22 programs · edit and run

Python programs for beginners, one idea at a time.

From printing your name to a Rubik's Cube simulator. Each page has code you can run and change, an explanation, and things to try next.

Level 1

Beginner

Hello world and variables

Print a message, store things in variables and join them together.

Ages 8+ · print, variables

Times table printer

Print the seven times table with a loop.

Ages 8+ · for loop, range

Even or odd

Say whether each number from 1 to 10 is even or odd.

Ages 8+ · if / else, remainder

Add up the numbers 1 to 100

Add 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + 100, and check the answer with a formula.

Ages 9+ · accumulator, for loop

Countdown

Count down from 10 and finish with a message.

Ages 8+ · while loop, variables

Temperature converter

Turn Celsius into Fahrenheit and print a conversion table.

Ages 9+ · functions, return

Reverse a string

Turn a sentence round in three different ways.

Ages 9+ · strings, slicing

Level 2

Easy

FizzBuzz

Count from 1 to 20. For multiples of 3 print Fizz, for multiples of 5 print Buzz, and for both print FizzBuzz.

Ages 9+ · if / elif / else, remainder

Find the prime numbers

Print every prime number up to 50.

Ages 10+ · nested loops, break

Fibonacci numbers

Build the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two before it.

Ages 10+ · lists, loops

Palindrome checker

Check whether a word reads the same forwards and backwards.

Ages 10+ · strings, slicing

Vowel counter

Count the vowels in a sentence.

Ages 10+ · strings, for loop

A calculator with functions

Write functions for add, subtract, multiply and divide, and use a dictionary to choose one.

Ages 10+ · functions, parameters

The Collatz sequence

Start with any number. If it is even, halve it; if odd, triple it and add 1. See how long it takes to reach 1.

Ages 11+ · while loop, if / else

Decimal to binary

Turn a number into binary by repeatedly dividing by 2.

Ages 11+ · while loop, remainder

Marks and grades

Find the total, average and grade for a list of marks.

Ages 11+ · lists, functions

Level 3

Confident

Shopping basket

Add up the price of items in a basket, with quantities and a discount.

Ages 11+ · dictionaries, loops

Rock, paper, scissors

Work out who wins each round of rock, paper, scissors from a list of moves.

Ages 11+ · dictionaries, functions

Pascal's triangle

Print the first eight rows of Pascal's triangle, where each number is the sum of the two above it.

Ages 12+ · lists, nested loops

Secret code: the Caesar cipher

Send secret messages by shifting every letter along the alphabet.

Ages 11+ · strings, ord and chr

Number guessing game (the computer plays)

Find a secret number between 1 and 100 by always guessing the middle. See that it takes at most 7 guesses.

Ages 11+ · while loop, binary search

Simulate a 2×2 Rubik's Cube move

Represent a 2×2 cube as 24 stickers, apply the moves R and U as rearrangements, and count how many times R U repeats before the cube is solved again.

Ages 13+ · lists, permutations

FAQ

About these programs

Do I need to install Python?

No. Every program runs on the page in your browser. When you are ready, you can also install Python and run the same programs on your computer, because they give the same output in real Python 3.

Which program should I start with?

Start with Hello world and variables, then the times table printer and even or odd. Move on when each feels easy.

What if I get an error?

Read the message, check the line it names, and compare with the original. The debugging guide explains the six most common errors.

What age are these for?

Each program lists a starting age. The first ones suit about 8 and up. The last ones, with dictionaries and a cube simulator, suit about 12 and up.

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