About

Scratch is a free programming language and online community where young people around the world create and share their own interactive stories, games, and animations.

Designed in 2007 at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch is rooted in decades of educational research. What began as a groundbreaking research project has developed into a global phenomenon, supporting millions of young people who imagine, connect, and create.

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Block-Based Coding

Block-based coding enables you to create your own programs by snapping code blocks together. We encourage you to tinker, iterate and change your program as you learn and develop your ideas, and experiment! We designed the Scratch graphical programming blocks so that you can focus on what you are creating, not on the syntax of traditional programming languages.

A special message for you from the Scratch Team

Get Started with Scratch

Check out the Scratch Coding for Climate Playbook you can download here to get started with Scratch. This playbook focuses on creating building solutions to real-world sustainability challenges using the objects you have around you! Then, create a Scratch project that incorporates the model, bringing to life ideas on how to integrate sustainable elements. Find links inside the playbook to coding cards for tips and more!

Or check out our Imagine a World tutorial, which invites you to create Scratch projects inspired by your imagination: what if people could fly, or animals could talk? Try it out in the Scratch project editor, explore the educator guide, or see our coding cards for tips.

  • Scratch is free

  • You'll need a laptop, tablet or desktop

  • We suggest Scratch for users 8+ years old. For younger users, try our ScratchJr app.

  • Create an account to save and share your work with others (see our playbook for more information).

  • 1-10h

Available Online or Offline

You can use Scratch online at scratch.mit.edu.

Or for offline access, you can download the Scratch App for Android, macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS here.

Be inspired: what you could do

You can find ideas for using Scratch for Climate change here, or see our Build the Change example projects shared in the playbook.We hope these will serve as inspiration, and we challenge you to explore your own ideas or remix and build on the projects of others.