Beyond ready to code: Part 3

Robin McGuire<rmcguire@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - December 10, 2025

Scratch is a fun, free computer compiler that can get kids coding!

An illustration of an orange and white cat skiing down a mountain on a sunny day. — Scratch Cat goes skiing. Image credit to Raspberry Pi Foundation.

The work world is shifting, and digital literacy is an essential skill in almost every career sector. Today, it is every bit as essential as reading, public speaking, written communication, math, leadership, teamwork and problem solving.

Participation in 4-H coding and robotics activities is a great way for youth to discover and develop their own niche in the world of technology. Michigan State University Extension and 4-H have a long history of creating experiences that will help youth develop skill sets to become Beyond Ready, and technology is no exception. If you are a leader or volunteer with no coding experience that thinks you can’t provide youth in your county with valuable guidance in technology, Part 1 of these series provided some great ways to get started and Part 2 explores the start of coding. In Part 3, we will explore the world of Scratch.

Scratch is a free computer compiler (coding language) that was produced and is maintained at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for educational purposes. Scratch uses friendly computer graphics to show kids how they can program or code the Scratch Cat or other cartoon characters to perform different activities in different visual backgrounds. Scratch is free and can be accessed by any device that can connect to the internet with no download required. So, any group of kids can explore this with iPads, Chromebooks, regular laptops, other tablets and even smartphones, so long as they have good digital connectivity.

In areas with poor internet connectivity, there is an app called Scratch Junior that can be downloaded onto devices and then used without the internet. Scratch Junior is designed for younger kids, teaching coding and computational thinking, with a target age of 5-8 years. Scratch Junior is also available online in areas with good connectivity.

If you are looking for programming and project ideas for using Scratch with youth, check out these resources that have been curated and tested by educators:

You can also use a search engine to find Scratch projects. Remember, don’t be afraid of Scratch! It is a great introduction into the world of coding languages. As an educator, I often find that students have some experience with Scratch in the classroom. But that never seems to detract from the activity, they love the Scratch cat, they love to explore, and will likely be teaching you and one another some of the tricks of the coding language!

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).