My first proper approach to programming was a BASIC dialect for the Pocket Viewer (An early Casio PDA). At that point I already knew how to work with a computer, how to download programs from the Internet and load them up in floppy disks or burn them to CDs (My computer didn't even have any USB ports) although my time with the family computer was rather limited whereas I could use Dad's Pocket Viewer which he didn't like a whole much and practically gave away to me any time I wanted.
It was really limited, with no real means to access the system's memory save for a couple roundabout ways including yes, actual PEEKing and POKEing of all things. But it was still extremely fun despite its limitations. I wrote a simple text adventure game, a virtual die (so I could play board games whenever my little brother "lost" their dice) and even a simple poll app (Presidential elections and how they were supposedly rigged with electronic voting was a big topic back then. Nowadays it's just a given where I live). I have no doubt these first approaches tend to be the most important and keep having an influence even way later on.
It was really limited, with no real means to access the system's memory save for a couple roundabout ways including yes, actual PEEKing and POKEing of all things. But it was still extremely fun despite its limitations. I wrote a simple text adventure game, a virtual die (so I could play board games whenever my little brother "lost" their dice) and even a simple poll app (Presidential elections and how they were supposedly rigged with electronic voting was a big topic back then. Nowadays it's just a given where I live). I have no doubt these first approaches tend to be the most important and keep having an influence even way later on.