rojects

computer cod ing

P FO R K I D S
 rojects
computer coding

P F O R K I D S

jon woodcock
foreword by carol vorderman
 DK UK
Senior editor Ben Morgan
Senior art editor Jacqui Swan
Jacket design development manager Sophia MTT
Jacket editor Claire Gell
Producer, pre-production Gillian Reid
Producer Mary Slater
Managing editor Lisa Gillespie
Managing art editor Owen Peyton Jones
Publisher Andrew Macintyre
Associate publishing director Liz Wheeler
Art director Karen Self
Design director Phil Ormerod
Publishing director Jonathan Metcalf

DK DELHI
Project editor Suefa Lee
Project art editor Parul Gambhir
Editor Sonia Yooshing
Art editor Sanjay Chauhan
Assistant art editor Sonakshi Singh
Jacket designer Suhita Dharamjit
Managing jackets editor Saloni Singh
DTP designer Jaypal Chauhan
Senior managing editor Rohan Sinha
Managing art editor Sudakshina Basu
Pre-production manager Balwant Singh

First published in Great Britain in 2016

by Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL

Copyright © 2016 Dorling Kindersley Limited

A Penguin Random House Company
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
001 – 289247 – July/2016

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner.

A CIP catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-2412-4133-2

Printed in China

A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
www.dk.com
Carol Vorderman ma (Cantab), mbe, is one of Britain’s best-loved TV
presenters and is renowned for her skills in mathematics. She has a degree in
engineering from the University of Cambridge. Carol has a keen interest in coding
and feels strongly that every child should have the chance to learn such a valuable
skill. She has hosted numerous TV shows on science and technology, such as
Tomorrow’s World and How 2, on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. Whether co-hosting
Channel 4’s Countdown for 26 years, becoming the second-best-selling female
non-fiction author of the noughties in the UK, or advising Prime Minister David
Cameron on mathematics education in British schools, Carol has a passion and
devotion to explaining mathematics, science, and technology in an exciting
and easily understandable way.

dr Jon WoodCoCK ma (oXon) has a degree in physics from the University of Oxford
and a PhD in computational astrophysics from the University of London. He started
coding at the age of eight and has programmed all kinds of computers, from single-chip
microcontrollers to world-class supercomputers. His many projects include giant space
simulations, research in high-tech companies, and intelligent robots made from junk.
Jon has a passion for science and technology education, giving talks on space and
running computer programming clubs in schools. He has worked on many science
and technology books, and is the author of DK’s Computer Coding for Kids, Computer
Coding Games for Kids, and DK’s series of coding workbooks.
Contents
8 foreword

What is Coding? art

12 Creative computers
82 Birthday Card
14 Programming languages
94 Spiralizer
16 How Scratch works
106 Fantastic Flowers
18 Getting Scratch
20 The Scratch interface
22 Types of project

getting started games

26 Cat Art 122 Tunnel of Doom

34 Dino Dance Party 134 Window Cleaner
48 Animal Race
60 Ask Gobo
70 Funny Faces
 SimulationS mindbenderS

144 Virtual Snow

154 Firework Display 200 The Magic Spot
162 Fractal Trees 208 Spiral-o-tron
172 Snowflake Simulator

muSic and Sound What next?

218 Next steps

220 Glossary
222 Index
182 Sprites and Sounds 224 Acknowledgments
190 Drumtastic
Find out more at:
www.dk.com/computercoding
 Foreword

In recent years, interest in coding has exploded. All over the world, schools
are adding coding to their curriculums, code clubs are being launched to
teach beginners, and adults are returning to college to learn coding skills
now considered vital in the workplace. And in homes everywhere, millions
of people are learning how to code just for the fun of it.

Fortunately, there’s never been a better time to learn how to code. In the
past, programmers had to type out every line of code by hand, using obscure
commands and mathematical symbols. A single full stop out of place could
ruin everything. Today, you can build amazingly powerful programs in
minutes by using drag-and-drop coding languages like Scratch™, which is
used in this book.

As learning to code has become easier, more people have discovered the
creative potential of computers, and that’s where this book comes in. Computer
Coding Projects for Kids is all about using code for creative purposes – to make
art, music, animation, and special effects. With a little bit of imagination
you can produce dazzling results, from glittering firework displays to
kaleidoscope-like masterpieces that swirl and beat in time to music.
If you’re completely new to coding, don’t worry – the first two chapters
will walk you through the basics and teach you everything you need to
know to use Scratch. The later chapters then build on your skills, showing
you how to create interactive artworks, life-like simulations, mind-bending
optical illusions, and some great games.

Learning something new can sometimes feel like hard work, but I believe
you learn faster when you’re having fun. This book is based on that idea,
so we’ve tried to make it as much fun as possible. We hope you enjoy
building the projects in this book as much as we enjoyed making them.

Carol Vorderman

On your marks...
get set... CODE!
What is
coding?
12 w h at i s c o d i n g ?

Creative computers
Computers are everywhere and are used in all sorts of
creative ways. But to really join in the fun, you need to
take control of your computer and learn how to program it.
Programming puts a world of possibilities at your fingertips.

Think like a computer

Programming, or coding, simply means telling a computer
what to do. To write a program you need to think like
a computer, which means breaking down a task into
a series of simple steps. Here’s how it works.

▷ A simple recipe
Imagine you want a friend to bake a cake, but your
Easy peasy!
friend has no idea how to cook. You can’t simply give
them an instruction like “make a cake” – they won’t
know where to start. Instead, you need to write a
recipe, with simple steps like “break an egg”, “add
the sugar”, and so on. Programming a computer Recipe
is a bit like writing a recipe.

