Teach Your Kids to Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming

by Bryson Payne

Overview

Teach Your Kids to Code is a parent's and teacher's guide to teaching kids basic programming and problem solving using Python, the powerful language used in college courses and by tech companies like Google and IBM.

Step-by-step explanations will have kids learning computational thinking right away, while visual and game-oriented examples hold their attention. Friendly introductions to fundamental programming concepts such as variables, loops, and functions will help even the youngest programmers build the skills they need to make their own cool games and applications.

Whether you've been coding for years or have never programmed anything at all, Teach Your Kids to Code will help you show your young programmer how to:
–Explore geometry by drawing colorful shapes with Turtle graphics
–Write programs to encode and decode messages, play Rock-Paper-Scissors, and calculate how tall someone is in Ping-Pong balls
–Create fun, playable games like War, Yahtzee, and Pong
–Add interactivity, animation, and sound to their apps

Teach Your Kids to Code is the perfect companion to any introductory programming class or after-school meet-up, or simply your educational efforts at home. Spend some fun, productive afternoons at the computer with your kids—you can all learn something!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781593276812
Publisher:	No Starch Press
Publication date:	04/01/2015
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	902,958
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Bryson Payne has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Georgia State University and is a tenured Professor of Computer Science at the University of North Georgia, where he has taught for over 15 years.???? He previously taught middle-school math and programming and continues to work extensively with K-12 schools to promote technology education.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What Is Coding and Why Is It Good for Your Kids?
Chapter 1: Python Basics: Get to Know Your Environment
Chapter 2: Turtle Graphics: Drawing with Python
Chapter 3: Numbers and Variables: Python Does the Math
Chapter 4: Loops Are Fun (You Can Say That Again)
Chapter 5: Conditions (What If?)
Chapter 6: Random Fun and Games: Go Ahead, Take a Chance!
Chapter 7: Functions: There’s a Name for That
Chapter 8: Timers and Animation: What Would Disney Do?
Chapter 9: User Interaction: Get into the Game
Chapter 10: Game Programming: Coding for Fun
Appendix A: Python Setup for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Appendix B: Pygame Setup for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Appendix C: Building Your Own Modules
Glossary
Index

Editorial Reviews

A straightforward, crystal-clear guide to programming in Python...Sophisticated concepts and serious programming make for an easy, enjoyable game for families.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“An easy five stars . . . With the information provided in Teach Your Kids to Code, kids (and adults) will have a solid foundation from which to jump to more advanced programming books.”
—James Floyd Kelly, GeekDad

“Kid coders who have mastered the likes of Scratch, or older students who are math inclined and want to learn how to code, will find a worthy choice in Payne’s guide to Python programming.”
—School Library Journal

“The text is clear, the graphics are engaging, and the apps are awesome. This is the programming guide for parents and kids to enjoy together.”
—Aaron Walker, Cybersecurity Expert, NASA

“Every child on the planet should have this book, and so should every parent.”
—James E. Daniel, Jr., Founder, App Studios, LLC


“The kind of book I wish I’d had as a kid.”
—Scott Hand, Software Engineer, CareerBuilder

From the Publisher

2015-06-29
A programming manual for parents and kids to use together. This is a straightforward, crystal-clear guide to programming in Python, the language used for Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube, according to the introduction. Speaking both to parents (with advice for teaching code to kids of various ages) and kids ("Python does your homework"), the instructions are easy enough for advanced middle-graders (or technophobe parents) to follow alone. Payne makes coding intuitive, explaining what every line of code does in a way that encourages, often explicitly, the new coder to experiment just to see what happens instead of asking them to simply regurgitate the example codes he provides. And the codes he provides usually have flashy results—such as brightly colored, cool computer-generated artwork; homework-help programs; and games. By marrying artistic visuals (and their mathematical bases) to textual explanations of the code, the book provides points of entry for a wide variety of learning styles. Although it's math-heavy, it presents the math as a purposeful means to an end—it doesn't intimidate and likely will result in increased confidence in school. The full-color printing includes charming spot illustrations, code-output screenshots, and example codes in a layout and color scheme identical to the Python editor. Sophisticated concepts and serious programming make for an easy, enjoyable game for families. (Python setup information, Pygame setup instructions, module-building instructions, glossary, index, website address for updates) (Nonfiction. 8 & up)

Kirkus Reviews