Re: Kids not programming? Here's why...
Could not agree more. I think AutoIT (which is foolishly named due to its growth as a genral scripting language) is criminally overlooked. It is exactly what you suggest. It is a tiny download, self contained, compilable, GUI rich, BASIC syntax scripting language.
And it just works. Msgbox(0,0,"Hello World!"). Right click > Compile. It is a modern version of BASIC in a tin, with just a tiny download and a single executable to get started on.
Will they write something utterly amazing with it? Probably not. Will they become interested just as we were with the power, and then -crucially- the limitations of BASIC? Yes. And that's when the lightbulb moment will happen.
Get a uber uber simple GUI BASIC scripting language into Windows Stat !