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Teach Your Kids to Code: Learn to Program Python at Any Age!

Name: Teach Your Kids to Code: Learn to Program Python at Any Age!
Rating: 4.5 (10632 reviews)

Short, colorful apps and games you can use to teach and learn programming at any age! Chromebook, PC, Mac and Linux!

Created byBryson Payne

Last updated 4/2023

English

What you'll learn

Teach students to code apps and games in Python 3.9 for Chromebook, PC, Mac, or Linux
Draw colorful spirals and shapes with Turtle graphics in Python
Create fun, playable games like War, Yahtzee, and Rock-Paper-Scissors
Code interactive apps that respond to user input and mouse clicks
Master variables, loops and functions to prepare for more advanced programming courses (and a brighter future)!

Course content

9 sections • 115 lectures • 7h 24m total length

Welcome and Introduction2:30
What is coding, and why is it good for your kids? Plus, how to get the most from this course.
Installing Python and Getting Started3:13
How to download and install the FREE Python programming environment step-by-step
NEW: Installing Python 3.6 and Getting Started2:04
How to install the NEW Python version 3.6 on a Mac.
Update: Installing Python 3.6 on Windows PC's3:52
How to install the NEW Python version 3.6 on Windows PC's.
Update Video: Using Python 3.5 on Windows4:15
Bonus Q&A Video: Students AJ & Paula asked for a video showing Python installation on Windows and whether the newer Python 3.5 would work for all the lessons in the book and online course - this video answers both questions (spoiler alert, it's a YES!) - thank you, AJ & Paula, for posting great questions!
Writing Your First Program in Python2:38
Write and save your first Python program.
Running and Modifying Programs in Python1:28
Run Python programs, and change them to make them even cooler!
Extra App: NiceHexSpiral.py2:02
Run and modify a fun, visual program that draws a multi-color spiral.
Coding Python on Chromebook!6:35
Chromebook update: Use the free web site https://repl.it to code in Python on your Chromebook, iPad, or any device with a web browser - no software installation required!
Repl.it is also a great option for students at school who don't have administrator privileges to install software. Surf to https://repl.it, create a free account and verify your email, and start coding in Python now!
What You Can Do Now0:41
By the end of Section 1, you should:

Have a fully functional Python environment and text editor (IDLE)

Be able to enter programming commands directly into the Python Shell

Be able to write, save, run and modify short Python programs in IDLE

Be ready to try more advanced programs in Section 2
Programming Challenges - Practice What You've Learned2:06
The simple YourName.py app has all the necessary components for us to build a much more interesting program, like the old-fashioned Mad Libs® word games.

Try the challenge problems at the end of each section to extend your learning even further, and write code that's even cooler!
Section 1 Programming Challenges: MadLibs 1 & 2!1:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
Step-by-Step Python 3 Setup for PC, Mac or Linux (with Screenshots)21:00
Quick, clear how-to for installing Python on PC, Mac or Linux, with screenshots!

Intro to Turtle Graphics in Python0:56
Introduction to Turtle graphics in Python, and an overview of what you'll learn in Section 2.
SquareSpiral: Our First Turtle Program6:36
Write a 5-line Turtle program in Python from scratch! Draws a hypnotizing square spiral on your screen!
Turtle on a Roll: Building A Winding Spiral2:24
Change your program to make it even cooler! Modify the square spiral to draw a winding spiral staircase/pyramid shape!
Loop the Loop: Creating a Circle Spiral3:41
Use the circle() function in Python's Turtle graphics to draw circles of varying sizes for a cool pattern!
Adding Color to Your Turtle Drawings2:09
Add color to your turtle creations using the pencolor() function.
Painting a Four-Color Spiral6:56
Use a list of colors to paint a four-color square spiral!
Changing Background Colors3:40
Change the background color of your turtle screen by using turtle.bgcolor().
One Variable to Rule Them All...5:13
Store a simple number value in a variable and use it in a program to change shapes easily.
Section 2 Programming Challenges2:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S2P1 Programming Challenge Solution: 10-color spiral!2:12
Challenge 1 Color Spiral 10
S2P2 Programming Challenge Solution: How Many Sides?2:01
Challenge 2 Color Spiral Choice
S2P3 Programming Challenge Solution: Rubber Band Ball2:16
Challenge 3 Rubber Band Ball

