Today’s kids start becoming tech-savvy as toddlers, and it won’t be long before a basic working knowledge of programming becomes a standard prerequisite for many careers: not just in tech but in marketing, communications, security and more now that so much of our world runs on computers and online. Here are some terrific books that aim to painlessly introduce kids aged 10 and up to the world of computer programming in multiple programming languages.
If you’ve got a kid who’s crazy for videogames or apps, it may be time to get him or her thinking about what goes into them from behind the scenes.
Ruby Wizardry: An Introduction to Programming for Kids (5/5 stars, currently priced at $12.97)
The Ruby programming language is perfect for beginners: easy to learn, powerful, and fun to use! But wouldn’t it be more fun if you were learning with the help of some wizards and dragons?
Ruby Wizardry is a playful, illustrated tale that will teach you how to program in Ruby by taking you on a fantastical journey. As you follow the adventures of young heroes Ruben and Scarlet, you’ll learn real programming skills, like how to:
– Use fundamental concepts like variables, symbols, arrays, and strings
– Work with Ruby hashes to create a programmable breakfast menu
– Control program flow with loops and conditionals to help the Royal Plumber
– Test your wild and crazy ideas in IRB and save your programs as scripts
– Create a class of mini-wizards, each with their own superpower!
– Organize and reuse your code with methods and lists
– Write your own amazing interactive stories using Ruby
Along the way, you’ll meet colorful characters from around the kingdom, like the hacker Queen, the Off-White Knight, and Wherefore the minstrel. Ruby Wizardry will have you (or your little wizard) hooked on programming in no time.
For ages 10+ (and their parents!)
Java Programming for Kids: Learn Java Step By Step and Build Your Own Interactive Calculator for Fun! – Java for Beginners (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $2.99)
***** #1 Best Seller in Children’s Computer Programming *****
Ever use that free calculator application on your computer? Probably, but chances are it was such an unmemorable experience that you couldn’t say for sure whether you have or not. What if that calculator knew your name? What if it carried on a conversation with you, and asked you questions? You’d probably remember it a little better! Maybe even make a point of using it whenever you needed to crack an equation!
But you know what? You could build your own one-of-a-kind calculator. All you need is Java.
Java is a very powerful, yet easy to learn language. It’s absolutely FREE and it’s EVERYWHERE – on your phone, on your computer, and on many other devices all around you every day, and in “Java Programming for Kids: Learn Java Step By Step and Build Your Own Interactive Calculator for Fun!” bestselling author R. Chandler Thompson will start you on your path as a Java programmer! In this tutorial you will learn:
• How to set up the basic Java development environment and start developing any application you can imagine
• How to create programs that interact with the people using them
• Learn quick and easy ways to do math using Java
• Exactly how a Java program works
• How to make your programs reusable and structured with the help of methods
• How to create a number of specific Java programs
• How to develop a cool Talking Calculator
Learning is not complete until we can apply what we have learned to our own lives. In case of programming, your learning will only be a success when are able to use your own knowledge of Java programming to create something brand new.
Java programming is a language, sure, but it’s also an art – just like music composition. In “Java Programming for Kids: Learn Java Step By Step and Build Your Own Interactive Calculator for Fun!” You will quickly and effectively learn the language you need to create something fun, exciting, and awesome!
Learn to Program with Scratch: A Visual Introduction to Programming with Games, Art, Science, and Math (5/5 stars, currently priced at $9.78)
Scratch is a fun, free, beginner-friendly programming environment where you connect blocks of code to build programs. While most famously used to introduce kids to programming, Scratch can make computer science approachable for people of any age. Rather than type countless lines of code in a cryptic programming language, why not use colorful command blocks and cartoon sprites to create powerful scripts?
In Learn to Program with Scratch, author Majed Marji uses Scratch to explain the concepts essential to solving real-world programming problems. The labeled, color-coded blocks plainly show each logical step in a given script, and with a single click, you can even test any part of your script to check your logic. You’ll learn how to:
– Harness the power of repeat loops and recursion
– Use if/else statements and logical operators to make decisions
– Store data in variables and lists to use later in your program
– Read, store, and manipulate user input
– Implement key computer science algorithms like a linear search and bubble sort
Hands-on projects will challenge you to create an Ohm’s law simulator, draw intricate patterns, program sprites to mimic line-following robots, create arcade-style games, and more! Each chapter is packed with detailed explanations, annotated illustrations, guided examples, lots of color, and plenty of exercises to help the lessons stick. Learn to Program with Scratch is the perfect place to start your computer science journey, painlessly.
Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $15.37)
For Kids Aged 10+ (And Their Parents)
The code in this book runs on almost anything: Windows, Mac, Linux, even an OLPC laptop or Raspberry Pi!
Python is a powerful, expressive programming language that’s easy to learn and fun to use! But books about learning to program in Python can be kind of dull, gray, and boring, and that’s no fun for anyone.
Python for Kids brings Python to life and brings you (and your parents) into the world of programming. The ever-patient Jason R. Briggs will guide you through the basics as you experiment with unique (and often hilarious) example programs that feature ravenous monsters, secret agents, thieving ravens, and more. New terms are defined; code is colored, dissected, and explained; and quirky, full-color illustrations keep things on the lighter side.
Chapters end with programming puzzles designed to stretch your brain and strengthen your understanding. By the end of the book you’ll have programmed two complete games: a clone of the famous Pong and “Mr. Stick Man Races for the Exit”—a platform game with jumps, animation, and much more.
As you strike out on your programming adventure, you’ll learn how to:
– Use fundamental data structures like lists, tuples, and maps
– Organize and reuse your code with functions and modules
– Use control structures like loops and conditional statements
– Draw shapes and patterns with Python’s turtle module
– Create games, animations, and other graphical wonders with tkinter
Why should serious adults have all the fun? Python for Kids is your ticket into the amazing world of computer programming.
Javascript for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming (5/5 stars, currently priced at $15.37)
JavaScript is the programming language of the Internet, the secret sauce that makes the Web awesome, your favorite sites interactive, and online games fun!
JavaScript for Kids is a lighthearted introduction that teaches programming essentials through patient, step-by-step examples paired with funny illustrations. You’ll begin with the basics, like working with strings, arrays, and loops, and then move on to more advanced topics, like building interactivity with jQuery and drawing graphics with Canvas.
Along the way, you’ll write games such as Find the Buried Treasure, Hangman, and Snake. You’ll also learn how to:
– Create functions to organize and reuse your code
– Write and modify HTML to create dynamic web pages
– Use the DOM and jQuery to make your web pages react to user input
– Use the Canvas element to draw and animate graphics
– Program real user-controlled games with collision detection and score keeping
With visual examples like bouncing balls, animated bees, and racing cars, you can really see what you’re programming. Each chapter builds on the last, and programming challenges at the end of each chapter will stretch your brain and inspire your own amazing programs. Make something cool with JavaScript today!
Ages 10+ (and their parents!)
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