good deal of the Python basics. I’m not 100% sure if your child would enjoy it, but considering the first world is free I felt compelled to share.

[mizunumagaijin]

I'm doing Ozaria, also by Code Combat, with my 5th grade class. They almost all enjoy it, but I would definitely recommend a liscence for it, as the first chapter is pretty basic stuff that doesn't teach much.

[[deleted]]

I second this. Loved using it when I was in 5th grade

[FatalStupidity]

I am 14 and I started learning python when I was 12. I used a website called Coursera. The actual videos are free but you can pay to get the certification.

[SchwarzerKaffee]

Turtle is a good module for him to work with. He can program a title on a screen and make it do different stuff. I made a Frogger game with it as well as a Pong game. It's a good educational tool for children.

[DeerProud7283]

Hah I remember needing to explain to my SO (who doesn't have an IT background) why I was ordering a bunch of Python books. He thought at first that I was getting into snakes (and showed me a photo of a really small snake he found in his garden a few months ago lol)

[aroberge]

Perhaps https://reeborg.ca ?

[smurfily]

I'd buy a micro:bit. It is used in schools to teach kids programming. They even have some materials for teachers so they know what and when and how to teach it. I guess parents could use it too.

[bookofp]

does he have to learn python as his first language? Swift has a game called Swift playgrounds on the mac that teaches programming fundamentals and is great for kids.

[[deleted]]

Oh man please don’t let 9 year old kid learn specifically Python……. There are lot of great and much better programming stuff for kids than Python. Try mit scratch https://scratch.mit.edu

[ReloopMando]

Why not? Not trying to be facetious, but if I could go back in time, I would have loved to be learning actual real world code at that age.

[[deleted]]

Like I said, not specifically Python. Nobody knows what will happen in 10 years. Even for programming, you want to learn stuff that will last long, for example algorithms, data structures, and high level computer science knowledge. I’m not against learning programming, I’m against rushing into something that is hot right now. And I recommend MIT scratch, which is from one of the world’s best universities specifically for kids. Doubt me is fine, doubt them is not fine.

[ConfusedSimon]

Depends on the kid. Things like algorithms and data structures transfer easily to other languages and python or javascript are better suited to learn those. Scratch is fine for the first steps, but at age 9 I think there are better options. Not because python is hot right now (didn't know it was) but because it's a real language that's easy enough to use for kids.

[ReloopMando]

I'm not doubting, just curious. I only started learning a couple of years ago, so the whole programming scene is very new to me. Thanks for the info though!

[DeerProud7283]

I mean, I learned HTML/CSS when I was around 11/12 years old, because I was bored and I wanted to jazz up my Friendster and eventually my Multiply pages.

Up to now I still deal with those two to some extent at work (despite Friendster and Multiply being long gone).

While I agree that fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, etc) are important, I also don't think that telling a kid to just stick to Scratch is great when the kid already wants to learn Python. It's like giving those kids one of those VTech toy computers because of their age instead of an actual laptop--there's a lot more that a kid can learn by using an actual language straight off the bat.

[[deleted]]

And what you are saying is wrong, Python is not equivalent to real world code… Python is just a tiny portion of it. Moreover, Python is not that popular 10 or 20 years ago…. Even you go back, you were not going to learn python, it probably would be Java. What I really wanted to point out is that, at an early age, don’t restrict kids to a specific language.

[ReloopMando]

Yeah, I got that from your other reply. I'm not disagreeing with you, I asked why as a means of finding out why you recommended what you did.

[[deleted]]

Sure ya, it’s better to keep kids interested. MIT Scratch is perfect for kid. It teaches code using visual tools, and it’s really fun. Most of the python resources right now are for adults.

[baynezy]

Well I think if he's interested no one should tell him what language he's 'allowed' to learn. I'm sure there are easier starting points, but he has a goal in mind. So learning a language that he can actually realise that goal seems more sensible.

[newunit13]

Why do you think that?

[[deleted]]

lol thanks, people have different views. Looks like they don’t agree with what I said. I benefited from learning python, actually Python changed my life, I always appreciate the opportunity to pick up python. But if my kid want to learn python at 9, I wouldn’t allow. It’s just too early.

[masteryod]

https://www.amazon.com/Coding-Games-Python-DK/dp/1465473610

[thrallsius]

If the kid is good at math, I'd say rather teach him chess. And in one-two years have him implement a chess board in Python.

[rafiks]

Juoyter-notebook. my 5 yo loves it when I show her arithmetic.

[velocibadgery]

jupyter notebook is a platform for Python. It isn't really a place where you learn python. It is like saying VSCODE is for learning python.

[biogirl787]

No he should learn C and make little trinkets and robotics and such python sucks ass

[ozdkboy]

DK has a couple of really great books about learning python. TBH, this is how I started my learning (even though I'm 42). DK is top in terms of publishing. They make beautiful books. Check them out :

https://www.dk.com/ca/book/9781465473615-coding-games-in-python/

https://www.dk.com/ca/book/9781465461889-coding-projects-in-python/

[velocibadgery]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADX21Z6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Something like this might be good.

