I used to teach kids in the Bronx how to code with basic HTML, but I would motivate them by thinking problem-first.

So instead of teaching them HTML as part of a boring curriculum, I would encourage them to first seek problems in their neighborhood (e.g. homeless, food scarcity, gang violence, noise, trash/litter, etc.), and come up with interesting app ideas to solve those problems that they were intimately familiar with — and then learn basic design and HTML to bring that vision to life, even if it didn't fully function, it's enough to get their imagination going.

I think running a DeSo node or app might be too complicated for beginners, but I think if you teach them fundamentals of 1) problem solving and 2) basic building blocks — you'll spread their imagination pretty far so if that does catch their interest and they start to enjoy it, they'll naturally want to progress to more advanced steps.