Resources and a Guide to Teach Your Kid Python
Python is a high-level programming language that has simplified the understanding of coding concepts. It is among the top 10 programming languages. Learning the basics of coding becomes easier with Python for kids as well as for beginners, since most Python commands are simple English words. So kids do not have to juggle with any binary codes to learn how to code in Python. There are several code writing tools for Python that come with an easy-to-understand interface. These tools encourage the kids to try their hands at coding, thereby, catering to the need of learning Python for kids.
You can teach Python to kids without making them do any tedious pre-reading tasks. Python is considered to be the programming language of the moment and is being used to develop innumerable software applications. With this simple text-based programming language kids can write codes from printing ‘Hello World!’ to design animations and games. Python programming for kids fosters their interest in learning and executing various code snippets. Keep reading to know more about the advantages of learning this easy-to-start programming language Python for kids.
What is Python?
Python is one of the most popular programming languages of recent times. Like any other programming language, Python helps us to write various computer codes to obtain the desired output. The syntax of Python makes it easy for beginners as well, to code any set of instructions.
For example, if you want to print “Hello!” on the computer screen, the command line for it in Python will be:
print(‘Hello’)
Such a simple command set and syntax make it easier to learn Python for kids. Easy readability is one of those features of Python, which has led to its immense popularity among coders. Also, the important concepts of Object-oriented programming can be demonstrated easily with Python programming for kids. Some other beneficial features of Python are listed below.
Built-in data structures.
Encourages Code reuse.
Availability of an extensive standard library.
A super-fast edit-test-debug cycle.
Python emphasizes a simple programming approach that can be interpreted and understood without learning any complicated syntax. Also, as stated above, Python supports code reuse and modularity with the use of modules and packages. All these features of Python make it a cost-effective programming language.
Why Should Kids Learn Python?
Since Python is known for easy readability, Python programming for kids can instill a passion for coding among them without overwhelming them. In the era of digitalization, nothing can surpass the importance of coding. So among the other programming languages like Java, C#, etc, Python for kids is a convenient option for learning the concepts of coding. Here are a few reasons why kids should learn Python.
Python is one of the most flexible programming languages. It comes with an easily readable set of commands and syntax that is far less complicated than the other programming languages. These commands are plain English text-based words. Thereby making it more feasible for kids to learn Python.
Kids do not have to go through extensive textbook-reading, to start with coding in Python. Learning Python for kids is quite an achievable task, even if they do not have any prior knowledge of coding.
Python has an extensive standard library that can be imported based on the coding requirements. Kids can improvise many of their ideas when they code in Python by importing the desired libraries. This enhances the accessibility of Python. Kids can write Python codes for any program in fewer steps than they would have to write in Java or C.
Python is a very kid-friendly programming language, and kids can gradually experiment with various code snippets to write programs to create their own video games and animations.
It is very evident that the Python programming language is here to stay. So it is important to learn Python for kids owing to the wide range of its applications. Knowledge of Python will also give them the upper hand if they pursue higher studies in data science, automation, machine learning, and web development.
Despite various enhancements, the basic structure of the programming language of Python remains unaltered. Therefore, learning Python programming for kids will prove to be an advantage as their skills will not become obsolete in the future.
Learning Python will also enhance the critical thinking abilities of the kids. Yes, logical thinking is the key to understanding coding concepts. So, writing Python codes for various programs will enable kids to visualize and comprehend abstract concepts. This, in turn, will also trigger their ability to analyze and solve math problems.
What is the Best Way for Kids to Learn Python?
It will become more feasible to learn Python programming for kids when they follow some good video tutorials. You can find several trending video tutorials to get started with Python for kids, on the internet. Kids can learn the coding concepts of Python by referring to some good books, as well. For example, they can consult the books to learn the concept of variables in Python, and how changing a variable affects the output of a program, in detail.
The most important thing that has to be kept in mind while writing codes in Python is syntax. There are various code writing tools that enable kids to learn the key concepts of Python programming. To learn Python syntaxes kids can practice writing Python code snippets in these code writing tools. Often kids run away from learning programming languages due to the complicated syntaxes. However, with the simple syntax of Python, this issue is discarded. Kids can write Python codes to generate various fun animations, as per their interests.
It is very important to retain the interest of kids in Python tutorials, so they can develop a good concept of coding. For this, we need to break the whole information on any particular concept into bite-sized chunks and encourage kids to solve Python exercises on their own. This, in turn, makes learning Python programming for kids more manageable without causing them to lose interest. The more they solve Python exercises, the better they will be able to understand the concepts and applications of various coding elements, such as variable initialization, conditional statements, loops, functions, etc.
Installation can turn out to be very time-consuming for some programming environments but Python has a totally different story. It takes only three steps to install Python on a Windows system. Kids can install Python on their computer systems by downloading the software from the official website. They can take their parents’ help to select the version that is compatible with their Operating System. Once the installation is completed, they can start with all the interesting coding from scratch. The best way for kids to learn Python is to write and execute Python codes on the terminal or text editor.
Some of the Best Python Books for Kids
Once the kids develop a keen interest in coding in Python, it is the best time to add some substantial context for the same through books. Some of the best Python books for kids are listed below.
Teach Your Kids to Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming.
Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming.
