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Which programming languages and tech stacks would be the least difficult for my young sons to start programming with? I want them to be able to do something gra

Which programming languages and tech stacks would be the least difficult for my young sons to start programming with? I want them to be able to do something graphical, 2D or 3D with motion.

jules 17y ago
Suggestions: Logo, Squeak, Hackety Hack.
- mahmud 17y ago
  Also, tell him about Alice and Scratch :-) http://www.alice.org/ http://www.alice.org/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ I have played with Scratch longer and its just pure fun. It actually teaches code-sharing; kids can push their projects to a central repo where other kids can see a screenshot and run the program in their browsers (java applet) or download the source code. You will often see "forks" of someone's game show up with interesting changes.
  - igrekel 17y ago
    I second the recommendation for Scratch. It is an environment where you have sprites and other objects. You program by assembling visual blocks that are either control structures, instruction top modify properties of objects, event triggers etc. It is good because it greatly reduces the part of learning to program where you find the syntax errors in your code. It is also a lot of fun because the result of your program is visual, animated and interactive. I introduced it to my nieces a few month ago. I installed it, opened it and told them they could use it to create games, I didn't teach or showed them anything about it. Since then, they have created a few games and started a contest with their cousins on who creates the best game. Also scratch itself is constructed in Squeak, the environment the kids used in the original article.
jodrellblank 17y ago
Oh for the days of QBasic. SCREEN 12 LINE (2,2) - (200,200) Or possibly Python with http://vpython.org/ http://vpython.org/ ( http://vpython.org/contents/bounce_example.html http://vpython.org/contents/bounce_example.html )
yumraj 17y ago
My son just turned 4, so I'm in a similar boat. My current thoughts are to use something like Lego Mindstorm NXT. This way he will be able to program graphically which will teach him logic and the robot will show the result of what he did, instant gratification. A much more playful environment for a 4 year old than see some script/compiler/IDE stuff. Any Thoughts??
- eru 17y ago
  Sounds like good idea. If you have to go with software only for some reason, Squeak should be nice. Also VPython (http://vpython.org/ http://vpython.org/) allows one to animate 3D-scenes easily. PyGame (http://www.pygame.org/news.html http://www.pygame.org/news.html) might also be worth a look, however it is slightly more difficult to get started (the level of abstraction seems to be a bit lower, as you handle sprites yourself).
- vidarh 17y ago
  Sounds good, but don't underestimate kids abilities to be fascinated even by simpler stuff. I learned BASIC at 5 on a VIC 20 - what made me interested was not games, but seeing my dad sit and program it. Just text. I had no idea what he was actually doing.

Which programming languages and tech stacks would be the least difficult for my young sons to start programming with? I want them to be able to do something graphical, 2D or 3D with motion.

jules 17y ago

Suggestions: Logo, Squeak, Hackety Hack.

mahmud 17y ago
Also, tell him about Alice and Scratch :-) http://www.alice.org/ http://www.alice.org/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ I have played with Scratch longer and its just pure fun. It actually teaches code-sharing; kids can push their projects to a central repo where other kids can see a screenshot and run the program in their browsers (java applet) or download the source code. You will often see "forks" of someone's game show up with interesting changes.
- igrekel 17y ago
  I second the recommendation for Scratch. It is an environment where you have sprites and other objects. You program by assembling visual blocks that are either control structures, instruction top modify properties of objects, event triggers etc. It is good because it greatly reduces the part of learning to program where you find the syntax errors in your code. It is also a lot of fun because the result of your program is visual, animated and interactive. I introduced it to my nieces a few month ago. I installed it, opened it and told them they could use it to create games, I didn't teach or showed them anything about it. Since then, they have created a few games and started a contest with their cousins on who creates the best game. Also scratch itself is constructed in Squeak, the environment the kids used in the original article.

jodrellblank 17y ago

Oh for the days of QBasic. SCREEN 12 LINE (2,2) - (200,200) Or possibly Python with http://vpython.org/ http://vpython.org/ ( http://vpython.org/contents/bounce_example.html http://vpython.org/contents/bounce_example.html )

yumraj 17y ago

My son just turned 4, so I'm in a similar boat. My current thoughts are to use something like Lego Mindstorm NXT. This way he will be able to program graphically which will teach him logic and the robot will show the result of what he did, instant gratification. A much more playful environment for a 4 year old than see some script/compiler/IDE stuff. Any Thoughts??

eru 17y ago
Sounds like good idea. If you have to go with software only for some reason, Squeak should be nice. Also VPython (http://vpython.org/ http://vpython.org/) allows one to animate 3D-scenes easily. PyGame (http://www.pygame.org/news.html http://www.pygame.org/news.html) might also be worth a look, however it is slightly more difficult to get started (the level of abstraction seems to be a bit lower, as you handle sprites yourself).
vidarh 17y ago
Sounds good, but don't underestimate kids abilities to be fascinated even by simpler stuff. I learned BASIC at 5 on a VIC 20 - what made me interested was not games, but seeing my dad sit and program it. Just text. I had no idea what he was actually doing.