For kids aged 5-7, ScratchJr offers a fun and engaging way to dive into the world of programming. By dragging colorful blocks, young children can create their own programs and watch their characters come to life with movement and actions!
ScratchJr is an introductory programming language designed for young children aged 5 and up. It allows them to craft their own interactive stories and games. Using graphical programming blocks, kids can make their characters move, jump, dance, and even sing. With the paint editor, they can customize characters, add their voices and sounds, and even incorporate their own photos, bringing their creations to life through programming blocks.
Inspired by the renowned Scratch programming language (http://scratch.mit.edu), which is popular among millions of older kids around the world, ScratchJr has been tailored specifically for younger children. The interface and programming language have been redesigned to be developmentally appropriate, aligning with the cognitive, personal, social, and emotional development of young children.
We view coding, or computer programming, as a new form of literacy. Just as writing helps you organize your thoughts and express your ideas, coding does the same. Historically, coding was considered too challenging for most, but we believe it should be accessible to everyone, much like writing.
As young children engage with ScratchJr, they learn to create and express themselves using the computer, not just to interact with it. This process fosters problem-solving skills, project design, and sequencing abilities, which are crucial for future academic success. They also apply math and language skills in a meaningful and motivating context, boosting early numeracy and literacy. With ScratchJr, children are not only learning to code; they are coding to learn.
ScratchJr is a collaborative effort between the Developmental Technologies group at Tufts University, the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, and the Playful Invention Company. Two Sigma spearheaded the development of the Android version, while HvingtQuatre Company and Sarah Thomson provided the graphics and illustrations.
If you appreciate using this free app, please consider donating to the Scratch Foundation (http://www.scratchfoundation.org), a nonprofit that supports ScratchJr. We welcome donations of any size.
This version of ScratchJr is compatible only with tablets that are 7-inches or larger and running Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) or higher.
For more details, please review our Terms of Use: http://www.scratchjr.org/eula.html
What's New in the Latest Version 1.5.11
Last updated on Nov 28, 2023
Minor bug fixes and improvements. Install or update to the newest version to check it out!
Tags : Education
