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  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Graphical application gives kids a taste of programming.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    The beauty -- and the drawback -- of Scratch is that it hides the complexity of programming. Some budding computer geeks might be better off opting instead for a beginner's class in a real programming language.  But all kids can benefit from the problem-solving skills Scratch teaches.

  • Messages:

    The site consists mainly of tutorials and Scratch creations uploaded by users who want to show off their work. Most Scratch creations are crudely drawn (think South Park) but G-rated and occasionally quite clever.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Some Scratch animations are reminiscent of The Simpson’s Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, with stick figures clobbering one another and spilling copious amounts of red Paintshop “blood.” Still, it's pretty tame stuff compared with your typical 3D shooter.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Some characters featured on the Scratch site talk smack, such as vowing to “kick butt” or kill each other.

  • Consumerism:

    This MIT-sponsored site is ad free.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Scratch

Parents need to know that this site teaches reasoning skills and a basic understanding of programming that will serve kids well no matter what their future occupation.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the benefits of mastering Scratch, a program that, despite a pretty good interface, will almost certainly overwhelm kids who are not mathematically inclined. Younger children especially will need adult assistance, both in getting started and understanding the program's most complex concepts.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    30bla30
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Safety isn't an issue
    • User content is age appropriate

    For all ages, but some projects are iffy

    I'm a member of this site and the program is just awesome. Although Inappropriate content is flagged eventually, you can still see projects with language, violence, and sexual content beforethey are flagged, but you won't actually see that stuff unless you purposely search it

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    bookworm_jz
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0

    Finally! ^^

    I absolutely LOVE this place. Not only do you apply problem solving and motor skills, but it's FUN! (plus, you can upload it to the site and have friend enjoy) It is very easy to catch on and is very enjoyable. My user is Creative_Soul. My games aren't the best, but I'm working on it.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Almanac8
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    Great Web Site!

    I'm impressed, this Game is AMAZING! Pros and Cons time. Pros: It teaches kids how to programs animations and Games, It's incredible what people can make, some stuff is inappropriate (Like, for example, a pixelated dude getting hit by a car) But you can report it, the file sizes aren't that big, and IT'S FREE!!! Cons: You have to download it (Which is okay, as long as you ask your parents if it's okay) You also have to make an account (Which is okay too, as long as your parents help you) And that's about it. Overall, 5/5.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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