Brother doesn’t understand anything about engines or orbits

[Señor Kerbal]

Hi everyone! I recently joined this forum, and I was wondering if you guys could help with this issue I was having with my brother. I have set him up in the past with my computer, and he has a laptop with a version of KSP on it, but he doesn’t know anything about orbital mechanics or how to make a functional rocket. He’s a smart kid (11) and wants to learn, but he has resisted doing any of the tutorials and when I try to teach him anything, he gets up and leaves. Is there any way to teach him without the tutorials or anything like school? Let me repeat, he really wants to learn. Thank you!

[miklkit]

Youtube?  Mike Aben and orb8ter are very thorough, but slow.  Matt Lowne moves much faster bur breezes past some basics. 

[GluttonyReaper]

Welcome to the forums! Another way he might be able to learn is through Youtube videos - this is how a lot of us learnt before tutorials were in the game. I personally watched a fair bit of Scott Manley:

Career Mode Tutorial

...but this is obviously quite old now (although mostly still relevant!). I'm sure other people here can provide some more up to date videos.

Of course, whatever you do, don't try and force anything - KSP is meant to be fun, not a chore! It's much better to find a way of learning he actually enjoys.

[Vanamonde]

If he wants to play, let him launch rockets until he gets a feel for how they behave, thus teaching himself.

[Señor Kerbal]

15 hours ago, GluttonyReaper said:

Of course, whatever you do, don't try and force anything - KSP is meant to be fun, not a chore! It's much better to find a way of learning he actually enjoys.

Of course. Every time we sit down together and try to play and he usually gets frustrated and leaves. I’m also not the best teacher in the world, so that might have something to do with it. 

Thank you for the advice, everyone! I’ll set him up with some videos he can watch, and he’ll be on his KSP journey. 

[king of nowhere]

23 hours ago, Señor Kerbal said:

 He’s a smart kid (11) and wants to learn, but he has resisted doing any of the tutorials and when I try to teach him anything, he gets up and leaves

that's a huge attitude issue.

he wants to learn, but he doesn't want to do anything to actually learn. it's like declaring that you want to get fit, but don't want to go on a diet or go to the gym.  maybe one day we'll get magic pills for it, but right now, if you want results you have to put effort.

it is possible you are a bad teacher and he doesn't get the way you explain. but then he should do the tutorials.

maybe you could tell him, with a kind but firm tone, that he has to learn somehow, and ask him what he is actually willing to do in order to learn. explain him that while he can learn by doing, he needs some basics first. and conclude by remarking that if he's not willing to put in some patience to listen, then he doesn't actually want to learn after all. though pretty much anything worthwile in life requires effort.

those are life lessons that extend far beyond this game.

Edited August 7 by king of nowhere