programming lessons for schoolchildren

Python is comparable to a universal tool that is suitable for a wide variety of tasks, be it website writing and web development, creating chatbots and neural networks, big data analysis and machine learning, creating games and mobile applications.

If we look popularity ratings and the demand for programming languages ​​in the cross-section over several years, we will see that Python confidently holds the leading position, even despite the fact that new languages ​​are appearing (for example, Rust or Go). Why is this happening?

First, Python is like a LEGO set: you can use it to build anything from simple scripts to complex programs.

Secondly, Python is like the English language: it is simple and understandable, easy to learn, even if you are just starting out in the world of programming.

Thirdly, Python is like a friendly company: it has a huge community where you can always find help and answers to any questions. Many developers actively share their experience. Also, let's not forget that the language has many libraries that allow you to speed up development by using ready-made code fragments to write new programs.

Pinterest, Spotify, Dropbox, YouTube AlphaStar in StarCraft II, World of Tanks — all these popular services, games, and platforms are built with Python or use AI modules written in it. Netflix uses it to customize movie selections, and Amazon uses it to forecast demand. In science, Python is used for research and modeling.

Python opens many doors to the world of technology for students, develops important soft skills, and gives them the opportunity to gain confidence in their abilities.

Below we will visually analyze what projects the children work with in the Python courses from scratch for children and try to create one of them. The lesson was prepared by the programming school for children Pixelat the end of the tutorial you can find a video instruction if you prefer an audiovisual format.

Python for Teens and Kids: A Guide to Making a Watch

Python programming lessons for children begin with an introduction to the language syntax, key commands and libraries. It is good when the training immediately includes practical classes and from the first days of the course the children not only memorize and try to understand the theory, but create specific projects. This way the information is absorbed much faster, and the children do not get bored and find it interesting to study.

A variation of this lesson is creating a clock using the Tkinter module.

So, our clock program will work in a separate window. To work with the interface, Python has a Tkinter module. You need to import it and create your own window. In addition:

• import module time to work with the date and time that we will display in our window;

• create a variable window, which will be the window of our application, we configure its size and signature;

• at the very end Necessarily need to write window.mainloop(). This is necessary for the application to work constantly.

Here is the window you should get:

Next, we will create the time and date output. In our application, we will output the current time and date. To do this, we will create 2 text labels in which we will place the current information:

• let's create date_info_label to output the date. For example, we will manually enter the sample date to be output into the text argument, and into the font let's write down the settings of our font in this form: “font size style”;

• let's add a label to the screen using the function pack();

• Similarly, we will make a label of our time with an increased font size.

We get the following result:

At the moment, our clock does not show the current time. Let's make functions that will return the date and time in the format we need:

• for this in the argument text for our labels we will write a call to the corresponding functions: get_date() And get_time();

• Let's define these functions at the beginning of our program.

Our function get_date() should return us the date and day of the week in the following format: [число] [месяц], [день недели]. How to do it:

• in our function into a variable current_time let's write the current time data using the function localtime() from the library time;

• also, to display days of the week and months in Russian, we will create 2 lists, with days of the week and months respectively;

• in the return of our function we should output the date, the corresponding month from the list of months and the corresponding day from the list:

  1. The current date can be obtained using the parameter tm_mday from our variable current_time

  2. From the list of months, select the current month using the parameter tm_mon: we subtract one from the result of the parameter, we do this because indexes in lists start from zero, and the month number is one more than the index of our month;

  3. Similarly, from the list of days by parameter tm_wday we get the current day: in this case we don’t need to subtract one, because the parameter returns days starting from 0which corresponds to the indices of our list.

