What programming language would you teach a kid first? | Opensource.com

What programming language would you teach a kid first?

To celebrate Ada Lovelace Day, we want to know what programming language you think is best for introducing kids to coding. Take our poll.

Kids in a classroom learning about Raspberry Pi programming
Image credits : 
Raspberry Pi Foundation. CC BY-SA 4.0.

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What programming language would you teach a kid first?


According to Girls Who Code, the gender gap is widening in the computing industry, with only 24% of computer scientists being female. However, 66% of girls are interested in computer science as young children. What can we do to support girls and young women throughout their education and early career? The Finding Ada Network believes that mentorship is critical.

We want to hear about your experience as a mentor or mentee. What programming language would you want to teach a kid first? Would you teach a teenager the same language you'd teach an elementary school student? What tips do you have for getting kids interested in computer programming? Take our poll and share your mentorship story.

open book pages

Learn the fascinating story of Ada Lovelace, a gifted mathematician, in this book review.
Coffee and laptop

Configuring his young daughters' computers with Ansible made it simple for this dad to manage the family's computers.

About the author

Lauren Pritchett - Lauren is a strategist and editor for Opensource.com. She is fascinated by how open source principles can help solve all types of problems, particularly those involving local government and citizen engagement. When she's not digging into the data, she loves going on adventures with her family and German shepherd rescue dog, Quailford.