Book Image

Python Projects for Kids

By : Jessica Ingrassellino
Book Image

Python Projects for Kids

By: Jessica Ingrassellino

Overview of this book

Kids are always the most fast-paced and enthusiastic learners, and are naturally willing to build stuff that looks like magic at the end (when it works!). Programming can be one such magic. Being able to write a program that works helps them feel they've really achieved something. Kids today are very tech-savvy and cannot wait to enter the fast-paced digital world. Because Python is one of the most popular languages and has a syntax that is quite simple to understand, even kids are eager to use it as a stepping stone to learning programming languages. This book will cover projects that are simple and fun, and teach kids how to write Python code that works. The book will teach the basics of Python programming, installation, and so on and then will move on to projects. A total of three projects, with each and every step explained carefully, without any assumption of previous experience.

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Python Projects for Kids
Jessica Ingrassellino
Apr, 2016 | 192 pages
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Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Python Projects for Kids
Python Projects for Kids
Credits
Credits
About the Author
About the Author
About the Reviewer
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Welcome! Let's Get Started
Welcome! Let's Get Started
Python projects for you
The prerequisites of Python
Write and run your first program in the command line
Make yourself a work folder
A quick task for you
Summary
2
Variables, Functions, and Users
Variables, Functions, and Users
Variables
Functions
Users interacting with your program
Using the text editor and the command line
Build your own function – name()
Going the extra mile
A quick task for you
Summary
3
Calculate This!
Calculate This!
The calculator
Basic functions
Operations on two numbers
New functions – subtraction, multiplication, and division
Finding a remainder – modulo
Running your program
A quick task for you
Summary
4
Making Decisions – Python Control Flows
Making Decisions – Python Control Flows
Is it equal, not equal, or something else?
Conditional statements – if, elif, else
Loops
A quick task for you
Summary
5
Loops and Logic
Loops and Logic
Higher or Lower
A quick task for you
Summary
6
Working with Data – Lists and Dictionaries
Working with Data – Lists and Dictionaries
Lists
Dictionaries
List or dictionary
A quick task for you
Summary
7
What's in Your Backpack?
What's in Your Backpack?
Setting up our coding environment
Planning to program your game
Skills needed to make a program
Score, play again, or quit?
Getting and storing player information
Adding items to the virtual backpack
Limiting items in a virtual backpack
Testing your code so far
A game loop
Bringing back the while loop
Comparing guesses with backpack items
Keeping score
Ending the game
Testing your game
A quick task for you
Summary
8
pygame
pygame
What is pygame?
Installing pygame
pygame
A quick task for you
Summary
9
Tiny Tennis
Tiny Tennis
Introduction to game programming principles
The game plan
Creating an outline of game parts
Section 1 – imports, globals, and drawings
Initializing the score
Testing section 1
Section 2 – moving the paddles
The increase and decrease value (-= and +=)
Testing section 2
Section 3 – moving the ball
Testing – section 3
Section 4 – draw screen and track the score
Ending the program
Play Tiny Tennis!
Summary
10
Keep Coding!
Keep Coding!
What we learned and your next steps
Classes and objects – very important next steps!
More fun with games
Adding music to games
Adding graphics to games
Remake or design games
Other games
Other uses of Python
Coding challenges
Summary
Quick Task Answers
Quick Task Answers
Chapter 1, Welcome! Let's Get Started
Chapter 2, Variables, Functions, and Users
Chapter 3, Calculate This!
Chapter 4, Making Decisions – Python Control Flows
Chapter 5, Loops and Logic
Chapter 6, Working with Data – Lists and Dictionaries
Chapter 7, What's in Your Backpack?
Chapter 8, pygame
Index
Index

A quick task for you

Now that you have finished this chapter, can you answer these questions?

Q1. What is a terminal (Mac/Linux) or command prompt (Windows)?

  1. A terminal is used to put data into or get data out of a computer without using the icons on the desktop.

  2. A terminal can be used to write computer programs.

  3. A terminal can be used to do complex work, such as giving hints on Python code.

  4. A terminal can do all of the above.

Q2. When you first open the terminal/command prompt, what do you need to do so that you can start reading and writing the Python code?

  1. Start typing the code.

  2. Type the word python.

  3. Wait for Python to start.

  4. None of the above; do something different.

Q3. How is the Python shell different from the command line?

  1. They are exactly the same.

  2. The command line cannot run Python commands.

  3. The Python shell is started by typing the word python into the command line.

  4. The Python shell can be used to test lines of Python code.

Note

Compare your answers with those you find at the back of the book.

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