Recipe
Ingredients

1. Ten circles of various sizes

2. Seven colours
◁ Step by step Instructions
Now imagine you want to 1. Clear the screen to create a white background.
program a computer to create
2. Repeat the following ten times:
a painting like the one shown
here, with coloured circles a) Pick a random place on the screen.
overlapping each other at b) Pick one of the circles randomly.
random. You have to turn the c) Pick one of the colours randomly.
job of painting the picture into
d) Draw a see-through copy of the circle
a kind of recipe, with steps the at that place in that colour.
computer can follow. It might
look something like this:
 c r e at i v e c o m p u t e r s 13
▷ Computer language
Although you can understand the recipe when clicked
for a painting or a cake, a computer can’t.
forever
You need to translate the instructions into
move 10 steps
a special language that the computer can
understand – a programming language.
The one used in this book is called Scratch.

Worlds of imagination
There isn’t a single creative field in the world that hasn’t been touched
by computers. In this book, you’ll get to make lots of great projects that
will fire your imagination and make you think and code creatively.

Computers can be programmed Sound programs can mix musical and

to create original works of art. other sound effects in any combination.

Building games programs is just as much fun as Special effects and dramatic scenery in films
playing them, especially when you make all the rules. are often created in graphics programs.
14 W H AT I S C O D I N G ?

Programming languages
To tell a computer what to do, you need to speak the right
kind of language: a programming language. There are lots
to choose from, ranging from easy ones for beginners, like
the one in this book, to complex languages that take years
to master. A set of instructions written in any programming
language is called a program.

scratch

Popular languages
There are more than 500 different
Hello!
programming languages, but most programs
are written in just a handful of these. The
most popular languages use English words,
but lines of code look very different from
English sentences. Here’s how to get a
computer to say “Hello!” on screen in
just a few of today’s languages.

▷C
The C programming language #include <stdio.h>
is often used for code that main(){ printf(“Hello!”); } Hello!
runs directly on a computer’s
hardware, such as the Windows
operating system. C is good for
building software that needs to
run fast and has been used
to program space probes.

#include <iostream>
▷ C++ int main()
This complicated language is used {
to build large, commercial programs std::cout << “Hello!” << std::endl;
such as word processors, web }
browsers, and operating systems.
C++ is based on C, but with extra
features that make it better for
big projects.
 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES 15

class HelloApp {
when clicked public static void main(String[] args) {
say Hello! System.out.println(“Hello!”);
}
}

△ Scratch
Beginners often start with simple programming
languages such as Scratch. Instead of typing out △ Java
code, you build scripts with ready-made coding blocks. Java code is designed to work on all types
of devices, from mobile phones and laptops
to games consoles and supercomputers.
Minecraft is written in Java.

print(“Hello!”)

lingo
Code words
Algorithm A set of instructions that
are followed to perform a particular
task. Computer programs are based
on algorithms.
△ Python Bug A mistake in a program. They are
Python is a very popular, all-purpose language. called bugs because the first computers
The lines of code are shorter and simpler than had problems when insects got stuck in
in other languages, making it easier to learn. their circuits.
Python is a great language to learn after Scratch.
Code Computer instructions written in
a programming language are often called
code. Coding is programming.
alert(‘Hello’);

△ JavaScript
Programmers use JavaScript to create
interactive features that run on websites,
such as advertisements and games.
16 w h at i s c o d i n g ?

How Scratch works

This book shows you how to build some cool projects using
the Scratch programming language. Programs are made by
dragging together ready-made instruction blocks to control
colourful characters called sprites.

Sprites
Sprites are the objects shown on the screen. Scratch comes with
a huge selection of sprites – such as elephants, bananas, and
balloons – but you can also draw your own. Sprites can perform all
sorts of actions, like moving, changing colour, and spinning round.
I’m a sprite!

Sprites Sprites can Sprites can deliver

can move play sounds messages on
around. and music. the screen.

Blocks and scripts ▽ Creating scripts

The blocks that make a script are dragged together using
Scratch’s multicoloured instruction blocks a computer mouse. They lock together like jigsaw pieces.
tell sprites what to do. Each sprite gets its Blocks come in colour-coded families to help you find the
instructions from stacks of Scratch blocks correct block easily. For example, all the purple blocks
change a sprite’s appearance.
called scripts. Each instruction block is
acted out in turn from the top to the bottom.
Here’s a simple script for this vampire sprite.
when clicked

switch costume to vampire ▾

wait 1 secs

switch costume to open cloak ▾

wait 1 secs

switch costume to bat ▾

 h o w s c r at c h w o r k s 17
A typical Scratch project
A Scratch project is made up of sprites, scripts, and sounds,
The red button
which work collectively to create action on the screen. The stops a program.
area where you see the action is called the stage. You can
add a background picture called a backdrop to the stage. The green flag
starts the program.

▷ Green for go!

Dino Dance Party
Starting, or “running”,
by PartyPeople555 (unshared)
a program brings to life
the scripts you’ve built.
In Scratch, clicking the
green flag runs all the
scripts in the project.
The red button stops
the scripts so you can
continue working on
your code.

The stage and lights are

part of the backdrop
(background picture).

The dancing dinosaurs

and ballerina are sprites
controlled by their
own scripts.

▽ Scripts work together

ExpErt tips
A project usually has several sprites, each with
one or more scripts. Each script creates just a reading scratch
part of the action. This script makes a sprite
chase the mouse-pointer around the stage. Scratch is designed to be easily
understood. The action performed
by each block is written on it, so you
when clicked can usually work out what a script
does just by reading through it.
forever
The “forever” point towards mouse-pointer ▾
block makes go to mouse-pointer ▾
the blocks
inside repeat.
move 15 steps
Can you guess what this
block makes sprites do?
18 w h at i s c o d i n g ?

Getting Scratch 2.0 This book uses

Scratch 2.0!
To build the projects in this book and to make your
own, you need access to the Scratch 2.0 software on
your computer. Just follow these simple instructions.

Online and offline Scratch

If your computer is always connected to the internet,
it’s best to run Scratch online. If not, you need
to download and install the offline version.

Online Offline

Visit the Scratch website at http:// Visit the Scratch website at http://
scratch.mit.edu and click on “Join scratch.mit.edu/scratch2download/
Scratch” to create an account with and follow the instructions to download
a username and password. You’ll and install Scratch on your computer.
need an email address too.

