Code Club news

‘Hello World’: The perfect Python project for your Code Club

Are you ready to introduce your Code Club members to the exciting world of text-based coding? Vasu, our Programme Manager in India, shares her enthusiasm for our ‘Hello World’ Python project. Discover why it’s the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to learn Python and how your young coders can showcase their creations in the 2024 Coolest Projects online showcase.

Vasu waving
Meet Vasu

Hi Vasu! You’ve introduced a lot of young people in India to our projects. Can you share your favourite with us? 

Great question! As someone with no formal coding background, diving into Scratch and Python has been quite a journey. A standout for me is the Python ‘Hello World‘ project. It’s a fantastic starter for anyone — after all, who doesn’t love emojis? 😄

This project is in our Introduction to Python: Variables, functions, and loops path and it serves as an excellent introduction to the Explore projects of 3…2…1…Make! 

‘Hello World’

Who do you think this project is suitable for? 

It’s a great project for all ages! It’s the perfect way to show beginners how approachable Python can be, especially for those nervous about moving on from block-based programming languages, like Scratch. They’ll quickly see it’s not as intimidating as it seems! Go on, give it a go! 

What skills will young people learn from completing ‘Hello World’?  

As Code Club members work through this path, they create an interactive project that uses emojis, they’ll learn how to store text and numbers in variables, and use functions to organise their code. 

What struck me wasn’t just the technical skills gained from working through the project, but the shift in mindset it brought. It’s a confidence booster for beginners, easing anxiety and building the skills to progress on to the other projects in the ‘Introduction to Python’ path. 

A row of young people looking at computer screens in a classroom.
Young coders from Udaipur, India

Do you have any tips for introducing this project into a Code Club session?  

The key tip is ensuring kids have a solid foundation in block-based coding skills before transitioning to text-based programming. Once they’re comfortable with programming basics, help them transition into Python. 

Our ‘Hello World’ project is also one of the projects where we’re trialling the full integration of our new Code Editor! Within the code editor, young people can have the project guide and code in the same window. As we’ve removed the need to switch tabs, learners can focus on coding and having fun! 

How can young people use the ‘Hello World’ project to enter Coolest Projects? 

It is an easy project to start with. Young people can use the skills learnt in this project and upgrade their project with different texts and emojis, or add comments to their code. At the end of the project, young people get some great ideas for upgrading their work. I encourage them to explore these examples and see how they can take their projects further.

Once they’re happy with their project, they can then record a video of their creation and enter Coolest Projects!

Two girls look at a computer screen.
A Code Club in Udaipur

Thanks, Vasu! 

‘Hello World!’ encourages your club members to build their Python programming skills. Why not showcase this achievement and celebrate their work by submitting it to the Coolest Projects showcase?

Young people have until 22 May to submit their creations. If you need further support, check out the resources for mentors webpage. Make sure you share your progress on X using the hashtag #CoolestProjects.

Tips for vibrant Code Club sessions!

At a recent Code Club ‘Coffee and Conversation’ meetup, we had a thoughtful discussion on ways to keep Code Club sessions fun and engaging for everyone. Here are some tips we discussed to help fuel enthusiasm.

A group of children in the classroom smiling.

Choose a variety of projects

Our range of fun coding projects involve different programming languages and cater for different interests and experience levels. Think about introducing projects that encompass different aspects of coding, such as game development, web design, or app creation. This variety allows learners to explore different areas of coding and discover what excites them the most.

Bob Bilsland, from Malvern, in Worcestershire, England, has been running a Code Club for over 10 years. He shares how he works with our projects to keep activities fresh and keep learners engaged:

“The Code Club projects are a fantastic resource that helps bring structure to my club. Having different paths allows me to plan where to go next with the children — maybe Scratch this term and micro:bits the next. While each project has a clear progression towards a goal, it isn’t at the expense of the child’s creativity; I encourage them to personalise their work to make it their own”.

Bob Bilsland, Educator

Foster a supportive community

At Code Club, we’re all about creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where young people feel at ease sharing their ideas, asking questions, and getting the help they need. 

When you start a new term at Code Club, why not chat with everyone about how you all want your Code Club to run? Check out our blog post ‘Our Code Club rules! How to have fun and set boundaries’ for some tips. Once you have decided on your rules, write them down using the ‘Our Code Club rules’ template, available on your dashboard. 

‘Our Code Club rules’ template

See how you can encourage peer collaboration and mentorship, where more experienced coders can assist their fellow club members and share their knowledge. You could also look at introducing Digital Leaders within your Code Club.

We know that many clubs bring more fun and enthusiasm into their sessions by using KAHOOT! quizzes or running icebreaker activities. You could lead these activities or you could encourage groups of young people to work together to run them. 

Building a strong sense of community not only makes learning more fun, but also builds confidence and resilience in young people as they navigate any potential coding challenges.

Darren Bayliss, Code Club Community Coordinator for Ireland, shares how he does this in his Code Club sessions:

“I support my older Code Club members in taking on more responsibilities to develop their skills. I encourage them to support our younger members with their coding projects; this helps them reinforce their understanding of coding concepts and develop their leadership and mentoring skills, while also gaining confidence to push their coding endeavours further.”

