We've just discovered the 'Scratch' website which is completely free to register and is aimed at kids 8 and up, though I'm using it with my Year 2 child and he's fine as long as I help.
It introduces kids to coding and they can make their own animations. It took 20 mins to have a play and figure it out but has kept my son entertained for an hour on each day of the weekend for a couple of weeks so far.
I highly recommend it and it's FREE with no adverts or anything like that!
I have also found a book on Amazon for £3.99 delivered if your child really loves it..Scratch book but you can figure it out without the book!
All comments (77)
othen
9 Sep 17#1
Scratch has always been free, I'm pretty sure every parent that has had children of primary school age would know that. This is not a deal as such, it should be moved to the Free section.
Deedie to othen
9 Sep 17#7
I don't think there are sections anymore. everything gets dumped in deals now
othen to Deedie
9 Sep 17#9
Look at the menu at the top on the home page, it will say:
Hotdeals All Deals Voucher Codes Freebies
PS. Freebies means free things :-)
sam_brackley to othen
9 Sep 17#11
On the Android app there it is not there. Just deals and vouchers. I've opened all the menus and can't find freebies anywhere.
othen to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#19
I notice that someone has moved this posting to the Freebie section (I'm guessing one of the moderators did that), perhaps one needs the web version to see the menu (you should be able to do that on your cell phone)? This post was a useful piece of information, but I'm be amazed if any primary schools were not using it (and telling parents to subscribe). I certainly knew about this from my son's school when he was 4.
Deedie to othen
9 Sep 17#21
my 8yr old had never heard of it, but is on it just now
sam_brackley to othen
9 Sep 17#22
The app def does not have freebies section and it is still in deals section. They should be same grrrrr....
You must be lucky with your school but from all the comments posted there seem like a variety of options. It isn't a national curriculum compulsory thing so it will come down to teacher choice in each school I suppose.
mrty to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#27
This app DOES have a freebies section, what it doesn't do is allow you to post to the freebies section.
sam_brackley to mrty
9 Sep 17#28
Let me re-phrase that then. The app does not have a freebie section that I can see.
Where can I find it please?
mrty to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#31
On the main screen (you do have the latest version of the app?) Just left of centre is a drop down menu. From the drop down select the topics you want to see. Select freebies and there you go. :thumbsup:
sam_brackley to mrty
9 Sep 17#34
Right I found it, with some searching as it doesn't appear in the list, you have to search for freebies (and when you didn't know that existed in first place how are you supposed to know what to search for? - that's me moaning at app, not you!!). So instead of choosing 'kids' i need choose 'freebies' next time. Thank you. This app really is not that obvious, preferred the old style one by miles!!!!
mrty to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#38
I preferred old app too. Think most people do.
Evilmonkey to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#29
Oddly, it kind of is. Not scratch as such, but coding is. Unfortunately it's still a bit hit and miss depending on the primary school as to whether they actually meet the requirement!
It increases every year, but I would still only put it at around 50-60% of schools :cry:
Scratch is excellent though. It can start fairly small, but end up very complex indeed. One of my students created a working copy of Tetris in it!
bensimmo to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#50
Computing is a compulsory curriculum, while it can and is done with robotics (programmable 'toys' ) etc or poorly with parrot fashion slides ;-), there are few other resources used to teach it that can beat scratch (or scratch similar programmes). They can even be learning Python programming if the teachers can understand it themselves. It's not being most kids.
If anyone finds their kids are starting to enjoy it, get them on to CodeClubs / CoderDojo etc
Grill to othen
9 Sep 17#37
It is amazing what a users thumbnail tells you about a person
emmajchloe to othen
9 Sep 17#40
I've got 2 boys in primary school and 1 just going into 6th form and I've never heard of "scratch" before today. Thanks OP
madeofbraille to othen
9 Sep 17#57
Give over. What's the point in writing out that spiel? Do you feel great now letting everyone on here know that you knew about the website already? The pettiness of some people is ridiculous.
liamwba1 to othen
9 Sep 17#60
No - My wife is a primary school teacher and they have not used scratch, aside from it being mentioned in the odd staff meeting.
