Ask HN: Best programming language to get a kid intrested in computers?

by alufers on 6/19/2020, 2:14 PM with 5 comments

Hi! I've got a little cousin (9 years old) with whom I have already done some things on the computer. We played some games (of course) and I have shown him how to use basic features in excel and how to make plots.

He will soon be getting his own PC, so I would like to get him interested in programming. He can already read and write, and I think he knows enough English to begin some light programming.

I want to show him a programming language which allows him to draw graphics easily, so he doesn't get bored. It also has to be easy to install on a Windows PC.

I looked at Scratch, but I think a graphical programming language is too simplistic and dragging all of the stuff around is really unintuitive. I also considered Python and Javascript, but I think their ecosystem is too complicated for a kid to grasp and not get discouraged.

Thanks for the suggestions.

  • by gus_massa on 6/19/2020, 2:35 PM

    Don't underestimate Excel. It's very powerful and you can do a lot of interesting things. Have he tried recursive defined sequences, like A2=(1+A1)/2, A3=(1+A2)/2, A3=(1+A2)/2, ... ?

    Python with the turtle package looks like a nice starting point. I didn't use it, but I programmed in Logo when I was young. Some link found in Google https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/draw-square-and-rectangle-in-t...

    When he grows up, he can abandon syntax, and use all the parenthesis he saved while he was young.

  • by kaibee on 6/19/2020, 2:17 PM

    If he's interested in games, might consider something like Gamemaker. Although the language there is Gamemaker specific (actually I last used Gamemaker in like 2009 so I could be off here), it'll teach all the same programming concepts you'd need to learn. Far more interactive than just drawing circles or w/e too.

  • by uberman on 6/19/2020, 2:23 PM

    I recommend "Processing". It presents as a constrained form of javascript with easy to use graphics primatives. KahnAcademy uses it.

    Nice and simple examples here: https://processing.org/examples/

    If your cousin happens to be "into" Robolx you might also look a "Lua". Robolox (and many other games) uses it for scripting.

  • by catacombs on 6/19/2020, 3:51 PM

    Python to learn the basics of programming. Then Unix/Bash for navigating the terminal. Then C to do everything else.

  • by codevark on 6/19/2020, 2:38 PM

    Rebol or its successor Red.

    Programming in Rebol literally changed my mind, for the better. Single executable. Edit scripts with any text editor. If you want to do visual stuff, get the View edition. So easy and fun: http://www.mycode4fun.co.uk/About-Red-Programming

    BITD, at my old ecom company, I wrote a 1-liner to monitor a list of webservers, and if any of them went down, it would email a list of people. So easy in Rebol!