Darren Bayliss, Code Club Community Coordinator, Ireland

Promote creativity

While we encourage you to have some structure to your sessions, allowing plenty of space for creativity can significantly enhance the fun factor and increase engagement in your Code Club. Encourage learners to personalise their projects, add unique features, and explore their creativity. This makes coding more enjoyable and promotes innovation and problem-solving skills.

Children huddled around computers working on Scratch projects.
Getting creative with Scratch

Introduce hands-on activities

Consider incorporating hands-on activities into your Code Club sessions. 

Experiment with interactive coding platforms, physical computing devices like micro:bits or robots, and collaborative projects that require students to work together. 

Hands-on activities can make learning more fun and deepen learners’ understanding of coding concepts.

Celebrate success 

Recognising success and effort is super important for making our learning spaces feel safe. It helps build a positive atmosphere where young coders can feel good about what they’re doing and not worry too much about making mistakes. Mistakes are just part of learning, after all!

On your dashboard, you will find lots of certificates that you can use to celebrate your learners’ achievements. Take a look and see which ones you can hand out at your next Code Club session.

Our ‘Awesome!’ certificates

Invite guest speakers

Inviting guest speakers from the tech industry or local coding communities could bring some added excitement and inspiration to your Code Club. Guest speakers can share their experiences, demonstrate real-world applications of coding, and offer valuable insights into different career paths in technology. Exposure to industry professionals can fuel learners’ passion for coding and provide them with valuable role models.

In 2023, a Code Club in Cambridgeshire, England welcomed Gary Foote, CIO at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, to one of their club sessions. Find out how it went!

Grow your inspiration

It’s important to make sure you keep yourself engaged too! Connect with the Code Club community by joining us at our monthly online ‘Coffee and Conversation’ sessions. There’s no agenda, just a welcoming space where you can come and ask your questions, hang out with other educators, and share what is happening in your Code Club. See our events page for details of our next meetup. 

You could also have fun trying the projects yourself. Educator Bob Bilsland thoroughly recommends this! 

“As I always tell people, go and play with the projects yourself. They aren’t just for children and you could surprise yourself with what you learn.”

Bob Bilsland, Educator

Two people engaging in a conversation.
Join the Code Club team at an event

If you are looking to build your confidence and skills to help you support your learners, sign up for one of our online workshops. We have lots of sessions for you to choose from each month, and we’d love to see you there!

How do you keep your Code Club a fun and engaging space? Share your tips with the community on X using the hashtag #MyCodeClub. 

Discover ‘Don’t collide!’ – A great starter project for Python and Coolest Projects

Does Raspberry Pi Foundation Learning Manager, Mac, have a favourite Code Club project? Yes, he does! He shares insights into an exciting Python game that promises both fun and learning. He also explains why it’s an excellent choice of project to enter into the 2024 Coolest Projects online showcase!

Mac is sat down and waving to the screen.
Say hello to Mac!

Hi Mac! You’ve worked on a lot of the Foundation’s projects. Can you share one of your favourites with us? 

That’s a tricky question! There are so many to choose from, but if I have to narrow it down to one project, I like our Python ‘Don’t collide!’ game. This project is in our Introduction to Python: Variables, functions, and loops path and it serves as an excellent introduction to the Design projects of 3…2…1…Make!. 

Why did you pick this project? 

This project helps young people learn to draw things in Python. They also have fun with images and emojis as game characters. I also really like that they learn to understand and use loops, if statements, and handle collisions between characters and obstacles. These are all essential building blocks of game creation when using the text-based programming language Python. 

Do you have any tips for introducing this project into a Code Club session?   

First off, run the game examples provided in the project to ignite children’s excitement about creating their games. 

Next, encourage young people to make their own design choices and put their own unique personalities and creative styles into their games — the exciting result is that each project will be unique. 

My last tip is to encourage thorough testing and debugging at each step to make sure it’s running as they expected it to. One mistake at the start is harder to spot and fix if you only test it at the end!

Graphic of a girl with rollerskates on.
Don’t collide!

What are the development/remix opportunities?  

There are so many options! The project is a great starter game, and learners can make it their own by matching it to a theme from their lives. Once they’ve picked their theme, they can then choose a character, backdrop, and obstacles to match that theme. 

Once the game is working, they can upgrade it by adding levels, or a high score table, or maybe extra types of obstacles. There are so many ways to make this project your own.

How can young people use the ‘Don’t collide!’ project to enter Coolest Projects? 

It fits perfectly into the Games category of Coolest Projects, and with enough improvements, it might even be fit for the Advanced programming category.

Thanks, Mac!

Registration is open for Coolest Projects.
Take part in Coolest Projects online!

‘Don’t collide!’ encourages your club members to build their Python programming skills. Why not showcase this achievement and celebrate their work by submitting it to the Coolest Projects showcase?

Young people have until 22 May to submit their creations. If you need further support, check out the resources for mentors webpage. Make sure you share your progress on X using the hashtag #CoolestProjects.