Online Scratch runs in your web browser, Scratch will appear as an icon on
so just go to the Scratch website and your desktop, just like any other
click on “Create” at the top of the screen. installed program. Double-click on
The Scratch interface will open. the Scratch cat icon to get going.

You don’t have to worry about saving You’ll need to save your project by
your work as the online version of clicking on the File menu and selecting
Scratch saves projects automatically. “Save”. Scratch will ask you where
to save your work – check with the
computer’s owner.

Online Scratch should work on Offline Scratch works well on Windows

Windows, Mac, and Linux computers and OS X, but often runs into trouble
(but not on Raspberry Pi) as long as on Linux computers.
you have a modern web browser.
 g e t t i n g s c r at c h 2 . 0 19
Versions of Scratch
▽ Scratch 1.4
The projects in this book need In the older version of Scratch, the stage
Scratch 2.0 and won’t work appears on the right. You’ll need to install
properly on older versions. Scratch 2.0. Note that when this book was
If Scratch is already installed written, Scratch 1.4 was the only version
that could run on the Raspberry Pi.
on your computer then consult
the pictures below if you’re
not sure which version it is.
SCRATCH File Edit Share Help

Motion Events Cave Adventure

Girl
Looks Control x: –126 y: 96 direction 0.0
Sound Sensing
Scripts Costumes Sounds
Pen Operators
Data More Blocks

when clicked

forever
move 10 steps
go to mouse-pointer ▾

turn 15 degrees move 10 steps

turn 15 degrees

point in direction 90 ▾

point towards ▾

go to x: 0 y: 0

go to mouse-pointer ▾

glide 1 secs to x: 0 y: 0

SCRATCH File ▾ Edit ▾ Tips ?

Fireworks Display Scripts Costumes Sounds

by MagicLight01 (unshared)

Motion Events
Looks Control
when clicked
Sound Sensing hide
x: -126
y: 96
Pen Operators repeat 300

Data More Blocks create clone of myself ▾

move 10 steps
◁ Scratch 2.0
turn 15 degrees

In the latest version of Scratch, released

when I receive Bang ▾

set speed ▾ to pick random 0.1 to 3

turn 15 degrees

in 2013, the stage is on the left and there

set ghost ▾ effect to 0
point in direction 90 ▾ change colour ▾ effect by 25

go to Rocket ▾
point towards ▾

go to x: 0 y: 0
point in direction

show
pick random –180 to 180 are many more blocks and features than
x: 153 y: -61
go to mouse pointer ▾
repeat 50

set speed ▾ to speed * 0.9

in the older version. Key changes include
Sprites New sprite:
glide 1 secs to x: 0 y: 0 move speed steps the addition of clones, a better paint
change ghost ▾ effect by

editor, and the backpack, where you

pick random 1 to 3

Stage hide
1 backdrop

New backdrop:
Rocket Stars
can save scripts, sprites, and other
Backpack
useful things.

ExpErt tips
Mouse-pointers
Scratch needs some accurate something with your computer
mouse-work, which is easier to mouse. If your mouse only has
do with a computer mouse than one button, you can hold down
a touchpad. In this book, you’ll the shift or control key on your
often be instructed to right-click keyboard as you click.
20 w h at i s c o d i n g ?

The Scratch Change

language
Menus Cursor tools

interface
This is Scratch mission control. SCRATCH File ▾ Edit ▾ Tips ?

The tools for building scripts Dino Dance Party

are on the right, while the stage by PartyPeople555 (unshared)

to the left shows you what’s

going on as your project runs.
Don’t be afraid to explore!
Click here for a
full-screen view of
your project.

The Stage
This is where the action
happens. When you run your
project, the stage is where all
the sprites appear, moving
and interacting as they
follow their scripts.

x: 153 y: -61

Sprites New sprite:

S ta g e a r e a B lo C K S SCrIPtS
Pa l e t t e area

Stage
SPrIteS 1 backdrop Dinosaur1 Dinosaur2 Dinosaur3 Ballerina
lISt New backdrop:

S ta g e I n f o B a C K Pa C K

Use these A blue box highlights

△ Naming the parts symbols to the selected sprite.
While using this book you’ll need to know what’s change the Click these
backdrop. Sprites list
where in the Scratch window. Shown here symbols to add
Every sprite used in a
are the names of the different areas. The tabs project is shown here. new sprites.
above the blocks palette open up other areas Click on a sprite to see its
of Scratch to edit sounds and sprite costumes. scripts in the scripts area.
 T H E s c r aT c H i n T E r fa c E 21

Scripts area
Use the Drag blocks into this part of the
Select the Costumes tab Use the Sounds tab to Scratch window and join them
Scripts tab to to change how add music and sound together to build scripts for each
build scripts. sprites look. effects to sprites. sprite in your project.

Scripts Costumes Sounds

Motion Events
Looks Control Click these headings Selected
to reveal different sprite
x: 20
Sound Sensing sets of blocks. y: –100
Pen Operators
Data More Blocks
when clicked

forever
move 10 steps
repeat 3

turn 15 degrees switch costume to ballerina-a ▾

wait 0.5 secs

turn 15 degrees
switch costume to ballerina-d ▾

wait 0.5 secs

point in direction 90 ▾

point towards ▾ repeat 2

switch costume to ballerina-a ▾

go to x: 0 y: 0
wait 0.5 secs

go to mouse-pointer ▾ switch costume to ballerina-b ▾

wait 0.5 secs

glide 1 secs to x: 0 y: 0

Backpack

Blocks palette Backpack Click here

Instruction blocks for making Store useful scripts, to zoom in
scripts appear in the middle sprites, costumes, and and out.
of the Scratch window. Drag sounds in the backpack
the ones you want to use so you can use them in
to the scripts area. other projects.
 22 w h at i s c o d i n g ?

