I’d recommend starting with this as well. The setup() and loop() model gets you started quickly and can take you through a lot of small projects before you want

I’d recommend starting with this as well. The setup() and loop() model gets you started quickly and can take you through a lot of small projects before you want timers or other advanced features. Plenty of tutorials and libraries (often “working but not high-quality”) are available as well. Even if c/c++ scares you a little, I’d still start there (I came from a long c/c++ background, but I’ve seen my kids be able to do it with not nearly as much help as I expected to give them). Dirt cheap and readily available as well. Clones are fine; you don’t need the name brand Arduino boards.