🔥 Beginner Python Projects: What to Build, What You Need, and Why They Matter

Jashan Gill
Sep 6, 2025
3 min read

Starting your Python journey can feel overwhelming. You’ve learned about variables, loops, and maybe even functions — but now you’re stuck asking:

“What should I build next?”

That’s exactly what this blog is here to help you with.

At GolbenoMinds, we know how powerful beginner projects can be. They not only give you confidence but also help you build a portfolio that can impress future schools or internship programs. In this blog, we’ll walk you through 8 beginner-friendly Python projects, what tools/libraries you need, and what each one teaches you.

🧰 Before You Begin: What You’ll Need

To build most of these projects, you’ll need:

An IDE (Coding Environment):
- We recommend VS Code or Replit for beginners. Both are free.
Python (Latest Version):
- Install it from python.org
Optional Libraries:
We’ll mention the specific libraries required for each project below. Most can be installed using:


pip install library_name

1. Mad Libs Generator

What it is: A fun word game where the user gives random words (noun, verb, etc.), and those get inserted into a pre-written story template to create a funny or strange story.

💻 Build With: Replit or VS Code
📦 Requirements: None
🧠 You’ll Learn: String formatting, user input, and how to structure mini templates

2. Number Guessing Game

What it is: The computer picks a number between a range (like 1–100), and the user has to guess it. The app tells them if they’re too high or too low until they guess correctly.

💻 Build With: Replit or VS Code
📦 Requirements: random (built-in)
🧠 You’ll Learn: Loops, conditionals, and logic flow

3. Simple Calculator (Console)

What it is: Build your own calculator that can do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division from the command line.

💻 Build With: VS Code or Replit
📦 Requirements: None
🧠 You’ll Learn: Functions, input handling, and basic arithmetic logic

4. To-Do List App (Console-Based)

What it is: Create a simple productivity app where users can add, complete, or delete tasks — all from the terminal.

💻 Build With: VS Code
📦 Optional: json or pickle for saving tasks
🧠 You’ll Learn: Lists, loops, file storage, and simple logic management

5. Basic GUI App with Tkinter

What it is: Convert your calculator or to-do list into a graphical version using Python’s built-in GUI library — Tkinter.

💻 Build With: VS Code
📦 Requirements: tkinter (comes with Python)
🧠 You’ll Learn: GUI design, event handling, working with buttons and labels

6. Weather App using API

What it is: Let users enter any city name and return real-time weather data using OpenWeatherMap API.

💻 Build With: VS Code
📦 Requirements: requests
🌐 Other: Create a free API key at openweathermap.org
🧠 You’ll Learn: Making API requests, parsing JSON data, and user input handling

7. Data Visualization Project

What it is: Take real-world data (like COVID-19 stats, movies, or personal finances) and create charts using Python.

💻 Build With: VS Code or Jupyter Notebook
📦 Requirements: pandas, matplotlib, seaborn
🧠 You’ll Learn: Reading CSVs, cleaning data, building bar and line charts

8. Streamlit Web App

What it is: Build a simple web app (like a BMI calculator or quiz) using just Python with Streamlit.

💻 Build With: VS Code
📦 Requirements: streamlit
▶️ Run It With:


streamlit run your_file.py

🧠 You’ll Learn: Interactive components, sliders, and deploying Python to the web

🎯 Final Thoughts

These beginner projects are more than just exercises — they’re stepping stones to your first real portfolio. They help you practice what you’ve learned and give you confidence to take on bigger challenges.

If you're a high school student looking to build your portfolio, start here. Then when you're ready, you can explore more advanced projects like building AI chatbots, creating dashboards, or developing web apps.