Coding While Parenting

Being a parent isn't easy, and learning about software development while so much has changed in the last 20 years is very difficult. While kids take to technology fairly easily, it is difficult to draw a distinction between the attraction to games and cartoons and a desire to create and experiment. All of which are natural inclinations for children, but as a parent, I want to encourage my kids to be builders, without forcing them to live out my interests.

Now that my kids are somewhat grown, I'd like to document the things they -- often we -- are doing. I am fortunate to have been able to learn a lot about basic computer repair, operating system installation, as well as booting from external media, and lots of other trivia relating to computers in order to support them when they do spark with interest. As well, my wife has shown an interest in creating games to support her lessons as an elementary school teacher, even going so far as to create a Hypercard-like game in Google Slides. I have always seen how teachers being able to create software would be as much a component in teaching as storytelling and video have become over the years. Now, in a pandemic, that ability is even more apparent.

For the first installation in this series, I just want to take a moment to document the equipment we have in our home, accumulated over time as my own interests have spread among graphics, hardware and microcontrollers, as I have spent money on random equipment and as friends and relatives have given us discarded equipment:

2 refurbished Gateway LT41p05u touchscreen netbooks, now with SSDs and Windows 10 installed, new 9hr batteries and one replaced power adapter
1 evoo 11.6" netbook/laptop with 32GB eMMC storage, refurbished with a screen and power adapter purchased off eBay

2 Raspberry Pi 2 computers, currently disused
2 Raspberry Pi Zero W computers, currently disused
1 Kano computer kit with screen
1 Kano computer kit with touchscreen

3 Arduino Esplora boards, which function as gamepads

5 Nintendo Wiimotes, 2 nunchucks and gamepads
1 Wii Balance Board
1 Xbox 360 wired USB controller

These components form the basis for my intended projects, as well as general computer use by my children. Through these devices, I plan to show them -- and learn, myself -- how to type documents, poetry and stories, record sound and video, create music and graphics and even occasionally to code and create games, between themselves and as a family.

My hope is that through sharing our journey, I provide a resource for parents who, like us, can't simply buy the latest computer but also may not know how to take an old computer and refresh it with working components, a fresh OS, or find and install software that supports young learners. I also want to show parents how to reuse hardware that is often abandoned (hello Raspberry Pi-based Kano computers and the swiftly-abandoned mission of your creator). My next few posts will document freely available learning software as well as games that work on the underpowered equipment that we have available, namely the netbooks and Raspberry Pi computers listed above.

In the comments below, tell me what you wish you knew about making computers available for your own young learners, whether computers or custom software for your own kids and/or students, or to assist friends or teachers as the 'computer person' in your circle. Feel free to share information about the devices and accessories that you have kept around and which you think would be useful, if only you knew how to make them work the way you wanted.