Scratch Coding for Kids | Getting Started With Scratch | Benefits of Learning Scratch Coding for Kids

What Is Scratch?

Scratch Coding for Kids: Scratch is a visual, block-based programming language, with a drag-and-drop interface, designed especially for kids. It is a simple-to-use interface that allows kids to create their own digital projects like stories, animations, and games. Designed and developed by Scratch Foundation, a non-profit organization, Scratch is a free platform that allows kids to learn the basics of coding at an early age. Scratch is the world’s largest coding community for children which is available in more than 70 languages.

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Is Scratch Coding Safe for Kids?

Yes, Scratch is specially designed for kids between the ages of 8 to 16 years. However, it’s an open platform, and anyone can be a user regardless of their age. It’s a visual block-based programming language where kids can learn coding by making fun and colorful projects such as games, stories, animations, etc. This is a great way to introduce kids to coding. The online community of Scratch is also very safe to navigate as Scratch has some community guidelines that need to be followed by every user and if someone fails to do that then they are blocked or banned by the Scratch official team.

How to Get Started with Scratch Coding?

Getting started with Scratch is very simple and straightforward. As it is designed for kids, the user interface is very kid-friendly. You can easily create an account in Scratch with a few simple steps and start creating projects. First, let us guide you on how to create your first Scratch account.

• Step 1: Visit https://scratch.mit.edu/
• Step 2: Click on the “Join Scratch” option in the top-right corner of the homepage.
• Step 3: Now, you have to put in your new username and email address.
• Step 4: After putting in your new username and password you will be asked to enter some personal information like gender, birth month, date, and country you living in. Fill in all of the information correctly.
• Step 5: After, this you will need to just confirm your email and then you will be able to create and share projects in Scratch.

Now that you have created your account, let us show you how to create your first Scratch project in a few simple steps:

• Step 1: After you have created your Scratch account, click on the “create” option on the homepage.
• Step 2: This will take you to a new project page. Here you will see the Scratch editor

• Step 3: In the above image you can see different parts of the Scratch editor. First, you have to select a “Sprite” from the sprite pane. Sprites are like characters in the Scratch project. Scratch has many pre-designed sprites that you can select from or you can also create your own sprite. The Scratch Cat is the default sprite.
• Step 4: Now, that you have selected your sprite, you have to now drag blocks from the block palette on the left side of the editor and drop them in the code area. The blocks, stacked strategically, make the sprites move. Now, you are ready to create your first Scratch project.

You can make many interesting and creative projects in Scratch in an uncomplicated way.

Benefits of Scratch Coding for Kids

Scratch is a great programming language if you want to introduce your kid to coding. Learning to code will help your kid to learn a skill for a lifetime. Here are the 6 benefits of Scratch coding for kids:

1. Scratch enhances the problem-solving ability

Scratch is a block-based drag-and-drop programming language that gives kids a free hand to build their own projects. It requires kids to create their own characters, hurdles, sounds, etc. It teaches kids problem-solving and organizational skills.

2. Scratch promotes creativity

Through Scratch, kids can make their own digital world using their imagination rather than using pre-existing templates. Children can play with blocks, set sounds and colors, give animations, etc.

3. Scratch builds logical and critical thinking

Scratch is a drag-and-drop platform. Scratch makes kids think, plan and execute their decisions to design their own projects. It gives the child a platform to personalize their game and make it interesting with real-time practical experience.

4. Scratch helps to understand the basics of coding

Scratch is a simple and easy platform to introduce your kid to codes. It introduces kids to order commands and interact with computers in its simplest way. It is to make kids familiar with the basics of coding.

5. Scratch gives practical experience

Scratch is a visual interaction platform between the child and the computer. Through scratch programming, kids learn to make their own projects and gain practical experience with visuals, commands, and animations.

6. Scratch teaches participatory skills

As scratch is the world’s largest coding community for children. Through Scratch, kids will get to become part of a coding community that will enhance their interactive skills, meets like-minded people, and teaches them how to become an inclusive and active member.

What is ScratchJr.?

ScratchJr is a much-simplified version of Scratch designed especially for much younger children between the ages of 5 to 7. Kids can play and create their own interactive stories and games. The interface is very kid-friendly and feels like a videogame for 5 years olds. Kids can snap the programming blocks and make the sprite move, jump, sings, and dance. Using ScratchJr will definitely develop a child’s cognitive thinking, computational skills, and logical thinking. This is can prove to be very good brain exercise for younger kids.

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FAQs

What is coding for kids?
Coding for kids refers to the ways, methods, and opportunities for kids to get involved in coding. In simple terms, coding is a set of instructions to communicate with computers.

What type of programming language scratch is?
Scratch is a visual, block-based drag-and-drop coding platform specially designed for kids of age 8 to 16 years of age. It is available for free and easy to install at home.

Scratch is available in how many languages?
Scratch is available in more than 70 languages.

Is Scratch good for kids?
The Lifelong Kindergarten group and collaborators are researching how young people create, collaborate, and learn with Scratch. According to the research, the observations are that Scratch is a playful learning environment that promotes problem-solving skills, logical and critical thinking, enhances creativity, and many more.

What is Scratch used for?
Scratch is a programming language that allows children to create their own projects, like, stories, animations, or games using block-based coding.

Should my kid learn Scratch or Python?
If your kid is absolutely new to coding then starting with Scratch is a good way to introduce them to code. It is the perfect tool to learn the concepts of coding. But if your kid is familiar with programming and has basic knowledge about conditions, looping, and other concepts, then they can learn Python.

What are the other languages similar to Scratch?
There are many Scratch alternatives available. Some of them are free to use while some are paid. Here are 3 alternatives to Scratch.
1. SNAP: It is very similar to Scratch which allows to use of more variables, as well as creating their own blocks.
2. Tynker: Similar to scratch it is visual-based coding and gradually moves to text-based coding.
3. Microbit Portal:  It allows users to code a virtual Microbit in Blockly. Blockly is a language similar to the Scratch interface. Other than Blockly it also uses JavaScript and Python.

So what are you waiting for? Scratch coding for kids is a skill development platform. Introduce your kids to scratch and make them start their coding journey.