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Starting point for kids/teens? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 1 day ago by naeap@sopuli.xyz to c/programming@programming.dev

41 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi!

Soon I'll have my little nephew (13) in my company to check out software development for a week.

I'm working with large industry machines in real time Linux systems, so obviously I'd show him my test machine and if the customer agrees, I can show him some robots as well.
Also, he will get some crash course in computer basics.

He is an avid gamer - although not really good with computers.

I've gifted him a still nice laptop with Linux and Steam installed 1-2 years ago and he happily played Minecraft, but after some time he went back to his Switch 2.

Now he uses my Steam Deck - although that doesn't make that much of a difference...

I'd like to give him something fun as an exercise, that's is early rewarding.

Perfect would be, if he could code himself a little computer game, but that's completely out of my normal work stuff and I don't know what good options are available.

I guess starting with C++ and an Unreal engine or similar is more than an overkill.

Is there something, that is teaching the basics and gives rather quick rewards, which can produce a little something after 2-3 days?

Thank you all in advance!

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[–] Akagigahara@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I can recommend a game called "The Farmer was Replaced". It's a game about controlling a drone over a field via python scripts. You can use an in-game editor or you can use a third-party editor. Personally, I quite enjoy the game for playfully interacting with coding.

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Uh, that sounds pretty cool

Thank you!

Edit: ok, had a first look, but I think, this is a winner
Thank you very much, that seems to be absolutely perfect!

[–] runner_g@piefed.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Another game to challenge his logical skills is Baba is You. It can really help put someone in a programming mindset.

If you're not familiar, you are this little sheep, Baba, and on each level there are blocks that correspond to game states. When you push them together you change the object properties of you or the environment to solve the level. For example there may be lava between you and the goal, and the blocks "lava" "is" "dead" tucked in a corner. Then you have a "not" block hanging out somewhere that you have to replace "is" with, to make the phrase "lava not dead" thereby turning off the lethality of the lava and letting you walk across it.

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 day ago

That sounds very good and fun, but with 13, I think, he can stomach some real code as well

But maybe I'll combine those, because I also want to give him a rough introduction into logical gates

Maybe this is all already to much for him... We will see

[–] thisisbutaname@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 day ago

I second this. One of the advantages is it'll give him immediate visual feedback on the changes he makes