ScratchJr

What is ScratchJr

Scratch Junior app is a programming animation game suitable for children aged five and upwards and is based on the popular Scratch visual programming platform used in many schools.

A friendly, colourful interactive interface will teach your children the basics of block computer coding using delightful backgrounds and characters. The app has no in-app purchases with no adverts. 

What's it about?

ScratchJr is easy to use and navigate, and once shown to your child, they should be able to progress with the app unsupervised. However, the app will work best with some initial guidance. The home screen introduces three options for parents. The settings option in the top right provides two languages, English and Spanish.

There is helpful information about Scratch Junior and a guide to the app and paint editor feature. We recommend that parents read this section of the Settings. The Home icon enables your child to create a project and edit saved projects. We particularly like the Question mark icon where parents can watch an introduction to Scratch Junior and sample projects of how the coding works.

The app offers a simple drag-and-drop selection of graphical icons, and even the simplest of interactive scenes can be created. We like the Lego-style building coding blocks that snap cleverly together. You can drag icons into the background, add a start and movement, and animation can easily be created.

The interface is intuitive as every item is a simple click or drag, and the colourful characters and backgrounds will make it very appealing to younger users. Although children left alone can easily get lost in the various options, with a bit of guidance, they can design, build and enjoy their own iPad presentations.

Once the student understands the interface and what each Block programme does, they can create and save their own projects. The programs created are more like short narrative cartoons and although character interaction is limited the possibilities are endless and will keep students entertained and inspired for hours.

What age ScratchJr for?

ScratchJr makes coding accessible to younger children (ages 5-7), enabling them to program their own interactive stories, games, and animations.

Is ScratchJr free?

ScratchJr is free to download on iOS, Android and Amazon devices as well as an app on Chromebooks.

How much does ScratchJr cost?

ScratchJr is always free and is available in more than 70 languages.

Is ScratchJr safe for kids?

Yes, ScratchJr is safe for kids as the messages are not publicly shared.

Final Thoughts

ScratchJr is a fantastic app and highly recommended. Computer programming is very hard to learn and the simple building of coding blocks is an excellent way to create fast, effective animations. The icons and input screens take some getting used to, so it's not as simple as handing the program to your child, however, with a little parental guidance this application offers a rich and challenging environment for very young programmers.

ScratchJr is a vast application that will not only teach your child the basics of coding but also inspire then to create their own backgrounds and sequenced animations. 

Further Reading:

Best Kindle Fire Apps for Kids

Scratch Alternatives

Coding Websites for Kids

You can download ScratchJr on your iOS or Android devices from the app stores. Download the ScratchJr app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.