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ScratchJr

ScratchJr

Game images by RAWG

ScratchJr

ScratchJr

Scratch Foundation; MIT Media Lab (original development)

iOS; Android; ChromeOS (Chromebook)Free (no in‑app purchases) — nonprofit / donation-supported
Health Score
85
EXCELLENT
Official WebsiteWatch Gameplay

About This Game

ScratchJr is a free visual programming app designed for young children (roughly ages 5–7). Kids snap together simple graphical code blocks to make characters move, talk, and interact, creating short stories and games while learning sequencing, problem-solving, and early literacy/numeracy concepts. The app contains no violence or mature content and is intended as an educational tool rather than entertainment with competitive or social features.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value
5/5
Creativity
4/5
Pro-Social
2/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization
0/5
Time Pressure / FOMO
0/5
Social Risk
1/5
Content Intensity
0/5

Negatives

  • •Limited advanced features (short project length, limited text input)
  • •requires teacher/adult guidance to get most educational value
  • •privacy evaluation notes some unclear data-sharing practices.

Positives

  • •Age-appropriate introduction to coding and computational thinking
  • •encourages creativity and storytelling
  • •free with teacher resources and classroom materials.

Gameplay Videos

I Made Roblox in Scratch jr.

Ttle_3

1 of 3

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Official Ratings

Not Rated
ESRB
None

No interactive online elements

Not Rated
PEGI
None

Age Recommendations

ℹ️Ages 3-5
Not recommended for independent use — can be used with close adult guidance to explore cause-and-effect and creativity.
ℹ️Ages 6-8
Recommended — excellent, age-appropriate introduction to programming concepts; best with some adult or teacher support.
ℹ️Ages 9-12
Useable but limited — older children usually move to full Scratch or other block-based tools for more features and sharing.
ℹ️Ages 13-15
Generally outgrown — functional and harmless but lacks depth for teens learning programming principles in depth.
ℹ️Ages 16-18
Not appropriate as a primary learning tool for older teens; recommend more advanced platforms (Scratch, Python, etc.) for skill development.

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