Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Iphone App development for kids

Options
  • 22-08-2010 3:38pm
    #1
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭


    Is there any software or basic programming languages around that would be suitable for a 10 year old to try to learn about app development?
    My 10 year old son is fairly technologically minded and my mother gave him her old laptop on the basis that he would try to learn a bit of programming such as html or cobra(I think) rather than just use it to play games. He loves my wifes iphone and I thought it might be interesting for him to try to design an app. It dosent have to be anything fancy but just something he can put a bit of time into but I dont know if the world of apps is to far on for him.
    If it is to advanced for him can anybody recommend a suitable entry level language for kids, not necessarily app development.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Cool Mo D
    Registered Users Posts: 1,419 ✭✭✭Cool Mo D


    I think scratch is designed as an introductory language that you can do stuff with. Never tried it myself.

    Python is another possibility - it can do anything any other language can do with straightforward syntax and plenty of guides and support available.

    If you want to program for the iPhone, you will need a Mac and Apple's development tools, which are free. It uses a language called Objective-C, which might not be the most straightforward place for a 10 year-old to learn programming. The development tools come with an iPhone emulator to test on, and putting your apps into the app store costs a one-off $99 fee.


  • Options
    #3
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    Thanks for that, it was Python I meant instead of cobra, I knew it was a snake of some kind. I used to do a bit of programming a few years back but I have had a career change since and have no idea about what is out there now.


  • Options
    #4
    SpaceBeetle
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭SpaceBeetle


    I highly recommend Scratch as a starter language for him. Print out the "Getting Started guide" and go through it step-by-step. After that he will have the basics, and it only takes about an hour.

    He can move on to other languages after Scratch - he doesn't need to invest much time in Scratch to see results.

    I'm not a teacher but I managed to teach Scratch to a bunch of 4th class kids recently (9 & 10 year olds). About a third of them had no interest, another third found it fun and the rest of them really loved it.


  • Options
    #5
    Eoinite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 279 ✭✭Eoinite


    Thanks to everyone who's given advice on how to start building iPhone applications on this forum... have a lot to read!

    I only know PHP and Ada 95 at present. I'm hoping the others will be easy to pick up


Advertisement