What can we do as parents to prepare our children for the many academic challenges at school while setting them up for successful careers? One answer is clear: Coding. Let’s look at programming courses that teach Python and see how coding can transform your child from consumer to creator. What Is Python? Python is the text-based programming language used by millions of professional coders at places like Google, IBM, and even NASA! Senior Project Engineer, Robin Friedrich, was tasked with finding a better way to handle data management on and quickly discovered that Python was the answer. “Things just work the first time,” says Friedrich. “No other language exhibits that trait like Python.” United Space Alliance’s NASA’s shuttle missions According to Cuong Do, a Software Architect at : YouTube.com Python is fast enough for our site and allows us to produce maintainable features in record times, with a minimum of developers. Due to it being stable, secure, and flexible, Python’s straightforward syntax is the preferred language of Data Science professionals around the world, many of whom are developing groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications. Python is also used in image processing and graphic design applications for 2D imaging software and 3D animation. According to the , “Python is the foundation for popular games like Battlefield 2, Frets on Fire, World of Tanks, Disney’s Toontown Online, Vega Strike, and Civilization-IV.” Enough said? Probably, but there’s so much more! But why would my kid be motivated to learn Python? UpGrad Blog Is Learning Python Easy? The rules of Python syntax are simple enough for anyone to learn, even coders as young as 9 or 10. It’s a Perfect First Programming Language. Tynker offers a great with a private teacher for ages 12+ in which kids can solve real world problems in math and science, design games, & more. l ive one-on-one class Why Is Learning Python Important? While Python can be used for simple tasks, millions of working programmers make a living writing Python every day. Worldwide Use in the High-Tech Industry. Academics, data journalists, and researchers use Python too. The faster-than-average growth in hiring—predicting over half a million in new hires in tech over the next 10 years at fantastic salaries. US Department of Labor estimates Why Should a Kid Learn Python? Want to make games? Create a website or cool digital art? No matter what makes you excited about computer programming, Python’s wide variety of modules (also called libraries) make creating applications fast. Create Anything You Imagine. For example: Draw using Turtle Graphics Manipulate images with Processing.py Make charts and plots with Matplotlib, Find hundreds of useful modules to help you accomplish any task you want. You can even use Python to take control of hardware gadgets like the or BBC Micro:bit . Doctor Who Inventor Coding Kit What Is Python Used For? Explore Data Science Python is also used in the world of Data Science, where analysts try to uncover patterns and gain insight into the data all around us. Take Tynker’s course and prepare for what some call “ !” Data Science 1 America’s Hottest Job Prepare for College Python is king — it’s the most popular language choice for introductory college Computer Science courses. Get ready for college by learning Python — and of course, once you have one programming language under your belt, you can quickly learn more. Can a Kid Learn Python? Yes! A kid’s brain is like a sponge, absorbing information at a fast rate. Just like a foreign language, learning a text language like Python is best learned at an early age. Plus, Python is easy to learn, whether your kid has programming experience or not. Python’s Welcoming Community Learning alone can be hard. That’s why the Python community has a beginner-friendly attitude. Meet-ups, , , and free tutorials, and much more are available worldwide. online communities professional development documentation More than that, you’ll be able to make connections with hundreds of thousands of first-time Python learners, just like you. Maybe you’ll even go to , the international meetup of Python developers and educators. PyCon Tynker’s Community allows you to share your Python projects and quickly get feedback and ideas for improvement! What Is the Best Age to Learn Python? Kids can learn to code Python as early as elementary school. Here’s how they can get started: You might be tempted to copy and paste out of a book or tutorial, but you should get familiar with typing by hand. Remember: Python is strict. You need to be precise with spelling, punctuation, and even white space! Type Everything. Want to know how a particular function or programming idea works? Try it out in a short program. You can’t break the computer, so just run some short experiments. Try it out! Unlike other tasks that you might do in school, it’s very common to write an incorrect program the first, second, or even third time! Be patient and expect to make mistakes. Go Easy on Yourself. Looking to make games? Simple, old-school arcade games from the 1970s and 80s are a great start for beginners: Research and recreate classics like , , and . Start Small. Space Invaders Pong Centipede Don’t underestimate the satisfaction of actually completing a working prototype! Whether you’re coding a game or a different kind of project, try to create the “Minimum Viable Product” for your idea. When you start writing original programs, begin the process by working with pen-and-paper. For example, you might restate the purpose of your program in your own words. Make a Plan. Think about the program’s inputs and outputs. Write them down. Think about which variables are needed to complete the program. Give them meaningful names, so that the name helps someone reading the code understand the value that’s represented by each variable. Break the program down into small parts. For each small part or feature, write the code that accomplishes that feature. As you write your code, add comments to describe the purpose of each code segment. Divide and Conquer. Test your code as soon as you write it to cover all possibilities — try all the different inputs that a user or player might attempt. Once everything is working, think about what single feature you want to implement next. Write some more code, and test that feature, too. Test Everything, Line by Line. Take a break, take a walk, or get a good night’s sleep and come back to your code. The best debugger is a well-rested mind. Feeling Stumped? What Are the Best Python Courses for Kids? Research shows that gamified courses and activities offered by companies like work best because when kids are having fun, they’re motivated to see projects through to completion. In addition, they can pick up key fundamental coding concepts along the way such as loops, conditionals, and syntax. Tynker For example: Tynker offers , an engaging interactive course suitable for readers of any age. Start by solving movement puzzles and brushing up on core coding concepts — before you know it, you’ll be designing games like , , and (available to all Tynker users). Python 101 Snake Frogger Tetris What is The Best Way for Kids to Learn Python? Here are some different choices to get your kids coding with the Python programming language: – a great source for all things Python. Python.org – self-paced gamified courses and activities inspire kids to create their own video games, art, and websites with Python. Tynker – a selection of Python courses, classes, and bootcamps. Udemy – online Python courses and forums. Codecademy – online coding classes with a live instructor. CodeWizardsHQ – free Python lessons and string challenges from Trinket. Hour of Python – free Python exercises. HackInScience – Articles, podcasts, tutorials, and tricks for Python fans. Real Python – Visualize your Python code’s execution, step-by-step. Python Tutor – Free Python books for beginners. Invent with Python Your child will love discovering the many benefits of using Python, and you’ll love that they’re learning valuable real-world skills that will prepare them for AP Computer Science, college, and maybe even a rewarding creative career. and learn more about inspiring the next generation to change the world through code. Check out Tynker’s Curriculum About the Author is the Chief Growth Officer of Tynker, with 20 years of experience helping startups grow into successful businesses. Lomit has previously played a critical role in scaling growth at startups, including Roku (IPO), TrustedID (acquired by Equifax), Texture (acquired. by Apple), and IMVU (#2 top-grossing gaming app). Lomit is a public speaker, author, and advisor, with numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including being recognized as a Mobile Hero by Liftoff. Lomit's book is part of Eric Ries' best-selling "The Lean Startup" series. Lomit Patel Lean AI Originally published . here

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