Intro to Variables: Where we keep our stuff1:05
An introduction to variables in Python, and an overview of what you'll learn in Section 3.
Numbers and Math in Python6:50
Create your own variables using strings, and store user input in string variables.
Python Numbers and Operators3:06
Use basic math operators in Python to perform calculations.
Math in the Python Shell2:15
Perform math operations using the Python Shell.
Syntax Errors: What did you say?2:16
Understand and correct syntax errors - when your computer can't understand you in Python.
Variables in the Python Shell2:31
Use variables to store numbers and perform calculations in the command-line Python Shell.
Programming with Operators6:44
Write a program using Python math operators to figure out the total cost of a pizza order, including sales tax.
Strings: The real characters in Python4:13
Write a program that stores strings of text as variables, and says your name on the screen 100 times!
Improving Our Color Spiral with Strings5:50
Write colorful text on the Turtle screen, and create a multicolor spiral of your name!
Lists in Python5:41
Store values in a list or array, and use a list of colors to draw in a colorful pattern on the screen.
Python Math App: Python does your math homework!4:45
Let Python do your Math homework! Ask for input, evaluate expressions, and do a variety of math functions interactively in your own program!
Section 3 Programming Challenges1:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S3P1 Programming Challenge Solution: Circle Spiral Input!2:29
Challenge 1 Circle Spiral Input
S3P2 Programming Challenge Solution: Color Me Spiralled2:09
Challenge 2 Color Me Spiralled

Loops are Fun: You can say that again!1:07
Introduction to loops in Python, and an overview of what you'll learn in Section 4.
Building Your Own FOR Loops2:41
Learn to code faster and cleaner using loops to repeat a set of statements as many times as you wish!
Using a FOR Loop to Draw a Rosette4:10
Build your own for loop from scratch to create a beautiful rosette shape with four circles!
Modifying a FOR Loop3:59
Modify a for loop to draw rosettes with 6 and 10 circles each!
Adding User Input in Turtle: Rosette Gone Wild!4:33
Ask the user for input using GUI windows in Turtle! Let the user decide how many circles to draw on the screen!
Special Guest Lesson: Alex's Colorful Rosette Loop3:56
A colorful bonus program from my oldest son, Alex (he was 5 when he came up with this!). Draws two sets of overlapping rosettes in red and yellow on a black background.
The WHILE Loop: 'Til it ain't so!5:08
Create your own while loop to repeat while a condition is True or until the condition is False.
A Family Spiral5:44
Build a colorful spiral using the names of everyone in your family! Create empty lists and add to lists using the append() function in Python.
Multi-Spiral: Spiral goes viral!9:01
Draw a psychedelic spiral of spirals using nested loops (a loop inside another loop)!
Section 4 Programming Challenges2:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S4P1 Programming Challenge Solution: Spiral Rosettes!5:46
Spiral Rosettes
S4P2 Programming Challenge Solution: Viral Family Spiral!5:11
Challenge 2 Viral Family Spiral

Intro to Conditions: What If?1:59
Introduction to conditional expressions in Python, and an overview of what you'll learn in Section 6.
If Statements4:00
Use an if statement to make decisions using conditional expressions.
Comparison Operators4:27
Use conditionals and Boolean expressions to control program flow.
If Example: Old Enough2:41
Write conditional expressions using comparison operators (<, >, ==, !=, <=, >=) in Python.
Else Statements2:16
Use if-else statements to choose between two alternative program paths.
Polygons or Rosettes3:01
Use conditionals and user input to let the user decide what shapes to draw!
Even or Odd5:06
Test a variable to see if it is odd or even using the modulo operator, %. Draw a picture with different odd and even shapes!
Elif Statements2:33
Write if-elif-else statements that select from among a number of options.
Complex Conditions: And's, Or's, & Not's3:37
Use and and or to test multiple conditions at once.
Secret Messages: The Caesar Cipher5:29
Learn to manipulate strings using .upper() and .lower(), and use ord() and chr() to convert characters into their ASCII numeric equivalents and back again!
Encoder Decoder Program4:38
Build your own secret message encoder-decoder program to send secret messages to your friends!
Section 5 Programming Challenges2:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S5P1 Programming Challenge Solution: Rosettes and Spirals!3:44
Challenge 1 Rosettes And Spirals
S5P2 Programming Challenge Solution: Encoder Decoder Key!3:45
Challenge 2 Encoder Decoder with a Custom Key

