Want to create cool games and apps to impress your friends (or yourself), but not sure where to start? Or, have you tried your hand at programming, but got utterly bored after combing through hundreds of pages of dry text? Then you've come to the right place! This book is the perfect blend of education and fun for kids 8 years and above looking to learn the magic of Python, one of the easiest and most powerful programming languages around, all while solving fun puzzles and building your own projects on the way.
Yes, there'll be chapters on the fundamentals of Python, such as variables, numbers, strings, automation with conditions, loops and functions, objects, and files. But, early on in the book you'll get started with Turtle, a Python package that was custom-made for kids like you. It lets you literally draw and animate on your computer! Every concept will be interspersed with a fun mini project with Turtle, so you'll never get bored. Once you get the fundamentals down, you'll dive right into Tkinter and Pygame, more fun Python packages (goodbye theory!) and you'll learn all about creating apps and games like the ones you see and use every day (bouncing ball, temperature converter, calculator, rock-paper-scissors, and so much more!).
There are also four capstone projects at the end of the book that convert everything you've learned so far into full-blown apps and games that you can show off to your friends, parents, and even teachers! You'll be creating a snake game with Turtle, a tic tac toe game with Tkinter, a full-fledged paint app, again with Tkinter, and finally, a classic space shooters game with Pygame (the cherry on top). Every project chapter will be accompanied with the logic behind the game/app and an explanation on how you've arrived at the logic. You'll develop strong problem solving skills that'll help you create future projects on your own.
There are also two chapters dedicated to just creating fun mini projects and puzzles, one of them placed in the middle of the book to give you a welcome break from all the learning. The book ends with an overview on web development with Python and ideas for more fun projects and puzzles you can solve on your own. Become the "most likely to succeed" kid in your grade while having the most fun getting there!
What You'll Learn
- Gain a gentle, but thorough introduction into the world of programming and Python
- Create programs and solve problems with core Python concepts
- Build mini projects and capstone projects (showcase worthy) with Turtle, Tkinter, and Pygame
- Develop programming skills while doing the puzzles and activities described in the book
Who This Book Is For
Get comfortable with Python, the most popular programming language used right now in machine learning and data science. This book is the perfect blend of education and fun for kids 8 years and above looking to learn one of the easiest languages to develop programs with, most everything from websites to desktop apps to games to AI. It will include 4 big projects (or capstone projects): 3 games with Turtle, Tkinter and Pygame and a desktop app with Tkinter
The book starts with an overview of basic programming concepts such as variables, numbers and strings, while creating fun, personalized mini projects like "Print your Name" and "Is your mom tipping enough". It then dives right into Turtle, a Python library custom-made for kids, where they'll learn how to draw, animate, automate and eventually make colorful mini projects based on the Python concepts learned. Once they have built a foundation in programming and the Python language, they will learn all about building desktop apps with Tkinter and games with Pygame.
There is also an entire chapter dedicated to more fun puzzles and activities that come with a step-by-step solution, and another chapter with cool ideas for more puzzles and a section that gives them advice on where they can go from there. By the end of this book, kids will learn Python from the inside-out while creating projects that they can showcase. They will develop problem-solving skills along with programming skills while doing the puzzles and activities described in the book.
You will:
- Gain a gentle, but thorough introduction into the world of programming and Python
- Create programs and solve problems with core Python concepts
- Build mini projects and capstone projects (showcase worthy) with Turtle, Tkinter an Pygame
- Develop programming skills while doing the puzzles and activities described in the book
