Getting Started with Scratch

To get started with Scratch, open a web browser, go to the official Scratch website made by MIT, and click "Create." A friendly orange cat appears on a white stage, and your child can start dragging blocks straight away. There is nothing to install and nothing to pay for. This guide walks you through those very first happy minutes, step by gentle step.

Step 1: Open Scratch

Scratch runs right inside your web browser, so you do not need to download anything to begin. Open the browser you already use, visit the official Scratch site from MIT, and look for the "Create" button. Clicking it opens the project editor, where all the making happens.

You can do this without an account at first. Creating a free account lets your child save and share projects later, but it is perfectly fine to simply play around first and decide about an account afterwards.

Step 2: Meet the Screen

The Scratch editor looks busy at first glance, but it is really just three friendly areas. Point them out to your child:

• The Stage (top right): This is the white area where the action happens. The cat lives here.
• The Block Palette (left side): This is the colourful menu of blocks, sorted into groups like Motion (blue), Looks (purple), Sound (pink) and Events (yellow).
• The Code Area (middle): This is the big empty space where your child drags blocks and clicks them together.

A nice way to explain it: the palette is the box of toys, the code area is the table where you build, and the stage is the show where it all plays out.

Step 3: Make the Cat Move

Here is the magic moment. Have your child click the Motion group (the blue one) in the palette. They will see a block that says "move 10 steps."

Ask them to drag that block into the code area in the middle. Now have them click on the block. The cat scoots a little to the right. That is it. Your child just made something happen with code.

To make it move more, they can drag a second "move 10 steps" block and snap it under the first, like stacking bricks. Click again, and the cat travels twice as far. Children usually light up at this point and start adding more.

Step 4: Add a Green-Flag Start

Right now the cat only moves when you click the block. Let's make it start properly.

In the Events group (the yellow one), there is a block that says "when green flag clicked." Drag it to the top of the stack, above the move blocks, so it snaps on like a hat. Now, when you click the green flag at the top of the Stage, the whole stack runs on its own. Stop it with the red button beside the flag.

This green-flag block is how almost every Scratch project begins. It is worth letting your child press that flag a few times just for the joy of it.

Step 5: Save the First Project

If you made a free account, your child can save the project by going to the File menu and choosing "Save now." If you are working without an account, you can still keep the work by choosing "Save to your computer," which downloads a small project file you can open again later.

Tips for Parents

• Sit beside, do not take over. Let your child do the dragging, even if it is slow. The doing is the learning.
• One block at a time. Resist the urge to build a big program quickly. Small, clear steps keep things joyful.
• Ask, do not tell. "What do you think this block does?" is more powerful than explaining.
• Five-minute first session is fine. The first time, just moving the cat and pressing the flag is a complete success.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting the green flag. If "nothing happens," check that the blocks are actually connected and that you clicked the flag, not just stared at it.
• Blocks not snapping. Blocks must touch to connect. If they float apart, they run separately. Drag them so they click together like puzzle pieces.
• Picking the wrong colour group. If you cannot find a block, remember the colours: Motion is blue, Events is yellow, Looks is purple.

What's Next?

Once your child is comfortable moving the cat, a lovely next step is to give it different looks and characters. Read Sprites & Costumes in Scratch to learn how, then explore Events in Scratch to make things happen when keys are pressed. You can browse all our gentle guides on the kids' Scratch hub.

If you would like a friendly teacher to guide your child through these first steps, take a look at our Scratch & Coding for Kids program in Jalgaon. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when the next batch opens.