Intro to Random Numbers and More in Python1:48
An introduction to the random module in Python, and an overview of what you'll learn in Section 6
A Guessing Game5:18
Build a high-low guessing game to guess a random number between 1 and 10, or 1 and 100!
Colorful Random Spirals2:29
Pick a random color from a list in Python.
Canvas Size and Coordinates in Turtle Graphics3:53
Get the size of the turtle screen, and understand turtle (x,y) coordinates.
The Random Spiral Program4:42
Wow! Create 50 (or more!) spirals of random colors and sizes at random locations all over your screen to create a beautiful picture and understand random functions!
Rock-Paper-Scissors6:07
Build a complete Rock-Paper-Scissors game to play against the computer, using the random module in Python!
Dealing Cards3:31
Learn to create a playing card from a standard deck, complete with a face ("Two" through "Ace") and suit (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades).
Comparing Cards3:59
Compare the value of two cards by using the .index() function.
The Game Loop to Keep It Going3:21
Use a while loop and input to create a game loop that asks the user whether they'd like to play again.
Our Finished High-Card Game3:40
A fun, playable random High Card game, just like the children's card game War!
Rolling Dice3:31
Learn to simulate the rolling of dice using the random module in Python.
Testing for a Yahtzee!2:20
Sort items in a list with the .sort() function, and test for a Yahtzee! in our dice program.
Our Finished Five Dice Game4:39
A complete Yahtzee-like program that tells whether you rolled three, four, or five-of-a-kind! Yahtzee!
A Colorful Kaleidoscope5:23
Move the turtle to random locations, and understand coordinate reflections across the x and y axes.
Section 6 Programming Challenges2:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S6P1 Programming Challenge Solution: Kaleidoscope v2.02:35
Challenge 1 Kaleidoscope v2
S6P2 Programming Challenge Solution: Kaleidoscope v3.02:45
Challenge 2 Kaleidoscope v3
S6P3 Programming Challenge Solution: WAR!5:36
Challenge 3 War Complete

Intro to Functions in Python1:26
An introduction to functions in Python, and what you'll learn in Section 7
Putting Code Together with Functions2:21
Learn to group code into reusable functions
Creating a Random Spiral Function1:21
Define and call your own functions in Python
Parameters: Feeding our pet function...1:29
Pass information to your functions to make them more powerful.
Smileys at Random Locations5:16
Demonstrate functions with parameters by building a cool random smiley app.
Our Random Smiley App3:11
The finished random smiley app - a function that takes parameters to draw smiley faces all over the screen :).
Return: It's what you give back that counts...1:47
Learn to return a value from a function.
Using Return Values in a Program4:12
Build a cool Ping-Pong calculator to find out your height and weight in Ping-Pong balls!!!
Handling Events: Turtle Draw3:51
Create your own interactive drawing program by listening for mouse clicks on the screen!
Special Guest Lesson: Max's Turtle Draw App3:24
A beautiful upgrade to the Turtle Draw app, with full color and more extras!
Keyboard Events: Arrow Draw5:27
Build your own Etch-a-Sketch in Python by listening for key presses in your drawing app!
Events with Parameters: ClickSpiral6:03
Draw a colorful random spiral wherever the user clicks their mouse!
Click and Smile3:32
Draw a smiley face stamp wherever the mouse is clicked!
Click Kaleidoscope4:27
Create a colorful kaleidoscope of spirals by mirroring points around the four quadrants (or fourths) of the screen.
EXTRA: Taking Screenshots on Mac and PC3:12
Take screenshots of your creations to share with your friends, or the world!
Section 7 Programming Challenges1:00
At the end of each section, you can practice what you've learned - and make even cooler programs - by trying a couple of challenges. Try them on your own, and if you get stuck, sample answers are provided.
S7P1 Programming Challenge Solution: Mirrored Smileys!1:55
Challenge 1 Mirrored Smileys
S7P2 Programming Challenge Solution: PingPong Calc 2.03:59
Challenge 2 Ping Pong
S7P3 Programming Challenge Solution: Click+Arrow Draw!8:08
Challenge 3 Click Arrow Draw
EXTRA APP: ClickRandomDots.py!1:06