Types of project
This book has a wide range of fun Scratch projects. Don’t
worry if you haven’t used Scratch before or you’re not an
expert – the “Getting started” chapter is there to help
you. Here’s a handy guide to the projects in this book.
48 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d animal race 49
60 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d ask gobo 61

Animal Race every time you press

the “z” key.
60
The bat flaps its wings
Ask Gobo g e t t i n g s ta r t e d ask gobo 61

Have you ever wondered which is Ask Gobo

Do you have a tricky decision to make
or want to predict the future? Let Gobo Name of the project.
The green flag
starts the project. The red button

faster – a dog or a bat? Now you Animal Race Do you

help you have
in this a tricky decision
fortune-telling to make
project. The green flag
stops the project.

by TopDog763 (unshared) Name of the project. starts the project.

can find out when you play this or want
Here you’ll to predict
learn the future?
about random Let Gobo
numbers, The red button
◁ Askstops
a question!
the project.
helpand
variables, youhow
in this fortune-telling
computer programsproject. Ask Gobo
Gobo works best if you ask
fun fast-finger, button-pressing, makeHere you’ll learn about random◁
choices. numbers,
by FortuneTeller100 (unshared)
Fastest finger first it to make predictions or
◁ Ask a question!
Ask Gobo decisions for you. Don’t ask
two-player animal race game. Go! variables, and how computer programs As soon as the cat bystarts FortuneTeller100 (unshared)
Gobo works
factual questions best
as it’ll if you ask
often
make choices. the race, the dog and the
it to make
get the answer predictions or
wrong!
decisions for you. Don’t ask
factual questions as it’ll often
How it works bat start running towards get the answer wrong!
I can answer your
the balloons. The faster the
Gobo invites you to ask a question and yes-or-no questions.
How it
then answers works
with either “Yes” or “No”. players press their keys,
I can answer your
You can ask anything
Gobo you
invites you tolike,
ask afrom the faster their sprites run.
“Am and
question yes-or-no questions.

How it works I goingthen

play a You
to be
computer
a billionaire?”
answers
can askgame
to “Should
with either
instead
anything
“Yes” orI “No”.
youoflike,
doing
from “Am
Gobo uses speech
bubbles to interact
with you when you
my homework?”
I going to beGobo pauses to look
a billionaire?” to “Should I
The aim of this two-player game is simply like it’splay
thinking, but its game
a computer answers are of doing
instead
run the project.
Gobo uses speech
bubbles to interact
to race across the screen and reach the actually mypure chance. Gobo pauses to look
homework?” Ask your question
then press space.
with you when you
run the project.
like it’s thinking, but its answers are
balloons before the other player. Fast actually pure chance. Ask your question
finger action is all you need to win. then press space.

The faster you tap the keyboard’s “z” ◁ Gobo

Friendly Gobo is the only
or “m” key, the faster your sprite moves sprite in this project. It has
◁ Gobo Get ready to see
from left to right. three costumes that you
can use Friendly Gobo
later to help is the only
bring
into the future!
it to life.sprite in this project. It has Get ready to see
three costumes that you
can use later toBalloons
help bring mark
into the future!
it to life. the finish area.
◁ Sending messages
This project shows you how
◁ Take a chance
to use Scratch’s message Just as the roll of the dice
feature to make one sprite creates random numbers,
◁ Take a chance
Scratch can generate
pass information to other random Just as thetoroll of the dice
numbers
creates random
reactnumbers,
sprites, such as when the make the program
Scratch can generate
in unpredictable ways. Catch me
cat sprite tells the dog random numbers to
if you can!
and bat to start racing. make the program react
in unpredictable ways.

◁ Variables
The cat’s script stores

Cat Art (p.26) Dino Dance Party (p.34) Animal Race (p.48) Ask Gobo (p.60)
information in something
3 programmers call a variable.
In this project, you’ll use
a variable to store the The dog runs for
numbers for the cat’s count the finish – one stride
at the start of the race. The cross and arrow every time you press
Count mark the start line. the “m” key.

△ Getting started
Work your way through these easy projects to learn how to
use Scratch. Each project introduces important new ideas, so
don’t skip any if you’re a beginner. By the end of the chapter,
you’ll have mastered the basics of Scratch.

94 a
arrt
t s
spp ii r
raal
l ii z
zeer
r 95 Funny Faces (p.70)
t Spiralizer b i r t h d ay c a r d 83
Try
Try out
out this
this spinning
spinning spiral
spiral project.
project.
day Card
Click
Click the
the icon
icon to The
to The
The clones’
clones’ different
different The ball
ball in
in the
the centre
centre
Be sure to run this project
Change
Change the
A balloon-filled backdrop the patterns
patterns using
The animatedusing
special
special
sign at the
make
make the
fill
the spiral
spiral directions
directions make
make is
is the
the original
original sprite;
sprite;
fill your
your screen.
screen. them
them form
form aa spiral. all
all the
the others
others are
are clones.
in full-screen mode. sets the scene. sliders
sliders to
to alter
altertopthe
rocksvalues
the values of variables
ofside.
from side to variables spiral. clones.

n ordinary birthday in
in the
the code.
code. You
You control
control the the artart –– the
the Spiralizer
ou can have an Birthday Card possibilities
possibilities are
are endless!
endless! Spiralizer
by SpiralAttack (unshared)
by SpiralAttack (unshared)
ast for the eyes and by PartyPlanner120 (unshared)

h is the perfect tool

birthday card. This
Angle
Angle 10
10

◁ Art
Y!
BIRTHDA
ging sharks, but you How
How it
it works
works Speed
Speed 22 △ Clones
△ Clones
Clones
e project to make Clones are
are working
working copies
copies
This
This simple
simple project
project has
has only
only one
one sprite:
sprite: aa of
of sprites.
sprites. When
When aa clone
clone isis

Artists love finding new ways

△ Gliding around
eir own unique card.