Now we will work with the function of outputting the current time get_time():

• We will write the current data into a variable, and we will write the values ​​of hours and minutes into the hour and minute variables, respectively, for subsequent output;

• The clock output format assumes that zero is output if the number of hours or minutes is less than ten. We need to take this into account, since the hour or minute parameter returns only a number, and not its usual representation in our clock;

• To write down the time of hours and minutes in the correct format, we will use ternary operator — a one-line representation of a conditional construct that returns the value we need depending on the condition. In our case, the condition is the value of a number greater than or equal to ten, otherwise we write a string to the variable in which there is a zero before the number less than ten.

The ternary operator is structured as follows: [значение, возвращаемое при выполнении условия] if [само условие] else [значение, выполняемое при невыполнении условия].

Now the mainloop() function only supports the constant operation of our window, but does not update the values ​​of our data. Instead of window.mainloop(), we will create our own while True loop: in it, we will update the data of our clock every second (every second – because the number of minutes can change every second accordingly):

Now our clock works correctly:

There is also a video lesson, you can also use it to see live everything the teacher does and repeat after him.

Benefits of Python Programming for Kids

The world is changing rapidly, and technology plays a key role in this. Programming is becoming an integral part of modern life, and knowledge in this field opens up vast opportunities for the future. Python is an ideal programming language for schoolchildren, which will help them not only to master new knowledge, but also to develop important skills necessary for success in the 21st century. Below are seven reasons why Python programming will be useful for children.

1. Python is like a door to the world of technology: learning Python will be the first step for children to master the world of programming. This language is classified as a high-level language, meaning that it is easy to read and understand for the user. You don’t need deep knowledge of computer architecture or other complex things to get started, making Python an ideal choice for beginners.

2. Python is versatile and is applicable in a variety of areas, from web application development to data analysis and artificial intelligence. This allows the student to not only master the basics of programming: the Python language for children gives an idea of ​​the different areas of application of IT technologies. For example, you can try to create a simple website, write a script for text processing, or even teach a computer to play a simple game.

3. “Python” – This is a brain trainerbecause programming is not just a set of commands and instructions. It is the art of solving problems and building logical chains, which develops abstract thinking, logic and creativity. Learning Python for teenagers and children will help a schoolchild learn to analyze problems, find solutions and present them in the form of code. These are valuable skills that will be useful not only in the IT field, but also in any other profession.

4. Python, a programming language for kids, will become the beginning of the path to success: programming knowledge is becoming increasingly in demand in the modern world. Learning Python will open up wide opportunities for a future career in the IT field. You can become a web developer, data scientist, artificial intelligence engineer, or choose another interesting profession in the IT field.

5. “Python” for children online in free or paid format will become the key to creativity. Programming is not only about working with code, but also about creating something new and interesting. The Python language allows a student to implement their ideas and projects, be it a game, an application or a website. This develops creativity, imagination and self-confidence.

6. Python — It is the language of international communication. It is popular all over the world, used in different countries and continents. Python for beginners will help children master the skills of international communication in the IT sphere and will allow them to work with international projects.

7. Learning Python can mean investments in your future. Programming can easily grow from a simple hobby to the profession of a developer, the competencies of which are important for success in the modern world. A schoolchild will master a sought-after profession, increase their chances of success in their career and make their life more interesting and fulfilling.

“Learning Python will be a great start in the world of programming. Compared to other languages, Python boasts a very simple syntax: thanks to this, children will be more interested, as they will be able to “read” their code very easily. Python is also one of the most famous programming languages, which does not lose its relevance. The topic of machine learning is especially important now, and Python is actively used by a large number of developers here.”

— Tikhon Malinin, teacher at the Pixel programming school for children

***

This is one example of Python lessons for schoolchildren. A child can repeat it at home independently. Perhaps now it seems difficult and incomprehensible, but once you start, all the steps in the instructions will make sense.

The lesson was prepared by the programming school for children Pixel. You can find more useful videos with tutorials on our sites: YouTube, Rutube, Zen, VK. And at school we conduct online courses in various IT areas, including Python.

Do you think Python is really the most popular language for coding? Or maybe it’s better to teach children the newest programming languages? Share your opinion in the comments.