Celebrating 10 Years of ScratchJr
Ten years ago, ScratchJr was introduced to the world, and with it, a new way for kids as young as five to start exploring the world of coding. Developed to make programming accessible and engaging for young learners, ScratchJr uses a visual, block-based coding language that allows kids to create their own animations, stories, and games—without needing to read or type code.
This revolutionary tool was born out of a collaboration led by Professor Marina Umaschi Bers and her DevTech Research Group at Boston College, supported by the National Science Foundation. ScratchJr has since grown into a global phenomenon, reaching over 50 million young learners worldwide.
ScratchJr’s appeal is simple: it combines fun with education. Kids aren’t just learning to code; they’re learning to think critically, tell stories, and solve problems creatively. Imagine a young learner creating a digital world with characters they design and control, discovering cause and effect in the process, all while developing foundational digital skills.
The app’s success is not just about coding. ScratchJr encourages collaboration, persistence, and self-expression, key skills for the future. Over the years, the platform has expanded, now available on iPads, Android tablets, and even Chromebooks, allowing educators to integrate it into diverse classroom settings and reach students from all backgrounds.
As ScratchJr celebrates a decade, it’s clear that coding is no longer just for tech enthusiasts or older students—it’s a new form of literacy that gives every child the power to create. Here’s to ScratchJr and the young innovators it’s inspired and will continue to inspire for years to come!
