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Does anyone have any good recommendations for resources / projects for a computer-interested 12 year old? I was thinking of buying a Pi4 for my niece who is “ge

Does anyone have any good recommendations for resources / projects for a computer-interested 12 year old? I was thinking of buying a Pi4 for my niece who is “getting into computers” but I fear my tastes in what constitutes interesting or age-relevant content might be out of touch. I also, look at the various books that they sell on the Raspberry Pi site, and worry that they’ll be out of date pretty quickly. If anyone has recommendations for educational materials or projects that I could help my niece with, I’m sure others on this thread are looking for similar ideas. This new all-in-one device really feels like a well timed gift with lockdown and holidays.

ampdepolymerase 6y ago
The key is to follow up. It is not about which present you get them. No amount of Raspberry Pis or Lego MindStorms are useful if you are not willing to spend time to guide her through it. Interest and passion is only helpful if there is nothing else. Children now have iPads and countless sources of entertainment/distraction. A Raspberry Pi to a Gen Z kid is not the same as an Apple II from your childhood to you.
- peatmoss 6y ago
  Yeah, I figure that will be the case. I assume I’ll have to do some work to see what is resonating with her and what is boring. I am hoping that someone will have some recommended starting places though—I feel like there are probably some things that are likely to be interesting to her that neither of us have any knowledge of. I guess I’m trying to figure out some candidate activities that might help fire her imagination.
Fuzzwah 6y ago
The raspberry pi foundation put out an excellent magazine https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/ https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/
- peatmoss 6y ago
  I hadn’t seen the magazine, but this looks like a great idea to keep abreast of current and curated activities. Thank you for that pointer.
MarcScott 6y ago
Have a look at https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en We have Raspberry Pi projects, as well as simple Scratch projects, Python projects, HTML & CSS. Out two latest Scratch pathways are: https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/look-after-yourself https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/look-after-your... and https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/protect-our-planet https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/protect-our-pla... Which are designed to provide a progression in Scratch.

ampdepolymerase 6y ago

The key is to follow up. It is not about which present you get them. No amount of Raspberry Pis or Lego MindStorms are useful if you are not willing to spend time to guide her through it. Interest and passion is only helpful if there is nothing else. Children now have iPads and countless sources of entertainment/distraction. A Raspberry Pi to a Gen Z kid is not the same as an Apple II from your childhood to you.

peatmoss 6y ago
Yeah, I figure that will be the case. I assume I’ll have to do some work to see what is resonating with her and what is boring. I am hoping that someone will have some recommended starting places though—I feel like there are probably some things that are likely to be interesting to her that neither of us have any knowledge of. I guess I’m trying to figure out some candidate activities that might help fire her imagination.

Fuzzwah 6y ago

The raspberry pi foundation put out an excellent magazine https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/ https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/

peatmoss 6y ago
I hadn’t seen the magazine, but this looks like a great idea to keep abreast of current and curated activities. Thank you for that pointer.

MarcScott 6y ago

Have a look at https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en We have Raspberry Pi projects, as well as simple Scratch projects, Python projects, HTML & CSS. Out two latest Scratch pathways are: https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/look-after-yourself https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/look-after-your... and https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/protect-our-planet https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/pathways/protect-our-pla... Which are designed to provide a progression in Scratch.