HAPPY
coloured created,
created, it
it appears
appears on
on top
coloured ball,
ball, which
which stays
stays in
in the
the middle.
middle. This project uses the “glide” of
top
Scratch’s of the
the existing
existing sprite
sprite and
and
Scratch’s clone
clone blocks
blocks make
make copies
copies of
of the
the block, which makes sprites has
has the
the same
same properties,
properties,
ball
ball that
that move
move outwards
outwards in in straight
straight lines.
lines. move smoothly around such
such as
as direction,
direction, size,
size,
the stage. You need to use
rks A
A spiral
spiral pattern
pattern forms
forms because
because each
each clone
clone Scratch’s coordinates system
and
and so
so on.
on.
moves
moves inin aa slightly
slightly different
different direction,
direction, like

to create art, and computers

like to set the exact start and
his project, a water
water from a garden sprinkler. The Scratch
from a garden sprinkler. The Scratch finish point of each glide.
hing green button pen
pen draws
draws aa trail
trail behind
behind each
each clone,
clone, making
making If you can’t remember how
he button and an colourful
colourful background
background patterns.
patterns. coordinates work, see the
day card fills the Happy birthday Funny Faces project.
to you!
te with singing sharks.
turns singing the
ppy Birthday” song. Adjust
Adjust the
the sliders
change
sliders to
change the
of
to
the look
of the
look
the spiral.
spiral.
give
134
them tools that even
134 games

Leonardo da Vinci couldn’t

Wow!
Wow! This
got
This project
project has
has games
got me
me in
in aa spin.
spin.
d

Window Cleaner
Each
Each line
line is
is drawn
drawn using
(unshared)
Scratch’s
Scratch’s built-in
which
which lets
lets any
any sprite
using
built-in pen,
pen,
sprite draw.
draw.
△ Scratch
△ Scratch pen pen Slime tim
Slime tim
LY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY! Every
Every sprite
sprite can
can draw
draw aa
To make som

have dreamed of. Make a

trail
trail behind
behind it it wherever
it
it goes
goes –– just
wherever
just add
add the
To make som
the draw some
dark
dark green
block
green “pen
block toto its
“pen down”
down”
its script.
script. Try
Try out
out
Messy windows?
Messy windows? You’d
You’d better
better get
get up
up and
and clean
clean them!
them! draw some
and you’ll b
the
the other
other blocks
blocks in
in the
the This frantic
frantic game
game counts
counts how
how many
many splats
splats you
you can
can and you’ll b
△ Keeping time Pen
Pen section
section ofof the
the blocks
blocks This

birthday card, spin spectacular

Each
Each cloned
cloned ball
aa straight
ball flies
flies in
in Like Animal Race, this project
palette
palette to
pen’s
to change
pen’s colour,
change the
colour, shade,
the clean off
clean off your
your computer
computer screen
screen in
in a
a minute.
minute. You
You
straight line
line from
from the
the uses messages sent from one shade,
centre
centre to
to the
the edge.
edge. sprite to another to control and
and thickness.
thickness. can wipe
can wipe away
away the
the splats
splats either
either by
by using
using a
a computer
computer
11
Start a n
the timing of scripts. The Start a n
singing sharks send messages mouse or
mouse or by
by waving
waving your
your hand
hand in
in front
front of
of a
a webcam.
webcam. (or cont
(or cont

spirals, and cover your world

back and forth to time their on the p
Click the button to open The sharks drop in from the top The cake slides into view lines of “Happy Birthday”. on the p

Birthday Card (p.82) Spiralizer (p.94) Fantastic Flowers (p.106)

the birthday card. and then sing “Happy Birthday”. from the edge of the stage.

How
How it
it works
works
with flowers.
The game starts by cloning a splat sprite and scattering ▽ Splat sprite
The game starts by cloning a splat sprite and scattering ▽ Splat sprite

22
This game has one sprite The pain
clones with different costumes randomly across the stage. This game has one sprite The pain
clones with different costumes randomly across the stage. with several costumes, make yo
make yo
When motion is detected by the webcam, Scratch uses with several costumes, a colour
When motion is detected by the webcam, Scratch uses which you’ll paint yourself. a colour
122 123 its “ghost” effect to make the splats fade. If you wave your which you’ll paint yourself.
By cloning the sprite you
122 games
games
tunnel of doom
tunnel of doom 123 its “ghost” effect to make the splats fade. If you wave your By cloning the sprite you
hand enough, they eventually disappear. The aim of the can cover the screen with
hand enough, they eventually disappear. The aim of the can cover the screen with
Tunnel of Doom Do you dare
Do you dare
to enter the
to enter the
“Tunnel of Doom”?
game is to remove as many splats as you can in one minute.
game is to remove as many splats as you can in one minute.
splats of messy gunk.
splats of messy gunk.
Scratch is
Scratch is the
the ideal
ideal playground
playground forfor making
making and
and Will your time “Tunnel of Doom”?
Will your time
perfecting games.
games. To
To win
win at
at this
this game,
game, you
you need
need The cat starts here. Time in seconds be the fastest?
perfecting
33 Select th
The cat starts here. Time in seconds be the fastest?
a steady
a steady hand
hand and
and nerves
nerves of
of steel.
steel. Take
Take the
the cat
cat Select th
and dra
all the
all the way
way through
through the
the Tunnel
Tunnel ofof Doom,
Doom, but
but and dra
Tunnel of Doom Window Cleaner of a larg
don’t
don’t touch
touch the
the walls!
walls! For
For an
an extra
extra challenge,
challenge, Tunnel of Doom
by DirtDigger465 (unshared) Window Cleaner of a larg
by PaintChampion (unshared) whole p

▷ Games
try to
try to beat
beat the
the best
best time.
time. by DirtDigger465 (unshared)
by PaintChampion (unshared) whole p
Time
Time
201
201 will get
Score 42 will get
Best time
Best time
245
245 Score 42
How it
How it works
works Reach home to
Reach home to
win the game. Countdown 8
Use your mouse
mouse toto move
move thethe cat
cat all
all the
the way
way through
through
win the game. Countdown 8
Use your

Game design is one of the most creative areas

the tunnel
the tunnel without
without touching
touching thethe walls.
walls. If
If you
you
accidentally touch
accidentally touch aa wall,
wall, you
you go
go back
back toto the
the start.
start.
You can
You can try
try as
as many
many times
times as
as you
you like,
like, but
but the
the clock
clock
will keep
will keep counting
counting the
the seconds
seconds until
until you
you finish.
finish.