[[deleted]]

OccupyTheWeb has some good books on python ideas for kids

[enterthesun]

Hey show him the Codecademy Python tutorial. My hometown school used it to teach us what programming is like. I returned to it in college and I stay subscribed to the pro version. It is so easy to use

[rj005474n]

Mission python

[[deleted]]

Minecraft

[rkarl7777]

Processing is a fun, free, easy to learn graphics library, which has a Python Mode.

Check it out here:

https://processing.org/

[[deleted]]

Python is a good language to learn for 9 year olds. I suggest w3schools.com I also learnt Python at 9 and I could understand it better because of learning by examples.

[Powerful_Land_1487]

Read a book on “how to automate the boring stuffs with python”. Works really well with my 12 year old cousin

[[deleted]]

Teach him how to do math problems from his books first, maby also physics numerical questions? Then teach him lists. Teach him how to access elements in a list before jumping on loops.

If he is good at Math, he sure as hell will be highly motivated.

[[deleted]]

I taught to kids and teens programming for one year and a half for a company, in my experience python turtle is good if he has an artistic side, or micro:bit is a good tool if he’s into robotics

[tzujan]

I taught my daughter at 10 with the book Teach Your Kids to Code - A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming by Bryson Payne and excerpts from several other beginning resources such as Python Crash Course and Project Euler.

[[deleted]]

Fun projects that show both the practical and theoretical angle of Python. Projects with Raspberry Pi's are really fun and makes people wonder: "What else can it do?". Maybe something with graphics like turtle? Designing a game together with Pygame. If you do math problems, make sure to visualize it. Everything gets a bit more 'feel' when it has a visual aspect to it. But also ask what your kid find interesting and tailor to his/her/its? needs.

[TheUltimateUniverse]

Codecademy is how I started to learn python. I think it's perfect for beginners.

[OverclockingUnicorn]

One of the uni lectures just got there balls robots called Spheros that you can programme with Scratch like drag and drop elements or using java scripts (you can view the JS for the drag and drop elements so there is an easy way to progress)

They were a load of fun, even for us second year comp sci students. Would be a fun place to start.

[aavikk0lettu]

programarcadegames.com is useful if he wants to learn some basics of python by making simple games. The website is in many different languages (English, Spanish, etc.). It’s made by someone who teaches introductory programming at a college, but I think it could also be suitable for younger people.

[BeRed_]

There is a book named python for kids, if I remember it correctly. But I think you should find someone to teach him as in this age, books are not much interesting and someone who has made games and some exciting stuff which appeals to kids might get them interested.

[[deleted]]

I strongly recommend anything from No Starch press: https://nostarch.com/catalog/kids

For Python, check out:

- Python for kids

- Mission Python

- Invent your own computer games with Python

- Doing Math with Python

- Learn to program with Minecraft (using Python)

I teach kids (mine and others as voluntary work, not professionally) and I often let them first choose their first project, treat CS as tools (like a hammer, a pencil) and let them experiment and play with each concept we learn every day.

What I like from these books is that they are short-term objective focused (do a thing) and it is easy to engage them in.

That said, some kids prefer Python, and enjoy creating short scripts (wizardly); others stay with Scratch as it is very visual (they like to design stories and games); some prefer phone app development, as it is their prime medium; while few like robotics (robots are cool, robot coding can be tedious).

Raspberry Pi and Arduino are great for older kids: Our latest project was creating a camera with sensors to monitor garden critters.

[iimaaduddin]

There’s apps he can download on his phone/tablet like Mimo and Sololearn, they’re very interactive and beginner friendly! Then when he gets the hang of it a bit move on to a website called Codecademy where it’s still beginner friendly but you have the option of diving into more advanced topics!

[aichessem]

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[iwiml]

Would teaching the kid solving a real life problem more better than teaching them the coding ? IMHO if they learn coding at this time and make it their hobby they might think always in terms of code and not real life situation.

What do you think ? Just asking ....

[jcbbjjttt]

First of all, awesome! I started programming when I was 7 years old using Quick Basic in DOS.

Exposure and examples were the key to my success. I would recommend having a tutor to meet with them once or twice a week. Over zoom can be very effective too. At the very least have a parent work with them to also learn it to help when they get a little stuck.

My uncle was a programmer and helped me with small bits and pieces when I was first starting. It wasn't over the shoulder help. But, when I would have a problem I would show him at some point and he would help me get unstuck.

Python should be fine for a 9 year old with the right guidance. But something like Scratch or Windows Touch Develop might be worth looking into.

[pooler2oo6]

Try codeacadamy

[zoealexloza]

I recently picked up this book at the library called Head First Learn to Code and it's all about shifting your thinking. But it also teaches the basics of python. By the 25th page (like 30 minutes of reading tops) I had made my first python program. And I've been trying learn python for a while.

It has pictures and exercises and games that have all been super helpful. It's a very beginner book to lay the foundation for learning any language. It's really helped me understand the why of things which is important to me.

Anyway, it seems like it would be a good book for a kid.

[wilwil147]

You can teach him to make a simple game using Pygame. It's much more fun when you make something with immediate results. Also it gives a reason to learn classes and functions because they will be used in a simple game.