Finding an app that is both entertaining and informative, as well as appealing to your children, may be difficult – especially if the subject involves programming. The Scratch app, on the other hand, has succeeded to bridge that gap, and we now offer lessons on it because of its ease of use for kids.
However, how educational is Scratch, and should you encourage your child to use it? We are obviously prejudiced, but we care about children’s education, which is why we endorse Scratch as an instructional tool, and here’s why.
Is Scratch educational?
There are a lot of instructional apps aimed at kids. However, a huge majority of them are ineffective at their professions and are more concerned with in-app purchases than with teaching real education to children.
In a similar vein, it’s not uncommon for applications created to assist youngsters to learn to code to fade away after a few years on the market, becoming obsolete as developers fail to update them with new and fascinating content on a regular basis.
Naturally, this can be aggravating for parents who are always looking for new ways to introduce their children to coding.
Rather than always looking for new options, parents should look for a platform that is instructive, dependable, economical, safe, exciting, and consistently updated… which is precisely what Scratch is.
Scratch is the perfect educational program and introduction to coding for younger kids, despite the fact that it has been on the market for several years.
Scratch’s major purpose, according to its creators, is to educate young people on how to code in a pleasant and digestible way — a task that can be difficult for parents who have tried it themselves.
Scratch is instructive, and we’ll go over some of the main advantages that students can expect from using and learning it further down the page.
How does Scratch work?
Scratch is unique in that it is both a teaching tool for children learning to program using block coding concepts and a visual programming language in its own right.
Children can learn a variety of programming languages, some of which are more difficult than others. Scratch’s programming language, on the other hand, is one of the easiest to learn and use. It has a brilliant design and is suitable for children of all ages, but especially younger ones who are interested in learning to code.
Children can easily impart instructions to their computer, tablet, or phone by dragging sequences of blocks together on their app or website browser (something that many kids are already familiar with thanks to video games like Minecraft), making things happen – simple at first, but with ever-increasing complexity as they progress.
Within a short period of time, children will be able to construct their own complex-looking animations with these blocks. From there, a snowball effect emerges, with children being inspired to try new challenges and activities.
They will naturally build a basic grasp of how to move and program blocks over the course of several months, allowing them to create their own projects totally on their own.
Once they’ve gained confidence in their abilities, youngsters can work on major projects with other “Scratchers” if they choose to — in the FunTech Scratch course, we actively encourage cooperation on ideas in our virtual learning environment.
How does Scratch educate and benefit kids?
Scratch is first and foremost instructive and good for children since it teaches them to program in a simple and enjoyable manner. Many studies have indicated that children are more likely to pick up on subjects that they appreciate and find enjoyable to study.
Furthermore, there is a wealth of evidence suggesting children are more likely to retain skills they have acquired when these experiences are linked to good and engaging memories, which Scratch surely provides.
Furthermore, participation in Scratch’s vibrant community enhances the likelihood that young people may develop a passion for programming in the future. Children can cultivate enthusiasm for programming and create wonderful projects by talking and collaborating with like-minded friends.
If they’re really lucky, their project might even make it to the highlighted page, allowing them to reap the benefits of their hard work.
Another advantage that most parents overlook is the opportunity for youngsters to practice their online communication abilities. Although Scratch does not allow for direct texting, children can comment on their peers’ projects and offer words of encouragement or other gestures of kindness.
Learning to communicate effectively, act properly, and collaborate with others on the internet is a key skill that all children should master at a young age in a world where more and more firms are moving their trade completely online.
Despite the fact that Scratch is not utilized in a professional programming setting, many children will begin with it before moving on to more advanced programming classes.
If and when your children decide to move on to a different programming language in the future, introducing them to Scratch can be a valuable first step.
Why could learning programming be a good career choice for kids?
Millions of businesses rely on programmers to construct their websites and program their digital products in today’s environment. Common home appliances such as cell phones, dishwashers, and televisions would not function at all without programmers.
As a result, firms, regardless of industry, are continuously on the lookout for new programmers who can help them. Despite the fact that programming is growing increasingly popular among students, it is still a rare career choice for many.
Furthermore, many programming jobs pay exceptionally well, with skilled programmers frequently earning considerably above the national average. Finally, children may master a valuable ability that will never become obsolete or else be replaced by machines with hard work and effort.