You can draw

of coding. Game makers are always looking for

You can draw
a tunnel in any
a tunnel in any
◁ Cat sprite shape you like.
◁ Cat sprite shape you like.
Once the mouse-pointer has
Once the mouse-pointer has
touched the cat, the cat follows
touched the cat, the cat follows
it everywhere. You don’t need
it everywhere. You don’t need
to use the mouse button.
to use the mouse button. fu

imaginative new ways to challenge players or

fu
◁ Tunnel
◁ Tunnel
The tunnel maze is a giant sprite that Move the cat
The tunnel maze is a giant sprite that Move the cat
fills the stage. The tunnel itself isn’t with your mouse.
fills the stage. The tunnel itself isn’t with your mouse.
actually part of the sprite – it’s a gap
actually part of the sprite – it’s a gap △Controls
that you create by using the eraser tool
△Controls

tell stories. The projects in this chapter challenge

that you create by using the eraser tool
in Scratch’s paint editor. If the cat stays
in Scratch’s paint editor. If the cat stays First you’ll clean up the
in the middle of the path, it won’t be
in the middle of the path, it won’t be First you’ll clean up the
detected as touching the tunnel sprite. splats with your mouse,
detected as touching the tunnel sprite.
If you touch the splats with your mouse,
If you touch the
tunnel wall you get but later you can change
tunnel wall you get
sent back to the start. but later you can change
◁ Home sent back to the start. the code to detect the
◁ Home the code to detect the

you to steer a sprite through a twisty tunnel or

When the cat touches the home sprite,
When the cat touches the home sprite, Each splat is a clone of Wave your hand to movement of your hand
the game ends with a celebration.
Wave your
thehand to movement of your hand
the game ends with a celebration.
theEach splatsingle
project’s is a clone of
sprite. rub out splats. with a webcam.
the project’s single sprite. rub out the splats. with a webcam.

clean virtual splats off a dirty computer screen.

Tunnel of Doom (p.122) Window Cleaner (p.134)
 types of project 23

Virtual Snow (p.144) Firework

190 Display (p.154) music and sound Fractal Trees (p.162) Snowflake Simulator191
(p.172) d r u m ta s t i c

Drumtastic
190 music and sound Dancing cat
To make the project more fun, the cat will dance and
d r u m ta s t i c 191
A,B,C,D...

Drumtastic Dancing cat

shout out each letter in a speech bubble as the drums
This project turns your computer keyboard into a drum play. Follow the steps below to create a custom block
△ Simulations
A,B,C,D...
machine. Type in anything you want and Scratch turns To make the project more fun, the cat will dance and
that plays the drums and animates the cat.
the letters shout out each letter in a speech bubble as the drums
This project turns into
yourrepeating
computerdrum sounds
keyboard using
into up to
a drum play. Follow the steps below to create a custom block
18 Type
machine. different instruments,
in anything fromand
you want cymbals and
Scratch bongos
turns
Give a computer the correct information and it can mimic,
to pounding
the letters bass drums.
into repeating drum sounds using up to
18 different instruments, from cymbals and bongos
that plays theStart
1
drums and animates the cat.
a new project
and keep the cat
sprite. Set the
2
Select the cat sprite, click on Data, and add these
variables to your project: “Count” and “Words”.
Leave them ticked so that they show on the stage.

or simulate, the way things work in How

theit works
real world. This
to pounding bass drums.
▽ Scratch drumkit
1 Start a newbackground
and keep the
project
a solid
to
cat colour by
clicking the paint
sprite. Set the
2 Select the cat sprite, click on Data, and add these
variables to your project: “Count” and “Words”.
Leave them ticked so Click here
that to make
they show on the stage.
The script turns every letter

chapter shows you how to simulate falling snow, sparkling background symbol
to in the each variable.
When you run the project, the Scratch cat asks you to into a drum sound. There are lower Stage
a solid colour by left of Scratch,
▽ Scratch26 drumkit
letters in the alphabet but
How it works
type something in the box. When you press return, the Scratch
The script turns onlyletter
every has 18 drum
clicking thepicking
paint a cool 2 backdrops Click here to make
Make a Variable
each variable.

fireworks, the growth of trees, and the shapes of snowflakes.

symbol in colour,
the and using
code turns each letter into a different sound and plays into a drum sounds,
sound.so some
There aresounds
When you run the project, the Scratch cat asks you to the
lower left of fill tool to
Scratch, Stage New backdrop:
the phrase back over and over again. As the sounds are
26 letters in used
the for twobut
alphabet letters. create a coloured
picking a cool 2 backdrops Count
type something in the box. When you press return, the Scratch only has 18 drum Make a Variable
play, the coloured drums on the stage flash in time, colour, andbackdrop.
using
code turns each letter into a different sound and plays sounds, so some sounds
while the Scratch cat walks to the beat. the fill tool to New backdrop: Words
the phrase back over and over again. As the sounds
play, the coloured drums on the stage flash in time, A
are used for two letters. create a coloured
backdrop.
Count

while the Scratch cat walks to the beat. Words

Drumtastic A Snare drum
3 Now create a custom block for the cat sprite.
Choose “More Blocks” in the blocks palette 4 Choose the second option
in the menu to add an input
Type the name

◁ Music and sound

by Drummer242 (unshared) of the input
and make a new block called “play a drum”. window for the drum’s letter. here: “letter”.
Each drum lights tempo 60
Now createThis will trigger
blockaforscript
thethat plays a drum
Drumtastic
up as it’s played.
by Drummer242 (unshared)
Snare drum
3 Choose “More
a custom
and Blocks”
makes the catblocks
in the
cat sprite.
say thepalette
drum’s letter at 4 Choose the second option Type the name
in the menu to add an input New Block of the input
B
While early computers struggled to make simple
and make athe newsame time.
block To keep
called “playthings simple, the
a drum”. window for the drum’s letter. here: “letter”.
tempo 60
Each drum lights first version
This will trigger a scriptofthat
theplays
scriptawill
drumplay the same
up as it’s played. and makesdrum sound
the cat say theevery time.letter at
drum’s New Block
play a drum letter
B
beeps, modern computers can reproduce every
the same time. To keep things simple, the
Bass drum
first version of the scriptType
will“play
playathe
drum”
same ▾ Options
drum sound every time.in here. play a drum letter
Add number input:

C instrument in an orchestra. Try out these two treats

Bass drum New Block
Type “play a drum” ▾ Options Add string input:
in here.
Add number input:
play a drum Add boolean input:

C for your ears. The first one matches sound effects

Side sticks New Block
▶ Options
Add string input:
Add label text: text

play a drum Add boolean input:

Run without screen refresh
Side sticks

with silly animations, and the second one puts a

OK Cancel
Add label text: text
Make Some Noise!
D ▶ Options

OKClick here. Cancel

OK
Run without screen refresh
Cancel

Make Some Noise!

