Want to start off simple into the world of programming? Begin with Scratch! Scratch, a site created by MIT, is a platform meant to provide the basic essence of programming to individuals who aren’t very experienced with the functions of variables, languages and algorithms. Several universities such as Harvard use Scratch to lay down the key concepts before heading to the more advanced CS courses. In fact, online and in-person courses such as CS50 , start off with Scratch tutorials to explain what loops and variables are in a basic yet structured format.
Scratch’s variety of command blocks allow users to tinker around and learn with systematic thinking and problem-solving logic. It is also a language which is easy to learn and doesn’t require much assistance. (1) “To make it even easier for beginners, the shape of each block clues the child in on when to use it. Blocks also have colours that enable younger coders to create mental associations with different concepts in computing.”
There are 3 primary reasons why Scratch seems to be the perfect go-to app for young kids:
- The website is very easy to interpret, the blocks are in an order such that there is only a need for drag and drop, the code isn’t in complex syntax so it doesn’t confuse kids in terms of code orientation.
- Scratch is extremely engaging with colourful animations to represent your code. As new upgrades in the form of versions, are added to Scratch, the enjoyment level continues to stay consistent thanks to MIT’s ingenious developers.
- Finally and most importantly, Scratch holds a strong resemblance to more complicated languages such as Python, Java, C etc. Despite what people may think about the “kiddish” game, the program is able to inculcate coding concepts into beginners, which allow for an easy transition into the harder languages
Remember, Scratch is just a starting step in preparing for the far more complex programs which are yet to come. Python, C++, Javascript and Ruby are some languages which are very popularly used in the common world. They are severely intricate and require a lot of precision with syntax and code, unlike Scratch. To sum it all up, if your child has an interest in creating mini-games or learning the rudimentary foundations of Programming, then Scratch is the website to check out!
Bibliography -
Is Scratch Hard to Learn: How Easy is it for Beginners?. (2020). Retrieved 2 June 2021, from https://funtech.co.uk/latest/is-scratch-hard-to-learn-for-beginners
