The Beginner's Guide to Scratch for Kids and Parents
What Scratch is
Scratch, created by MIT, is the most popular coding platform for children in the world — and it is completely free. Instead of typing code, kids snap together colourful blocks to build games, animations, and interactive stories.
Because there is no syntax to get wrong, children focus on logic and creativity from the very first minute. It is the gold-standard first step into coding.
Why it works so well
Scratch teaches real programming concepts — loops, conditions, variables, events — disguised as play. A child building a game is learning the same ideas a professional uses, just without the intimidating text.
It is also deeply creative. Kids make things they care about — a game about their pet, an animation of a favourite story — which keeps motivation high and learning sticky.
Getting your child started
Head to the Scratch website, where it runs free in any browser (there is also ScratchJr as an app for ages 5–7). You can let a child explore the tutorials, or start with a simple project like making a character move and make a sound.
A great first win: the classic 'catch the falling object' game. It uses movement, scoring, and collisions — enough to feel real and finished without being overwhelming.
The community advantage
Scratch has a huge community of shared projects. Children can explore millions of others' creations, 'look inside' to see how they were made, and remix them to learn — a powerful, low-pressure way to grow.
It is moderated for safety, but as with any online space, keep an eye on interactions and talk about good community behaviour.
How parents can help
You do not need to know how to code. Sit with your child, ask what they are trying to make, and celebrate small wins. When something breaks, encourage them to tinker — debugging is where the deepest learning happens.
Scratch rewards curiosity and persistence. Give your child time to explore, and it can spark an interest that grows from blocks today into real coding tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Scratch is completely free. It was created by MIT and runs in any browser; there's also a ScratchJr app for ages 5–7. There's nothing to buy to get started.
Scratch suits roughly ages 8 and up, while ScratchJr is designed for ages 5–7. Both use snap-together blocks so kids focus on logic and creativity without typing code.
Not at all. Sit with your child, ask what they're building, celebrate small wins, and encourage tinkering when something breaks. Scratch is designed so beginners — kids and parents alike — can learn by exploring.