Scratch is one of the best tools available for helping children move from consuming technology to creating with it.
It looks playful, but underneath it teaches real skills: logical thinking, problem solving, sequencing, and persistence. Most importantly, it helps children experience technology as something they can control and shape.
You do not need to be technical to get started. You just need a small project and the willingness to learn
alongside your child.
Why Scratch works so well
Scratch is designed for beginners. Children drag and snap blocks together instead of typing code, which removes a lot of frustration.
What makes Scratch especially powerful is that children get immediate feedback. When they change something, they see the result straight away. This keeps them engaged and encourages experimentation.
It also has a natural endpoint. Games get finished. Levels get built. Characters move the way they were intended to. This makes screen time feel purposeful rather than endless.
Start with a very small game
A big mistakel, often made, is aiming too big.
You are not building a complex game. You are helping your child finish a simple one.
A great first goal is:
- one character
- one background
- one clear action
That might be moving, jumping, or collecting something.
Finishing a small game builds confidence far more effectively than starting a big one and never completing it.
Step 1: Jump into Scratch together
Go to scratch.mit.edu and click “Create.”
Spend a few minutes clicking around. Let your child explore. You do not need to understand everything before starting.
If your child feels unsure, search for a beginner Scratch tutorial on YouTube. There are many short, child-friendly videos that walk through simple games step by step.
Watching one together often removes the fear of starting.
Step 2: Choose a character and a goal
Ask your child two questions:
- Who is the main character?
- What does the character need to do?
Examples:
- move left and right to avoid obstacles
- collect items for points
- reach the other side of the screen
Keeping the goal simple helps children stay focused and finish the project.
Step 3: Build one feature at a time
Encourage your child to work in small steps.
Add movement first. Then test it. Add an obstacle or goal. Then test it. Change something small. Then test again.
This is where the real learning happens. Children discover that mistakes are not failures. They are part of the process.
Step 4: Finish and share
Once the game works, stop. Resist the urge to keep adding features. Finishing matters.
Ask your child to show you how the game works. Let them explain what they made and how they solved problems along the way.
If they want to share it with a friend or family member, Scratch makes this easy. Sharing helps children see their work as something real and valuable.
What children learn from this project
Through a simple Scratch game, children practise:
- sustained focus
- problem solving
- trial and error
- creative thinking
- finishing something they started
They also start to see themselves differently. Not just as someone who uses games, but as someone who makes them.
That shift changes how children relate to screens.
Where this leads next
Once children finish one Scratch project, they often want to:
- add levels
- create new characters
- remix other people’s projects
- invent their own game ideas
The momentum comes from finishing, not from complexity.
Where this fits in Better Tech Kids
This Scratch project is one of many practical starting points in Better Tech Kids, where the goal is not less technology, but better use of it.
You do not need to be an expert. You just need a place to begin.
The momentum comes from finishing, not from complexity.