Where to Go Next2:02
Continue your coding journey with resources at code.org and Codecademy, and explore the book 'Teach your kids to code' for bonus chapters on spy game programming and animation in Python.
Dr. Payne's TEDx Talk on Coding and Cyber as the New Literacy15:16
Dr. Payne's TEDx Talk on Coding and Cyber as the New Literacy, 15 min.
SPECIAL GUEST LECTURE: Rainbow Rosettes with Guest Star, Alex Payne!13:28
** New for August 2015: 100th Lesson BONUS Video with special guest star Alex Payne! **

Learn to use the official Python.org documentation to expand your Python programming abilities even after you finish this course. My special guest star, Alex (my 7-yr-old son), had a great idea for the Rosettes program from Section 4: let the user decide the number of circles in the rosette, and draw each circle in a different color, like a rainbow!

We'll see how to use Hue/Saturation/Value colors in Python to draw a different color circle at every angle around our beautiful RainbowRosettes.py app. You can search Python.org for new functions, modules and libraries like this to bring any idea to life!

Shot at home - Alex and I hope you'll love this special bonus video, the 100th lesson in the course! Happy coding!
O'Reilly Media LIVE Webcast: "Teach Your Kids to Code" - slides26:00
My O'Reilly Webcast for "Teach Your Kids to Code" was so much fun! Over 400 registered attendees for a full hour of live Q&A! It was so awesome getting to share this information with the O'Reilly community audience LIVE that I had to share the slides with all of you to say THANK YOU for enrolling in Teach Your Kids to Code!

I've distilled over 7 hours of video and a 336-page book into a quick 26 slides that any parent or teacher can use to:

Engage your student with short, fun, visual programs for all ages

Learn to code colorful graphics in Python, and see your changes instantly on the screen

Build up to more advanced programming concepts like variables, loops and functions - even user interaction like mouse clicks!

You'll find the PDF with all 26 slides added here as Lecture 101, or you can watch the video recording for FREE at http://www.oreilly.com/pub/e/3422 - please let me know how your journey through the course is going, and message me if I can be of help.
DojoLIVE! Presentation (November 4, 2015)28:00
Slides from my DojoLive! Webinar with the team at NearSoft, November 4, 2015.

See the video recording of the full 45-minute event and Q&A at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RfeSphbmRw

April Turtle Gallery BONUS VIDEO: Roy G. Biv Spiral!!!7:39
Bonus Video from Ms. Tribble's Kindergarten class at Silver City Elementary School!
I spoke about Teach Your Kids to Code at Silver City Elementary, and Ms. Tribble's class was learning about the colors of the rainbow - so we created a Roy G. Biv spiral! Check it out!
October Turtle Gallery: ClickFlowers.py by Max Payne0:14
My youngest son, Max (age 5), came up with this month's Turtle Gallery app: ClickFlowers.py lets you draw a colorful rosette flower everywhere you click on the screen!
November Turtle Gallery: moveturtle.py by Mr. Bryan Fagan0:27
Mr. Bryan Fagan, a teacher at Lumpkin County Middle School in Georgia, submitted this month's Turtle Gallery winner. The code "moveturtle.py" displays the actual Turtle shape and lets the user draw using the arrow keys!
December Turtle Gallery: Star.py from Mr. Reese's class at LCHS1:00
Happy Holidays from the Payne Family and Teach Your Kids to Code!
January Turtle Gallery: SGTriangle.py by Miss Shannon G.1:00
The January 2016 Turtle Gallery winner is Miss Shannon G. (age 9) - a beautiful layered triangle using the exclusive-or operator (^)! Brilliant! Enjoy, and Happy Coding!
Holiday Turtle Gallery: Tannenbaum.py from Mrs. Memler's class, Athens Academy0:55
This festive, interactive Python app draws a Christmas tree, with an array of students' names as the ornaments! An awesome idea from Mrs. Julie Memler at Athens Academy!
Bonus: Max's Tie-Dye Rainbow Spiky Spiral0:20
My youngest son (Max) created a cool, tie-dye, rainbow spiky spiral using just 10 lines of code! It turned out so cool that I had to share it with all of you! :)

Requirements

A computer (PC, Mac, or Linux - even Chromebook!). You'll download and install the latest Python 3.9 (FREE!) with step-by-step instructions.
If you can use a text editor (Notepad, Word, etc.), you can program in Python!
No prior programming experience needed.

Description

Join over 38,000 students from 182 countries learning Python (and teaching it)!

