Raspberry pi what now

My daughter Christmas present is a raspberry pi 3. She 7 and she is now playing Minecraft. I know nothing about coding as it's now called.

So how ya all got yours into coding even the basics? Help noob alert. She got to start sometime. I won't leave this to school because they not even doing times tables.

Theres coding to control hardware and coding within apps such as cartoon animation or making a game where x action has an certain effect.

Programming languages(taken from BBC bitesize)

"A programming language is a specially written code used for writing applications. C++ and Java are examples of programming languages. These are known as high level languages because they have been developed to be a little like a human language.

High level languages are much easier to use than a low level language such as Machine Code, or Assembly Language. The advantage of a low level language is that it runs very fast on the computer."

So.. Everything Pi will be various forms of High Level Language

Largely the Pi is useful for its Input output pins, the idea being you program it to control what its doing to things connected to those pins the most common way being to use a breadboard and various components and suitable wires between them as a prototype to a circuit board. Its a shame Maplin has closed..

Anyhow to get the device going you need
an SD card to hold the Rom (software image of your choice to boot the Pi) and a way to get the image on to it for example a phone may have a micro SD slot or PC/Laptop may have a normal SD slot for which you would need the card adapter.
Power via the micro USB
A keyboard/mouse and screen connection
A tutorial series such as
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQVvvaa0QuDesV8WWHLLXW_avmTzHmJLv

If you watch the series it will give you yourself an understanding of the device regardless on if you actually do the things he suggets such as updates etc.

Raspberrypi.org is the best resource to start with
Follow the Noobs method to install a Linux Distribution ie Raspbian
Once you have an operating system you can use it much like a pc especially as the pi3 has wifi. Then you would be able to get applications on to it that are more suitable/fun for a 7 year old.

@cycleclinic @neilbah

I've always wished I'd gotten into this kinda stuff. I was reading this article about young people and coding a while ago, and it's a proper fascinating read.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/230903/

You might find some useful information on the Code Club site?

It includes introductory resources, with an explanation of Scratch (the easiest starting language for children), as well as Python, HTML, etc.

And perhaps there might be a local club (even though they are generally intended for the 9 to 13 age-range) that is at another nearby school.

Also, the Rapsberry Pi site has lots of info, and all the people involved are highly focused on the educational mission of the Pi.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/how-to-teach-your-kid-stem-skills,37581.html

Well the pi is running and she has had a go a Minecraft. A screen is on it way and there a code club in the village I work in. I see this week if it still running if so I hope to pick up so programming skills to.

The pi could be my next computer when the laptop dies. Cheaper and more useful.