The above-mentioned books are quite helpful for teaching kids the basics of Python programming. The book ‘Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming’ is written in a fun way that will help to retain the interest of young kids in learning this programming language. It is written in a very easy-to-understand manner that encourages kids to delve more into the concepts of Python. The book, ‘Teach Your Kids to Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming’, has a very interesting approach as well. The topics covered in this book are suitable for learning Python programming for kids. Kids can consult this book if they are stuck with any doubt while they learn to code in Python.
What can Kids do with Python?
To start with, kids can print simple messages like “Hello World!” or “Good Morning!” with Python, at the beginner’s level. They can also execute and print simple math calculations with the print function in Python. For example:
print(‘Good Morning!’)
Output: Good Morning!
print(12 + 10 - 2)
Output: 20
Not just single words, but separate messages, or the values of variables can also be printed using the print function in Python. For this, kids will have to learn the concept of variable initialization, first. For example:
print(‘melons’)
print(‘\n’)
print(‘cherry’)
Output: melons
cherry
x = 2
print(x)
Apart from the basic print function, kids can write codes for various fun interactive games in Python. There are various online tutorials on Python programming for kids, where they can learn to code for video games as well. Yes, that’s how interesting it gets with Python for kids with the various libraries available for import. Also, in Python, kids can write codes for creating animations. However, kids will have to learn a little more about loops, and conditional statements to write such advanced Python codes.
They can also try their hands at various open-source tools if they want to experiment some more with programming. From printing names, messages, and arithmetic calculations to coding for fun video games and other useful programs, Python lets the kids explore, and create, bringing their thoughts and ideas to life.
Python Resources for Kids
While there are several websites that have the concepts covered in detail, none of them has been designed for kids. For kids as well as beginners in the world of coding, this abundant pool of knowledge might come across as extremely overwhelming. That is exactly why we have curated a tailor-made coding curriculum for kids or beginners who are getting into the world of coding. The Vedantu Super Coders course is designed in such a way that kids find it extremely easy to step into the world of programming. So if you’re looking to teach your kids python, we highly recommend you check our courses on Python.
FAQs on Python for Kids
1. What are the basic python programming concepts for Kids?
There are 5 core concepts in python programming that are taught to kids. These 5 concepts include data types, variables, functions, loops and modules. Data types refer to the classification of data that informs the compiler on how to use a piece of data and determines what values an object can store and what function can be performed on it. Basic data types that are supported by the Python programming language are integer, float, list, string, tuple and dictionary. Variables refer to the containers that hold certain values. These variables can be reused and changed easily. The names of variables can be anything except that they cannot start with a number, contain spaces or special characters or have the same name as another variable. Functions are the blocks of code that perform a specific action. Arguments are added in order to pass data into a function. Loops refer to the python codes that run over and over again. Loops are written in two forms for loops and while loops. Modules in python refer to files that contain a set of codes that can be included in the application. You can either write your own module or use a python in-built module.
2. What are the tips that can help kids learn python efficiently?
Python is an easy programming language and students can learn it very quickly by following certain tips from experts. These tips are:
Instead of copying codes from textbooks, type the codes by hand . Python is a precise language that is very particular about spelling, punctuations and white spaces.
Try out functions and programming ideas that may pop up in your mind to actually see how those functions work.
Even if you get your program wrong, go easy on yourself, python is something new to you so you will take time to understand and be good at it.
Start with writing small codes that involve easy tasks and then gradually increase your level of programs.
Also, make a habit of making a plan before you attempt a new program so that you know the flow of your program well.
Break your big programs into small groups and work on each group independently. This way you’ll complete the whole program without any errors.
Keep your difficult programs as simple in language as you can.
Take small breaks between coding lessons so that you don't get overstressed.
3. Why should we encourage kids to learn python?
Python is one of the most important programming languages nowadays. From the corporate world to school life, python is applied in all phases and subjects. Students must be in the habit of learning computer languages from the beginning. This will make their survival in the corporate world really easy and they will also get an upper hand in the world of computer science. Learning python will enable students to create anything that they can imagine like games, websites or digital arts. Kids can learn to draw using turtle graphics, manipulate images using processing.py and make charts and plots with matplotlib or control hardware gadgets. Python can also use various in-built modules so that they can accomplish any task that they want to.
4. Will python be a good programming language for kids to start with?
Python language is made up of simple syntax and is very close to our everyday English language as compared to other languages like javascript that have complex brackets and declaration keywords. Therefore, Python is a very good language to intrude kids into the world of programming and also generate their interest in this field. Python is widely used in the real world, unlike other languages which are purely for educational purposes. Python is a top programming language for a wide range of applications.
5. What are the future prospects of python programming for kids?
Learning Python Programming can open up a lot of career options for kids in the future. Since many advanced fields are using Python, a lot of career opportunities are available now. These career opportunities will continue to grow in the future as well. Some notable ones are:
Data Scientists are a group of highly skilled professionals who not only know how to work with data, but are also well-versed with statistical methods and algorithms.
Data Analysts are a group of people who analyze various kinds of data and come up with data-driven insights. Data analysts facilitate businessmen to make better decisions on the basis of their studies and findings.
Python Programmers are a group of professionals who develop different applications using Python.
Game Developers are the people who combine creativity with innovation in the field of the gaming industry. Not only Java and C++ are used in gaming, but also python is now quite commonly used for the development of different games. Python also contains libraries that facilitate the development of games.
Therefore, with all these advantages of python Programming Are, many more options can open up for your kid that will bring them a step closer to his lucrative future career.
