HTML Editor for Kids Suggestion

CrazyJoe

One of the projects that I am working on with my kids requires them to create a website and publish the results of their research. Do any of you have any suggestions for a good (free) program to use for them to create their website? We have used Frontpage up to this point and it's definitely showing it's age. I downloaded Microsoft Expression Web 4 as that was basically the replacement for FP but I haven't done much with it yet. My students wouldn't get much into hardcore HTML coding, they just need to be able to create a multipage site. If there were easy templates to chose from for the look of their site that would be a plus. This will be a project with 4th Grade Students.

Tushon

If it is for simple sites, they could learn it for themselves, but that's likely beyond the scope of what you planned. I haven't done any web dev since 9th grade myself, so I can't offer much advice on good programs to use for it.

GHoosdum

notepad.exe

oni_dels

i start learning it in notepad. it's free and standard in most pc.

MiracleManS

Most WYSIWYG editors are a little lacking in the HTML piece, but I would recommend a little digging into Expression Web, especially because it's free. You're going to have a hard time finding a "good" WYSIWYG editor.

BobbyDigi

GHoosdum said:

notepad.exe

This may or may not be a joke bit Notepad++ is also free and at least highlights html tags and such.

CrazyJoe

If I had the time to teach them HTML I'd definitely start in notepad. That's how I learned too. It's just beyond the scope of the project. I barely have the time to do the project as it is due to the crazy amount of testing we have to do among other issues. I just need a simple WYSIWYG editor for displaying the results of their research.

CB

Word can save as HTML, it doesn't write clean code, but it's pretty accurate if you don't try to do anything crazy.

PirateNinja

https://www.google.com/webdesigner/
maybe too complicated, not sure

Linc

CrazyJoe said:

I just need a simple WYSIWYG editor for displaying the results of their research.

Have you considered bypassing standalone WYSIWYG and going straight to a free content publisher like Tumblr?

PirateNinja

I have to agree with Lincoln, that makes much more sense. Wordpress, blogger, google sites, etc. There has to be some extremely easy platform they can use, but they will need their parents to sign up (coppa).

Straight_Man

WordPress is very easy once set up, if you turn off the comments to avoid getting spammed and trolled in comments. Wordpress is a hosted solution though.

CrazyJoe

Lincoln said:

Have you considered bypassing standalone WYSIWYG and going straight to a free content publisher like Tumblr?

We would like to still host the page on the school's server as we can't link to anything off our school's site that is not hosted by us. Also sites that require signups are a PITY because you have to get parent permission, etc. At this point we will most likely just go with Microsoft Expression Web.

GHoosdum

You could host a WordPress MU instance on the school's server and give each kid a subsection.

mertesn

vi or gtfo

bells

Have you tried Weebly? It is free for small, simple sites. It is ideal for sites that you want to create and then quickly forget about, as well. I believe you can tweak the site using HTML too.

trooster89

Kompozer is a pretty nice WISIWYG editor I've used for basic HTML. Its free, basic and user-friendly. (Doesn't do much for CSS however).

midga

Pity the Google Web Designer isn't better suited to this sort of thing yet. Thanks for the link to it, though, @PirateNinja. Looks worth watching at any rate.