othen to liamwba1
9 Sep 17#62
I suppose there are people who have not heard of The Beatles :-)
gemniz
9 Sep 17#2
It's good for people who don't know, also can try code.org I think it is, where they have scratch type games with actual lessons... My daughter loved it
Broadsword
9 Sep 17#3
Wow this website sometimes, so picky. Thanks OP appreciate the heads up on this. Shame it's flash though.
sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#4
I'm a parent of a primary school child. I did not know about it and neither did my friends with primary school aged children. I thought it was a good share but will have no objection to mods taking it off if not really a 'deal'. It is entertaining and educating my child for free so has technically saved me from spending money on buying something similar to do the same job.
BUT I didn't realise there was a free section!!! Maybe someone could move it? I really don't find this new app very easy. My other half gave up but I've persisted although clearly with big errors - Sorry!
bensimmo to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#12
Always good to bring things up. If you didn't know,chances are others didn't know. Also look at TuxPaint for the younger child. They tend to love it. You child should be using it at some point in primary school, I think it's now down in KS1. CodeClubs also use it as do early senior school. Look at CodeClub/RaspberryPi websites for some thing to have a go at.
There is a Scratch on tablets to so have a look for that, the same but simplified for primary age too.
Deedie to bensimmo
9 Sep 17#20
I'm well aware of the menu system on here, been a member for a long time on here.
what I probably should have said is that the mods don't distinguish between "deals" "vouchers" or "freebies" anymore and everything is dumped in deals now. the mods regularly post voucher codes, in the deals section, disguised as deals by posting some random item from a website and using a code to justify a deal.
so, there is no sections anymore regardless of what the top of the page says.
mrty
9 Sep 17#5
Thanks OP, I didn't know about this. I'm pretty sure a lot of parents and grandparents won't have heard of this. :stuck_out_tongue:
I've not done any coding or programming since I did a course on Cobol and played around with basic on the old C16 and C64 (thought we were the mutts nutz then).So going to do this myself.
sam_brackley to mrty
9 Sep 17#6
You've literally just spoken to me in another language :joy: I may be learning as much as my son :joy:
mrty to sam_brackley
9 Sep 17#17
Cobol - common business-oriented language.
C16 - Commodore 16. Every level home computer with a MASSIVE 16kb ( not a typo , yes kb ) ram.
C64 - As above but with 64kb ram.
I spent two years completing a correspondence course learning Cobol. And another in systems analysis. Did the exams and passed. Computeach (the course providers) had advertised that anyone passing their courses would be helped to get a job working with computers (bear in mind this was the mid 80's ). They offered me a job as data input clerk , or typist, as the qualifications I had weren't' good enough for anything better. -"but you can improve your employability by completing this course for another £1200 " ( nearly three months wages then). What a con.
melted to mrty
9 Sep 17#53
I seem to remember seeing adverts for Computeach in computer magazines of that era, was never tempted to part with my money for one of their courses.
I initially learn't to program in Basic from fixing all the bugs, printing errors, and omissions in the basic programs I'd typed into my brother's zx81 (16k with ram pack) from computer magazines from WH Smith, then I read a good book covering assembly language by Rodney Zaks on programming the z80, and another by the same author on programming the 6502, when my brother got a 48k Atari which also had an excellent Basic programming language reference manual and he bought the hardware manual which came with a complete assembly listing of it's entire operating system printed on A4!
I was offered a programming job despite having no programming qualifications and worked as a mainframe programmer for a few years, I learn't the proprietary programming language from reading the manufacturer's instruction reference manual, which was the size of a telephone directory (when telephone directories were big), but well written, and picked up Cobol as I went along from fixing the odd Cobol program and reading a book. They were supposed to send me on an intensive programming course run at the mainframe manufacturer's HQ, but the manager decided I'd already learn't more than most of the staff that had attended the course in the weeks that I'd worked there. :disappointed:
.
GlentoranMark to melted
9 Sep 17#55
Old languages never die, they just need new operatives.
I too was a ZX81 guy but got lost when I discovered women :grin: Only recently (last 5 years) have I came back to programming as I've several solutions that would work on a mobile platform..
Edmundo07
9 Sep 17#8
Did not know about this, thanks for the heads up.
