ScratchJr offers an intro to programming to young kids through a series of engaging tasks that they can follow to create a game or an interactive story. This way, they can learn the basics of the Scratch programming language, but with code replaced by visual blocks, a kid can snap together. The app has a cartoonish interface and simple controls that enable children to explore programming, increase their creative thinking, and work on their STEM skills.
Through sounds, movements, and visual effects, ScratchJr helps kids grasp the fundamental idea of cause-and-effect that coding is based on. The app includes interactive guides and tutorials and integrates best practices used in education to give children safe and fun access to the world of programming, software development, and problem-solving approaches.
The software was developed by MIT University in collaboration with other partners, and you can download ScratchJr on mobile devices or access it through its website on any operating system via a browser.
Why should I download ScratchJr?
If you want to introduce your kid to computer science and programming, ScratchJr offers an age-appropriate solution that incorporates different educational techniques. It's perfect for children who are just learning to read and write, as the interface is mainly based on symbols, icons, and large and colorful blocks that you need to drag and snap together.
This creates command sequences, and each block represents different actions, for example, "jump," "repeat," or "move," or "say hello." In ScratchJr, functions like motion, looks, controls, etc., are assigned different colors so children can easily differentiate between them. The app also gives kids visual and audio feedback so they can understand what happened without reading.
With the different blocks, kids can create various interactive projects where they animate various characters, produce dialog sequences, move different objects on the screen, or have them respond to their taps and other interactions. ScratchJr also offers a built-in drawing editor that kids can use to customize their characters, create new ones, edit, or draw their own backgrounds.
They can also record different sounds and incorporate them into their project, which makes using ScratchJr a fun and personalized learning experience. All of the features you can find in ScratchJr aim to develop skills like sequencing, logic, storytelling, and problem-solving, as well as help children with reading and counting.
ScratchJr can serve as a first step before introducing your kids to the Scratch platform, which is aimed at slightly older children (8 years or above), includes more advanced logic and variables, and introduces more coding blocks with various levels of complexity. Scratch also has an online community that supports kids and allows them to share their creations with others. Starting with ScratchJr is a great way to naturally progress your children's skills in time and have them learn various concepts step by step and at a pace that won't overwhelm them too early with information they can't understand.
You only need to have an internet connection to download ScratchJr; after that, the mobile app works offline so that kids can stay focused, parents have control over the content their children see, and it's a perfect solution when traveling or inside the classroom. You can download ScratchJr on any iOS and Android smartphone or tablet, even the older ones, and it doesn't need extensive resources to work.
Is ScratchJr free?
Created by various educational institutions, this app promotes computer science and STEM skills. You can download ScratchJr for free, and there are no paid upgrades, ads, or higher fees. Any updates or content are also available without any additional costs.
If you're a teacher who is looking to use ScratchJr in your classroom, you can also download free resources like teacher guides or curriculums on the app website.
What operating systems are compatible with ScratchJr?
Since the app is designed primarily for touchscreen controls and interaction, you can download ScratchJr on smartphones and tablets (recommended). The supported systems are iOS 11 or higher, Android 5.0 or newer, and any Chromebooks with touchscreens. There is also a website optimized for mouse and keyboard controls where kids can use ScratchJr when they don't have access to mobile devices.
What are the alternatives to ScratchJr?
Kidlo Coding is another app dedicated to teaching children the basics of coding through a number of gamified activities and tasks. It's appropriate for children between the ages of 4 and 9, and kids get to learn through various puzzles, logic challenges, or sequencing games. Children can enjoy navigating through mazes, manipulating blocks to change characters' behavior, or solving different tasks based on logic. When compared with ScratchJr, this alternative offers a more structured and systematic approach that takes your children step by step through various difficulty levels and achievements. You can download Kidlo Coding on iOS and Android devices, but only some parts of the app are free. To access all of its features and content, you need to get a paid subscription to the app's pro plan.
If your kid is very into robots, then they will love PictoBlox, as it's a coding and visual programming platform centered around robotics, AI, and IoT (Internet of Things). The app is aimed at slightly older children, but it could be a great next step once your child grows out of ScratchJr. You can get it on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, and switch between online and offline modes. The base version is available for free and gives you access to all needed features, but you can expand PictoBlox with paid upgrades.
Tynker is a platform catered to children of different ages, from early elementary to middle school students, and introduces them slowly to JavaScript and Python languages. The kid can start with code-based coding tasks and activities and eventually reach text-based programming activities. Tynker comes in a limited free version, but you need to subscribe to its paid plan to access certifications, specialized courses, lessons on building games, or various STEM challenges. The fun part about Tynker is that it has a huge repository of expansions, including creating custom mods for Minecraft or programming a drone. You can download Tynker on Android and iOS or access it through its website service.
