# Markdown for Kids

A free, hands-on Markdown lesson for kids who are learning to read and type, from about age 7. The interactive version is at https://overtype.dev/markdown-for-kids. It has live editors, read-aloud buttons, and a print button. Everything a child types stays in their browser.

## For grown ups

Markdown is a simple way to add meaning to plain text with a few symbols, like stars for **bold** and `#` for titles. Lots of apps understand it, including notes apps, chat apps, GitHub and AI assistants. The lesson teaches one mark per chapter, so a child is never shown more than they need. The editors are built with OverType (https://overtype.dev), an open source Markdown editor that shows the marks while it styles the text.

## The lesson

1. **A box for words.** A plain text box, the way websites usually take typing. Every letter the child types appears as a tile, because to a computer, text is just letters in a line. It does not know which words are important.
2. **Some words are special.** When we talk, we can say a word LOUD so people know it matters. In plain text, people use tricks like CAPITAL LETTERS or `*stars*`, but the computer still only sees letters.
3. **Secret marks.** Markdown is a set of marks that people and computers both understand. Two stars on each side make a word strong: `**strong**`. One star on each side makes it lean: `*leaning*`, called italic.
4. **Big titles.** A hash mark and a space at the start of a line make a title: `# My Story`. Two hash marks make a smaller title for the parts of a story: `## Chapter one`.
5. **Lists.** A dash and a space start a list item: `- Go to the park`. Square brackets after the dash make a box to tick: `- [ ] Clean my room`. An x inside means it is done: `- [x] Clean my room`.
6. **Make it beautiful.** The marks say what each part means, and the computer decides how it looks. The same story is shown as a storybook, a newspaper and a poster: same words, different look.
7. **Your page.** A free writing page with every mark turned on. It is saved in the browser for next time.
8. **Print it.** Pick an outfit for the page and print it.

## All the marks

| You type | You get |
|---|---|
| `**strong**` | **strong** |
| `*leaning*` | *leaning* |
| `# Title` | a big title |
| `## Smaller title` | a smaller title |
| `- A list` | a list item |
| `- [ ] A box to tick` | a checkbox |
| `- [x] Done` | a ticked checkbox |