MicroPython is fantastic for education and rapid prototyping with hardware - definitely try it out! It can be difficult to make complex long-running applications because of post-GC memory fragmentation and frequent dynamic allocations by the VM, but the Python syntax makes it all worthwhile. It also has a supportive and friendly community where it's easy to get support, and the official 'PyBoards' are great.

MakeCode is also similar to what you describe - check out Adafruit's Blockly/JS simulator:

https://makecode.adafruit.com/

Note that CircuitPython is Adafruit's fork which focuses more on education than industrial prototyping. So even within the embedded Python ecosystem, you have options.

Embedded development is so easy these days, it is just fantastic. The barrier to entry, in both cost and complexity, is so low now that just about anyone can apply physical automation to the problems that they see in their life and community. I'm excited to see what emerges in the next couple of decades.

We've made some pretty capable hardware at my job on top of the pyboard/micropython. We've outgrown it in certain cases but it's really powerful being able to build something for potential critical business needs (like one off testing platforms) without spending weeks rewriting drivers.

Thanks for the Adafruit tip. My 9yo daughter is learning scratch, so the block based programming is going to be great to try out with her.

Not exactly what you're asking for, but you may enjoy Shenzhen I/O and other titles from Zachtronics: http://www.zachtronics.com/shenzhen-io/

yeah good tip =) i already knew them but thanks anyway!

Hardware is so cheap and accessible these days, just get an Arduino board. There are lots of kits available with sensors and actuators, and it's all so easy to use it's like building with Legos.

If you've never tried Python including a REPL for whatever project you'd use Arduino for it's definitely worth giving a shot. Different kind of game than C.

Today an esp32 is more bang for your buck. 80mhz dual core, has wifi and bluetooth, and so on

Edit: and you can program it with the arduino IDE