Now includes coding for Chromebook users! Teach yourself (and your students) to code fun, colorful apps and games in Python, the powerful programming language used at tech companies and in colleges worldwide. Learn coding step-by-step from Computer Science Professor Dr. Bryson Payne, author of the Amazon #1 New Release and Top 10 Best Seller, Teach Your Kids to Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide to Python Programming (No Starch Press).

Updates: New videos added to section 1 for coding on Chromebook, iPad and more!

Give Your Kids a Huge Advantage in a High-Tech World

Quickly master new problem-solving skills in Python with colorful, fun examples
Teach beginners to code using Turtle graphics, with text-based games and apps for older learners
Build your own playable games and create beautiful graphics
Learn the basics of coding, from variables to loops and functions, with interactive, engaging apps

This is the kind of course you can enjoy with your kids!

Packed with fun examples, colorful graphics, and easy-to-follow plain English instruction, Teach Your Kids to Code is the course parents, teachers and students can enjoy together, as they build one of the top job skills of the 21st century! Python is a great first language for beginners, but it's powerful enough to be used in companies from Google to IBM.

I designed this programming course to be easily understood by absolute beginners, with example code I used with my own students up to college freshmen.

Quick, hands-on lessons will get you coding your own apps from scratch in minutes. Over 100 video lectures and six and a half hours of content in short, 2-to-8-minute videos will give you the practice you need to master the powerful new skill of coding.

Everything you need to get started right away

Complete with working code downloads and high-definition videos, you'll be able to work alongside a professor with 22 years' teaching experience and over 30 years of programming knowledge. You'll also receive a Certificate of Completion upon finishing the course.

No Risk: Preview videos from Sections 1, 2, and 4 now for FREE, and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee when you enroll - zero risk, unlimited payoff! And, we've made this course easy to afford at just $30 so parents and students can get started now!

Sign up for this course and get started coding today!

* Programming Challenge Solutions added to all 7 Sections, plus new Bonus videos, including a new one with my son, Alex! New Turtle Gallery code and Q&A video added this month- keep the feedback and questions coming! Thanks! *

Praise for Teach Your Kids to Code:

"Inspired" - This is an inspiring course taught by an inspired teacher. The examples are well-chosen -- demonstrating principles through engaging, colorful projects rather than by teaching abstract principles first. While I wish the instructor weren't quite so repetitiously exuberant, this is at worst a minor stylistic blemish and might even be a plus for kids viewing it. — Kent Osband, Udemy student

"Excellent path into Python" Not just for kids...use this course as the perfect Python primer. Clear examples, that build quickly into programs, leading to learning challenges. Bryson's delivery is well paced and good fun. — Sean Jon Darcy, Udemy student

“Dr. Bryson Payne is a computer scientist and professor of the highest caliber, and with Teach Your Kids to Code, he brings the power of computers within easy reach for learners young and old."—Dr. Antonio Sanz Montemayor, Informatics Professor, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain

“The concepts in Teach Your Kids to Code can help any young person enhance their college prospects and expand their career opportunities."—Dr. Raj Sunderraman, Department Chair of Computer Science, Georgia State University

[For the Book version on Amazon] “Dr. Payne set us on the path that led us to our dream jobs! With Teach Your Kids to Code, he's providing parents and teachers everywhere the chance to do the same for the next generation of creative problem-solvers."—Shah and Susan Rahman, Riot Games

Who this course is for:

For beginners of any age, for teachers, or for parents working with students.
Perfect for homeschooling parents or K-12 parents and teachers who want to give their students a HUGE advantage by learning to read and write code.
Apps and games suitable for all age levels.
Includes examples from chapters 1-7 of the book, Teach Your Kids to Code, by Dr. Bryson Payne (2015, No Starch Press).
This online course does not include Pygame programming.
This course is not for experienced Python coders, unless you want to code with your kids.

Teach Your Kids to Code: Learn to Program Python at Any Age!

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Getting to Know Your (Programming) Environment13 lectures • 53min

Turtle Graphics in Python12 lectures • 40min

Numbers and Variables in Python14 lectures • 51min

Loops12 lectures • 53min

Conditions14 lectures • 49min

Random Fun and Games18 lectures • 1hr 8min

Functions20 lectures • 1hr 7min

After the Course5 lectures • 1hr 25min

Turtle Gallery! User-submitted cool apps in Python7 lectures • 12min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: