Attitudes on Programming for Kids: “They Need Blood Exploding Onto Their Faces Just to Keep Them From Yawning”
I wrote a book titled “Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python” (free online under Creative Commons at http://inventwithpython.com) to teach kids (and adult beginners) how to write computer programs by making simple games. The book adopts a different teaching style from most programming books. Rather than tediously list out the programming concepts I instead present the source code to several games and introduce the concepts as I explain the code line by line. The programs themselves start off simple and text-based (“Guess the Number”, Tic Tac Toe, Hangman, etc.) and then progress in complexity.
The decision to use text-based games was done on purpose. Text is easy to present in a book and to be understood by the reader. There are no 3D models, sprites, or textures to download. By typing in the text themselves instead of using pre-made models and artwork, the reader makes the program their own rather than the product of third party content.
But from people on the Internet (who are my main audience) the most common criticism is that a programming book for kids must have fancy graphics and animation or else the kids will get bored. I receive a fair share of emails where readers and parents disagree, but we have the idea, deserved or not, that all kids live in fast-paced, ADD world of blinking lights, fiery explosions, and flashing images that we hypocritically deride and yet cater to. And if you want to teach programming, you’re going to need sophisticated toolkits with animated models, particle effects, and huge sandbox worlds that are creatable at the click of a button. I call this the “blood exploding onto their faces just to keep them from yawning” mentality. Actually typing out code is seen as dull, tedious, and an effort kids are not willing to make.
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