Basic Web Design software a kid could use?

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bdw

  • #1
    My ten year old grandson is very interested in computing and he has asked me to teach him how to build a website. I need some software that I could set up for him. I have Dreamweaver but it would be too complex.

    I have checked all the usual suspects that come up in search but none of them really fit the bill. Does anyone know of a free or low cost package that could be used for this? I would preferably like it to be wysiwyg bit with a both design and code views if poss?

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    C

    cmcp

    Free Member
    Jun 25, 2007
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    Glasgow
  • #9
    In all seriousness, get him started with a text editor and browser. I started on a Commodore 64, sat for hours keying pages of basic just to get a ball to bounce around the screen.

    Kids are curious, if he's got any interest in computers he'll love the fact you can change bits of a real website with some code.

    Obviously I'm not talking about web standards at the moment, but I do think having a full template running locally then making small changes would have him hooked.

    Any type of WYSIWYG editor is a false economy IMO.
     
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    TotallySport

  • #11
    if you can get him to start in notepad that would be good, or nvu.

    Actually thinking about it, IMO you'd be better getting him to play with build your own web site things like google websites, let him get to grips with something visual, then in a few years let him evolve into html.
     
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    B

    bdw

  • #16
    Yes, I downloaded Nvu a few years ago for myself but since I had DW I didn't really use it.

    I have downloaded PageBreeze and it looks simple and quite promising. I am going to have a look at it today with the main man.

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    andypowell

  • #20
    A good start for any child wanting to get into web development is a bit of a grounding in computer science, don't kid yourself if you think they learn this at school, they don't.

    Google "stanford computer science 101" and click the first result, sorry I cant post urls yet.

    It started this week, so your'll have to be quick, but 6 weeks of this will mean you grandson actually understands what the software is doing and how the website works rather than just how to use the software.

    My 13 year old started it this week and is loving it, but there are younger kids on there too.
     
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    andypowell

  • #22
    You'd be surprised, its designed for people with no knowledge whatsoever so anyone who can watch a video and answer a few questions can do it.

    There is a big movement these days to get kids into programming and age isn't really a factor.

    Many of us were under 10 when we started copying code from Page 6 magazine or similar (anyone remember that?)

    If you think he is too young to understand what he is really doing then you should probably be looking at a site builder or similar.
     
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    TotallySport

  • #23
    andypowell said:
    You'd be surprised, its designed for people with no knowledge whatsoever so anyone who can watch a video and answer a few questions can do it.

    There is a big movement these days to get kids into programming and age isn't really a factor.

    Many of us were under 10 when we started copying code from Page 6 magazine or similar (anyone remember that?)

    If you think he is too young to understand what he is really doing then you should probably be looking at a site builder or similar.
    Click to expand...
    Can I ask how much the course is? and are there courses after that go into programming?
     
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    3

    365cloudit

  • #27
    Check out Joomla websites, you can do some coding but template websites allow you to deploy their demo version which you can then tweek and learn from -

    i have been teaching my daughter and she is only 7 - she has got the hang of it and loves changing colours and pictures - the best way to teach them is the Joomla way
     
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    3

    365cloudit

  • #30
    CMS is simply the foundation of the platform that the website sits on

    For kids to learn the principals of webdesign this is great - there is lots of design elements you can implement, coding with articles or deeper if you wish
     
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    D

    DotNetWebs

  • #31
    cmcp said:
    In all seriousness, get him started with a text editor and browser. I started on a Commodore 64, sat for hours keying pages of basic just to get a ball to bounce around the screen.

    Kids are curious, if he's got any interest in computers he'll love the fact you can change bits of a real website with some code.

    Obviously I'm not talking about web standards at the moment, but I do think having a full template running locally then making small changes would have him hooked.

    Any type of WYSIWYG editor is a false economy IMO.
    Click to expand...

    100% agree with this post.

    Start with the basics, explain (as simply as you can) the concept that a web page is generated when TEXT is sent to your browser one character at a time.

    Once he has grasped this and wants to move on to larger and more complex sites them introduce him to the tools that can make creating and managing such sites easier.

    Regards

    Dotty
     
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    DotNetWebs

  • #35
    bdw said:
    My grandson is 10 years of age. The PhD comes later. ;)

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    Click to expand...

    It's hardly PhD stuff though is it?

    I am sure he is capable of "reading" the most basic web tags. e.g this first example here:

    http://www.w3schools.com/html/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_intro

    Get him to type his name over "My First Heading" and hit the button.

    Then get him to change the "1"s to "2"s etc.

    The help him by dropping in a style='color:red' etc.

    Then let him change the colour to one of his choosing.

    Then help him again by adding an image. Then let him choose his own image and show him how to cut and paste the src.

    etc. etc.

    I bet this would arouse his interest.

    Once you have done that could could introduce him to the tools that would make it simpler.

    Regards

    Dotty
     
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    DotNetWebs

  • #39
    bdw said:
    I'll try that next time he is staying over Dotty.

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    Click to expand...

    Let us know how he gets on. You never know one day when he is the CEO of a huge PLC tech company - he wlll have his own grandson on his knee and say:

    "I remember when I was 10 years old and my Grandad showed me how to write my first code...."

    Regards

    Dotty
     
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