ScratchJr facts for kids
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| Developer | MIT Media Lab |
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| First appeared | July 2014 |
| OS | Android, iOS and ChromeOS |
ScratchJr is a special computer program that teaches young kids (ages 5-7) how to code. It's a "visual programming language," which means you use pictures and blocks instead of typing words to make things happen. Think of it like building with digital LEGOs!
This app is a great way for very young children to start learning about computers. It's free and you can get it on iPads, Android tablets, and Chromebooks.
ScratchJr was created because the original Scratch language (used by millions of people) needed some reading skills. The people who made ScratchJr wanted to create an even simpler version. This way, even kids who can't read yet can learn programming without needing to know words or math.
Contents
How ScratchJr Started
ScratchJr was developed by a team of smart people. These included Marina Umaschi Bers from Tufts University, Mitchel Resnick from the MIT Media Lab, and Paula Bonta and Brian Silverman from the Playful Invention Company. They wanted to make coding easy for little kids.
The first version of ScratchJr came out in July 2014 for iPads. Later, an Android version was released in March 2015. A Chromebook app followed in March 2016. There's even a special version called PBS Kids ScratchJr. This one has characters and backgrounds from popular kids' TV shows like Nature Cat and Wild Kratts.
Using the ScratchJr App
In ScratchJr, kids create code using things called sprites. Sprites are like characters or objects that you can control. ScratchJr comes with many ready-made sprites. You can also change them or draw your own using the "Paint Editor."
The Paint Editor
The Paint Editor is a fun tool where you can draw and color your own sprites. You can pick many different colors and choose how thick your lines are. It also lets you draw shapes and erase mistakes.
Building Code with Blocks
To make sprites move or do things, you drag colorful blocks into a special area. Then, you snap them together like puzzle pieces. All the blocks use pictures (icons) instead of words. This is why kids can use ScratchJr even before they learn to read.
The blocks connect from left to right, just like how you read words. This is different from the original Scratch, where blocks connect from top to bottom.
The main coding area is at the bottom of the screen. The "stage" (where your project plays out) is in the middle. On the right, you see different "scenes" (like pages in a book). On the left, you see the sprites you are using. Each scene can have its own unique sprites.
Simple Design for Young Coders
The ScratchJr app is much simpler than the regular Scratch program. It has fewer types of coding blocks and fewer blocks in each group. This makes it easier for young children to learn the most basic coding ideas without getting confused.
| Block Category | What It Does | |
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| Events | Starts your code and sends messages to other parts of your project. | |
| Motion | Moves sprites around and changes their direction. | |
| Looks | Controls if sprites are seen, changes their appearance, and makes them "talk" in speech bubbles. | |
| Sound | Plays a "pop" sound or a sound you've recorded yourself. | |
| Control | Repeats a part of your code a certain number of times. | |
| Endings | Stops your code, makes it repeat forever, or sends you to a different page in your project. | |
Adding Backgrounds
Besides sprites, kids can also add backgrounds to their projects. This gives their stories a setting and a mood. Each background is like a new page in a book. It can have its own set of sprites. A project can have up to four different backgrounds.
ScratchJr in Schools
ScratchJr is a great tool for helping young students learn "computational thinking." This means learning how to solve problems like a computer scientist. It's especially useful for kids in pre-kindergarten to second grade who are still learning to read.
Many schools use ScratchJr. For example, kindergarten classes at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School in Medford use it. The Jewish Community Day School in Watertown, Boston, also uses it.
Available Languages
ScratchJr is available in many different languages. This helps kids all over the world learn to code! You can use it in:
- Catalan
- Chinese
- Dutch
- Danish
- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Norwegian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Brazilian Portuguese
- Spanish
- Swedish
- Thai
- Turkish
- Welsh
See also
In Spanish: Scratch Jr para niños