The words
you typed
The drums light up
as the sounds play.
D digital drum kit at your fingertips.
Cymbals
Click “OK” to
complete the
OKblock. Cancel
Choose this option.

Click here.
The words The drums light up Click “OK” to Choose this option.

Sprites and Sounds (p.182) Drumtastic (p.190)

you typed as the sounds play. Cymbals complete the block.

◁ Mindbenders
Making images move in clever ways can fool
the eye into seeing amazing patterns and
optical illusions. Try these mindbending,
spinning-pattern projects.

The Magic Spot (p.200) Spiral-o-tron (p.208)

exPert tiPs
Perfect projects
Every project in this book is do, go back a few steps and check
broken down into easy steps – the instructions again carefully.
read each step carefully and you’ll If you still have problems, ask
sail through them all. The projects an adult to check with you. Once
tend to get more complicated you’ve got a project working,
later in the book. If you find a don’t be afraid to change the
project isn’t doing what it should code and try out your own ideas.
Getting
started
26 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Cat Art Click here to

make the project
Find your feet in Scratch by making fill your screen.
some super-simple art with Scratch’s Type the name of
your project here.
cat sprite – the mascot of the Scratch
project. This project turns the cat into
Cat Art
a kind of multicoloured paintbrush. by ArtsyCat123 (unshared)
You can use the same trick to paint
with any sprite.

How it works
This simple project lets you use a
computer mouse to paint multicoloured
cat art. Wherever you drag the mouse, a
rainbow trail of cats is left behind. Later
on you’ll see how to add other effects.

△ Follow the mouse △ Changing colour

First you’ll make a script Next you’ll add blocks
to use the mouse-pointer to the script to make
to move the cat sprite the cat change
around the stage. its colour.

△ Making copies △ Going wild

Then you’ll use the There are lots of crazy
“stamp” block to make effects you can try out
a trail of copies appear on the cat once you
on the stage. start experimenting.
 c at a r t 27

The cat sticks to the Click the green

mouse-pointer and flag to start Click the stop sign
keeps changing colour. the project. to stop the project.

◁ Artistic cat
This project lets you go wild
with your imagination. You
can experiment with a variety
of colours, sizes, and effects
for the cat, and in the end
your project will look like
a piece of modern art.

Now that’s what I call

a masterpiece!
28 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Mouse control
The first step is to make the cat sprite move wherever
the mouse-pointer moves. You need to build a set of Follow me.

instructions – called a script – to make the cat sprite do this.

1 First start a new Scratch project. If you use the online

version of Scratch, go to the Scratch website and click The blocks in the blocks
on Create at the top. If you use Scratch offline, click on palette are colour-coded
the Scratch icon on your desktop. You should see a by their function.
fresh project, ready for you to start building scripts.
Scripts are built here.
SCRATCH File ▾ Edit ▾ Tips

Cat Art Scripts Costumes Sounds

by ArtsyCat123 (unshared)

Motion Events
Looks Control
The cat sprite on the Sound Sensing x: -126
y: 96
stage is the only item Pen
Data
Operators
More Blocks
in a new project.
move 10 steps

turn 15 degrees

turn 15 degrees
when clicked
point in direction 90 ▾
forever
point towards ▾
go to mouse-pointer ▾
go to x: 0 y: 0

x: 153 y: -61 go to mouse-pointer ▾

Sprites New sprite:

glide 1 secs to x: 0 y: 0

change x by 10

set x for 0
Stage
1 backdrop Sprite1
change y by 10
New backdrop:

Backpack

2 To build the script you simply drag coloured blocks from

the middle area (the “blocks palette”) to the empty grey
Scripts Costumes Sounds
space on the right (the “scripts area”). The blocks are
colour-coded by what they do. You can switch between Motion Events
different sets of blocks by clicking on the categories Looks Control
at the top of the blocks palette.
Sound Sensing
Motion is always selected Pen Operators
when you start a new project.
Clicking on each word shows a Data More Blocks
different set of coloured
instruction blocks.

3 Click on the “go to mouse-pointer” block and

drag it into the scripts area on the right. It will go to mouse-pointer ▾
stay where you put it.
 c at a r t 29

4 Now click on Control in the blocks palette. All

the blocks in the centre of the Scratch window
lingo
will switch to yellow. Running programs
Scripts Costumes Sounds “Run a program” means “start
a program” to a programmer.
Motion Events A program that’s doing
something is “running”. In
Looks Control Scratch, programs are also
Sound Sensing called projects, and clicking
Pen Operators Click Control
the green flag runs the
to reveal the current project.
Data More Blocks
yellow blocks.

Drag the wait 10 secs

“forever”
block
repeat 10
to the
scripts area.

forever

5 Use the mouse to drag the “forever” block

around the “go to mouse-pointer” block. It 6 To complete your first script, select Events in the
blocks palette and then drag a “when green flag
should click into place if you release it near clicked” block to the top of your stack of blocks.
the blue block. The “forever” block makes This block makes the script run when someone
the blocks inside run over and over again. clicks on the green flag symbol on the stage.

