Teaching programming to a 9-year old?

[Fat Tone]

Where to start? Luke is showing an interest in programming but I really don't want to put him off by exposing him to way too much detail too soon.

Any suggestions for a language/platform that will teach the right concepts yet still allow him to produce something fairly rapidly?

TIA

T.

PS When I started it was the days of the Sinclair Spectrum and the BBC Micro, so just turn it on and start writing BASIC...

[Umfriend]

How about Logo?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_%28programming_language%29

[Fat Tone]

Thanks Umf. I did consider that, and have actually used it for various psych experiments (I mean I get the subjects to use it). It could be a good starter.

[TransformX]

How about Logo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_%2...ng_language%29

You can also try basic and later pascal or a language with similar syntax.

Remember though, anything higher than assembly is for n00bs. Real 1337 code with a hex editor and use pure machine code!

[schmosef]

I was thinking of suggesting Logo too.

[Dr Mordrid]

Count me in. Erik started Logo a few months ago & I used it with the other 3 as well. Now both older sons are crackerjack programmers in C and the 'net languages. I credit Logo teaching them good first principles.

http://www.softronix.com/logo.html

[jms]

A coworker is teaching KPL to his oldest kid:

http://www.kidsprogramminglanguage.com/

[Nowhere]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeak ?

AFAIK it's an intergral part of "100$ laptop"

[schmosef]

KPL looks neat!

I had another thought.

You may want to consider getting him a Lego Mindstorms kit.

With a Mindstorms kit he can learn a little bit about engineering as well as programming.

There's a visual programming language that you can start with, plus there's a module that will let you program the brick in C# (C# Express Edition is free). And now you can even design and program (and interact in real-time) with a Mindstorms robot using Microsoft Robotics Studio, which is free for hobbyist use.

I'd bet money that Doc's got one for his kid!
(If not, I'm sure it's on his list of things to buy when Eric is ready)

Personally, I think that personal robotics will be the next big growth industry. I think that robotics is at the point where computers were in the 60s and early 70s. I believe that sometime in the next decade we will reach critical mass in a bunch of convergent technologies and suddenly devices like the Roomba will be viable, useful and economical.

[Dr Mordrid]

I'd bet money that Doc's got one for his kid!
(If not, I'm sure it's on his list of things to buy when Eric is ready)

plus our district has a robotics lab starting in 6th grade. Not toys but real robotic arms & other such stuff. I feel so left out

BTW: KPL 2 came out and was renamed "Phrogram".

Downside: commercial

Link....

[TnT]

Yeah I started with logo and Apple IIe basic.

I wish I had mindstorms when I was a kid.

[Fat Tone]

Thanks for all the suggestions

By sheer coincidence this free tool Scratch for easy code free programming was just announced! There's also a link in that article to hackety hack