Sel – for selection code challenges Rep – for repetition code challenges Seq – for sequence code challenges Jump right in with a tutorial you can follow step by step, and even add your own creative variations to! Each block category has a different purpose (each also has a different color making it easy to understand which you’re using).<\/p>\n
The \u201cglide\u201d block will also take its sprite to the set coordinates but will do it over a number of seconds instead of doing it instantly. The \u201cgo to\u201d block will instantly move its sprite to the coordinates shown in its circles. Remember that the direction a sprite is facing affects the direction that the \u201cmove\u201d block takes it. In a maze game, your sprite might need to turn 90\u00b0 to travel the right path.<\/p>\n
When this block is activated, it will stop all sounds from playing. In contrast, the \u201cstart sound\u201d block will play a sound, but will also instantly activate the next block in line. Of the three most commonly used sound blocks, two will play your chosen sound file, but there\u2019s a major difference between them. If there is a sprite that you don\u2019t want visible on the screen, the \u201chide\u201d block can make it invisible, but still a part of your program.<\/p>\n
The \u201cwhen this sprite clicked\u201d event block starts the code when the user clicks on the chosen sprite. Today we’ll reveal more about how you program in Scratch, categories of Scratch blocks to use, and basic steps for getting started. Scratch provides an online platform that serves as an interactive and user-friendly environment where you can create, code, and share your projects.<\/p>\n
Scratch is a simple, fun coding platform designed especially for kids.<\/p>\n
When the \u201cswitch costume\u201d block is activated, its sprite will change to the specific costume shown in the dropdown menu. The \u201cturn\u201d blocks change the direction your sprite is facing by the number of degrees shown in the white circle. The white circles inside these blocks have numbers that you can change so you can move the sprite the specific distance that you want.<\/p>\n
Learn Scratch with fun and enagaging, live coding classes. This helps a ton in keeping the overall length of code down and helps in avoiding small mistakes in repeating code. This is useful for making sure block actions happen exactly when you intend them to. It\u2019s also useful if you want a sprite to finish saying what he\u2019s saying before moving. This keeps sounds from overlapping each other, which could make any dialogue difficult to understand.<\/p>\n
Any time you want a sprite to change its position on the screen, these are the blocks that you\u2019ll add. On touchscreens, a click event happens when the user taps on the sprite with their finger. This is commonly used as a way to start the code for an animation or game that doesn\u2019t need other interaction from the person playing it.<\/p>\n
So, if you wanted to move your sprite 10 steps to the right, you would make sure it is facing 90\u00b0 (the right side of the screen) and activate the move block. When activated, it will move its sprite the indicated number of steps in the direction the sprite is facing. This is useful for any Scratch game that involves collecting items by clicking on them or for letting users click on buttons using the mouse. It\u2019s useful for when you want something to happen when the user presses a key, like getting a sprite (a character or image) to move around.<\/p>\n
For complete understanding of basics, refer to the article – Basics of Scratch Programming Think of it as a way to organize and manage multiple characters or objects in your game or animation. This community-driven environment encourages communication and learning from peers.<\/p>\n
You can choose specific sound files included on Scratch, upload your own files, or even record directly in the program if you like. Sound blocks are blocks that affect the audio playing instead of anything visual. Likewise, if there is an invisible sprite on the screen that you want to make visible, the \u201cshow\u201d block will make it visible. When the \u201cswitch backdrop\u201d block is activated, the picture used as the background will change to the backdrop indicated in the dropdown. If you want to make a sprite appear to be walking, you\u2019ll need to activate both a motion block and a looks block. This is great for making sprites look like they are moving or for changing the scenery in animations.<\/p>\n
Costumes are different pictures that are all connected to a single sprite. Changing the looks of a sprite is done by switching between costumes. Changing the looks of a block is a separate task from changing its position. This is useful if you want to show the movement instead of just moving the sprite instantaneously. We\u2019re going to take a look at different Scratch code examples and what they do, but first, what is Scratch and why should you care? It\u2019s helpful to see Scratch code examples and try them out for yourselves.<\/p>\n
There are a variety of tutorials and starter projects to remix and use. On February 22nd, 2025, the page was updated with new projects, as well as a “Surprise Me!” button, which, when clicked, redirects the user to a random starter project. To code on Scratch you drag and drop blocks to place them together to make your program. Now you’ve learned how to create a fun Pac-Man project and turn it into a game. It covers basic actions like moving sprites and changing costumes, as well as more complex functionalities like sprite cloning and game mechanics. Now that you have the hang of the basic kinds of Scratch blocks, it\u2019s time to put them to use!<\/p>\n