[cevanwells]

I have only briefly started with my kids, but I have tried two methods so far.

The first method was with my 12yr old. She wanted to learn programming so I got her signed up on Exercism.IO in the Python track. She did pretty well but then lost steam (actually we both kind of did) within a few weeks.

The second method I used was with my 14yr old. She had a science fair project that required a VOC sensor. We planned the project, ordered the pieces and then coded an Arduino sketch together.

I personally feel like method two had the best results. Project based learning, in general, seems to hold the attention of both the student and the teacher far more effectively. Further, I think we often forget that programming is a tool; a means to some end. If that end is something we strongly desire to achieve we will be more willing to trudge through the somewhat dry and boring aspects of introductory programming.

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