Learning to understand, write and debug python programs can be hard work, especially if python is the first programming language you’re learning.

This set of resources is aimed a beginners who want a quick reference guide and a variety of programming challenges of varying difficulty where you get instant feedback without having to sign up or pay to get going.

This page contains links to a set of self-marking python activities that let you track your progress and download and / or print off a PDF certificate for each python skill.

The aim is to publish a complete set of 20 activities but it’s a work in progress so do let me know if you spot any mistakes or can think of a way to improve any of the activities.

Each activity has four sections:

Try it, debug it, extend it
Try it, debug it, extend it
  1. Theory: Learn the key words and concepts
  2. Try It: Look at and run some working example code
  3. Debug It: Practise debugging some common errors
  4. Extend It: Adapt and extend code with ideas for bigger projects

Published Python for Beginners Activities:

Here’s the activities I’ve published so far:

01: Output

Write a program that displays an output
Output: Write a program that displays an output

02: Input

Write a program that asks for input
Input: Write a program that asks for input

03: Syntax Errors

Find and fix common errors in your code
Syntax errors: Find and fix common errors in your code

04: Variables

Use and store data in variables
Variables: Use and store data in variables

05: Naming Conventions

Use variables and constants with sensible names
Naming conventions: Use variables and constants with sensible names

06: Data Types

Convert and use different types of data
Data types: Convert and use different types of data

07: Runtime Errors

Find and fix common errors in your code
Runtime errors: Find and fix common errors in your code

08: Sequence

Plan the order of instructions carefully
Sequence: Plan the order of instructions carefully

09: Selection

Tell your code how to make decisions
Selection: Tell your code how to make decisions

10: Logic errors

Find and fix common errors in your code
Logical errors: Find and fix common errors in your code

11: Lists

Store and use lots of data in the same variable
Lists: Store and use lots of data in the same variable

12: Iteration

Make code repeat as many times as you want
Iteration: Make code repeat as many times as you want

13: Writing to files

Use and store data in files
Writing data to a file in python

14: Reading from files

Use and store data in files
Reading data from a file in python

15: Error handling

Make your code cope when things go wrong
Error handling in python

16: Procedures

Reuse sections of your code
Procedures: Reuse sections of your code

17: Functions

Reuse sections of your code
Functions: Reuse sections of your code

18: Parameters

Parameters: Adapt and reuse sections of your code

19: Optimisation

Make your code more efficient
Optimisation: Make your code more efficient

On the next page you’ll see a list of all of the activities that are planned to be published in the future.

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