make the problem they're trying to solve non-code related?

[jsms90]

Given that "callbacks" already feels like a confusing topic, it might help to make the problem itself much less code-specific? e.g. the burger article about promises.

Everyone understands what it is to order a burger, what it is to wait for food to be prepared at a restaurant, etc. So it's easier to focus on the coding concept (callbacks), separately from understanding anything about code (clicking a button, grabbing elements from the DOM, adding and dividing numbers, etc.).

Something like the burger party article.