Wish your kids could code? PBS KIDS fans can test their coding skills with the new PBS KIDS ScratchJr app! With PBS KIDS ScratchJr, kids can create their own interactive stories and games featuring their favorite characters from Wild Kratts, Nature Cat, WordGirl and Peg + Cat! Designed for kids ages 5-8, the storytelling possibilities are endless with this creative coding app.
By snapping together colorful programming blocks, children can make characters move, jump, dance and sing. In the process, kids will learn to solve problems, design projects and express themselves creatively. PBS KIDS ScratchJr allows kids to not only learn to code, but also code to learn.
“PBS KIDS ScratchJr uses the power of technology to help children learn,” said Sara DeWitt, Vice President, PBS KIDS Digital. “The PBS KIDS ScratchJr App puts kids in the driver’s seat, where they express themselves through storytelling. While kids are playing with their favorite characters, they are also exploring the basics of coding, an important 21st-century literacy.”
In tandem with the launch of the app, PBS KIDS ScratchJr companion activities will also be available. Local PBS stations, schools and other organizations will be able to use these activities to create educational hands-on experiences for young children with PBS KIDS ScratchJr. These activities are available through PBS LearningMedia in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week (December 7-13) and the Hour of Code. Additional materials will be available in the coming months.
The app has been developed as part of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS Ready To Learn Initiative with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Ready To Learn is a federal program that supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families.
PBS KIDS ScratchJr is now available for free from the App Store on iPad and from the Google Play store on Android tablet. More information on PBS KIDS apps is available at pbskids.org/apps.
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