_pierce
9 Sep 17#10
It's aimed at teachers but another website that will help you with this if you want to learn is code-it.co.uk
Triadian
9 Sep 17#13
My son has tried scratch and although he likes it - he prefers clickteams fusion which although is a paid program the free version allows you to do most things my boy does.
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
It introduces kids to coding and they can make their own animations. It took 20 mins to have a play and figure it out but has kept my son entertained for an hour on each day of the weekend for a couple of weeks so far.
I highly recommend it and it's FREE with no adverts or anything like that!
I have also found a book on Amazon for £3.99 delivered if your child really loves it..Scratch book but you can figure it out without the book!
All comments (77)
Hotdeals All Deals Voucher Codes Freebies
This post was a useful piece of information, but I'm be amazed if any primary schools were not using it (and telling parents to subscribe). I certainly knew about this from my son's school when he was 4.
You must be lucky with your school but from all the comments posted there seem like a variety of options. It isn't a national curriculum compulsory thing so it will come down to teacher choice in each school I suppose.
Where can I find it please?
It increases every year, but I would still only put it at around 50-60% of schools :cry:
Scratch is excellent though. It can start fairly small, but end up very complex indeed. One of my students created a working copy of Tetris in it!
They can even be learning Python programming if the teachers can understand it themselves. It's not being most kids.
If anyone finds their kids are starting to enjoy it, get them on to CodeClubs / CoderDojo etc
What's the point in writing out that spiel? Do you feel great now letting everyone on here know that you knew about the website already?
The pettiness of some people is ridiculous.
BUT I didn't realise there was a free section!!!
Maybe someone could move it? I really don't find this new app very easy. My other half gave up but I've persisted although clearly with big errors - Sorry!
You child should be using it at some point in primary school, I think it's now down in KS1.
CodeClubs also use it as do early senior school.
Look at CodeClub/RaspberryPi websites for some thing to have a go at.
There is a Scratch on tablets to so have a look for that, the same but simplified for primary age too.
what I probably should have said is that the mods don't distinguish between "deals" "vouchers" or "freebies" anymore and everything is dumped in deals now. the mods regularly post voucher codes, in the deals section, disguised as deals by posting some random item from a website and using a code to justify a deal.
so, there is no sections anymore regardless of what the top of the page says.
I've not done any coding or programming since I did a course on Cobol and played around with basic on the old C16 and C64 (thought we were the mutts nutz then).So going to do this myself.
C16 - Commodore 16. Every level home computer with a MASSIVE 16kb ( not a typo , yes kb ) ram.
C64 - As above but with 64kb ram.
I spent two years completing a correspondence course learning Cobol. And another in systems analysis. Did the exams and passed.
Computeach (the course providers) had advertised that anyone passing their courses would be helped to get a job working with computers (bear in mind this was the mid 80's ). They offered me a job as data input clerk , or typist, as the qualifications I had weren't' good enough for anything better. -"but you can improve your employability by completing this course for another £1200 " ( nearly three months wages then).
What a con.
I initially learn't to program in Basic from fixing all the bugs, printing errors, and omissions in the basic programs I'd typed into my brother's zx81 (16k with ram pack) from computer magazines from WH Smith, then I read a good book covering assembly language by Rodney Zaks on programming the z80, and another by the same author on programming the 6502, when my brother got a 48k Atari which also had an excellent Basic programming language reference manual and he bought the hardware manual which came with a complete assembly listing of it's entire operating system printed on A4!
I was offered a programming job despite having no programming qualifications and worked as a mainframe programmer for a few years, I learn't the proprietary programming language from reading the manufacturer's instruction reference manual, which was the size of a telephone directory (when telephone directories were big), but well written, and picked up Cobol as I went along from fixing the odd Cobol program and reading a book. They were supposed to send me on an intensive programming course run at the mainframe manufacturer's HQ, but the manager decided I'd already learn't more than most of the staff that had attended the course in the weeks that I'd worked there. :disappointed:
.
I too was a ZX81 guy but got lost when I discovered women :grin: Only recently (last 5 years) have I came back to programming as I've several solutions that would work on a mobile platform..