This block is called a loop and

repeats the blocks inside it. A block that goes
at the top of the
when clicked
script is known
forever as a header block.
forever
go to mouse-pointer ▾
go to mouse-pointer ▾

Stops scripts
Starts scripts

7 Click on the green flag at the top of the stage.

The cat will now go wherever the mouse-pointer
Cat Art
goes. You can stop the chase with the red stop
by ArtsyCat123 (unshared)
button. Congratulations on your first working
Scratch script!
30 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Multicoloured cats
Scratch is packed full of ways to make
art. The simple script changes here will
send your cat straight to the art gallery.

8 Click on Looks at the top of the blocks

palette and find the “change colour effect
when clicked
by (25)” block. Drag this into the loop
in your script so it looks like this.
forever

go to mouse-pointer ▾

What do you think change colour ▾ effect by 25

will happen when
you run this new
version of the script?

Click the green flag to run the

9 new version of the project.
The cat now changes colour
from moment to moment.
Every time the loop repeats the
“change colour effect by” block,
the sprite shifts in colour a little.

10 Now comes the moment to make some art. We need

just one more block. Click on Pen in the blocks palette
and you’ll see a selection of green blocks. Drag a
“stamp” block into the loop so your script looks like this:

The stamp block

“stamps” a
picture of the
Let’s make sprite onto
when clicked
some art! the stage
wherever the
forever cat is standing.

go to mouse-pointer ▾

change colour ▾ effect by 25

stamp
 c at a r t 31

11 Next, run the project again by clicking the green

flag. The cat will leave a trail of multicoloured
Each cat in the trail
cats behind it. What an artistic sprite!
is put there by the
stamp block.

12 You’ll find that the stage soon fills up with cats, but
don’t worry, as you can add a script to wipe it clean when space ▾ key pressed
at the press of a button. Choose Pen in the blocks
palette and look for the “clear” block. Drag it into clear
the scripts area but keep it separate from the first
script. Then click on Events and add a brown “when
space key pressed” block. Run the project and see This header block starts the
what happens when you press the space-bar. script when the chosen key is
pressed on the keyboard.

ExpErt tips
Full screen
To see projects at their
best, you can simply click
the full-screen button just
above the stage to hide
the scripts and just show
the results. There’s a similar
button to shrink the stage
and reveal the scripts again
from full-screen mode.

Click here to
If you use the offline
see your project
version of Scratch, don’t
fill the screen.
forget to save your work
from time to time.
32 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Hacks and tweaks

There are lots of ways to change how the cat
looks, and you can use them to create some
startling visual effects. Below are a few tips,
but feel free to try your own experiments.
Try This
▽ Try this for size
Add these two scripts to the cat to make
Crazy cat
it bigger or smaller when you press the
Try growing your cat until it fills the
up or down arrow keys.
Click on the triangle to
stage. Press the space-bar to clear all
choose the correct key the other cats, leave the computer
from a drop-down list. mouse alone and hold down the
down arrow. A succession of ever-
smaller cats will appear inside each
when up arrow ▾ key pressed
other, creating a multicoloured,
change size by 10 cat-shaped tunnel!

when down arrow ▾ key pressed

change size by –10

Positive numbers make the

cat bigger and negative
numbers make it smaller.

▽ Smooth changes
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the numbers and settings
in Scratch commands. You don’t have to change the cat’s
when clicked
colour effect by 25 each time. The lower the number, the
more slowly the colour will change, like in this rainbow. forever

go to mouse-pointer ▾

change colour ▾ effect by 1

stamp

Set this number to

1 for a smoother
colour change.
 c at a r t 33
▽ Special effects ▽ Cleaning up
There are lots of other effects to try besides simple Things can get messy with effects, so add a “clear
colour changes. Try adding another “change” block graphic effects” block to the script below. This runs
to the main script. Click the drop-down menu and when you press the space-bar to clear the stage.
try the other effects to see what they do.

It’s best to change when space ▾ key pressed

the effect slowly
at first. clear
forever

go to mouse-pointer ▾ clear graphic effects

change colour ▾ effect by 1

change fisheye ▾ effect by 1
stamp Look at all the mess
I need to clean up.
Click here
to choose
different effects.

ExpErt tips

▽ At your fingertips Loops

To give yourself more control over effects while
Almost all computer programs contain loops. These
painting with the cat, you can trigger scripts with
are useful as they let a program go back and repeat
any keys you choose. You could create a whole
a set of instructions, which keeps scripts simple and
keyboard full of weird cat changes, including
the ghost effect shown here.
short. The “forever” block creates a loop that goes on
forever, but other types of loops can repeat an action
a fixed number of times.You’ll meet all sorts of clever
loops in projects later in the book.
when right arrow ▾ key pressed

change ghost ▾ effect by 1

Scratch's ghost effect Script runs from The “forever” block makes
makes sprites transparent. top to bottom. the program return to the
start of the loop.

when clicked

forever
when left arrow ▾ key pressed
change colour ▾ effect by 25
change ghost ▾ effect by –1
34 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Dino Dance Party

Brush off your dancing shoes and join Click this icon to Type the name of
the dinosaur’s dance party! Who will you make the game
fill your screen.
the project here.

invite? There will be music, a light show,

and dance moves galore. Dance routines
Dino Dance Party
are just like computer programs – you by PartyPeople555 (unshared)
just follow the steps in order.

How it works
Each sprite has one or more scripts
that program its dance moves. Some
simply turn from side to side, but
others glide across the dance floor
or perform more varied moves. You
can add as many dancers as you like.

◁ Dinosaur
After you’ve created a dancing
dinosaur, you can duplicate
this sprite to make a group of
dinosaurs dancing in rhythm.

The “spotlight-stage”
backdrop sets the scene
for the dance party.

◁ Ballerina
To add a touch of class, the
ballerina will perform a more
complicated dance routine.
 dino dance party 35

The disco lights change

colour several times Click the stop sign
a second. to stop the project.
Click the green flag
to start the project.

By switching between
different poses, the
sprites appear to dance.

Let’s party!
36 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Dancing dinosaur
Scratch has lots of ready-made sprites for your project in the
sprite library. Many of the sprites have several “costumes”,
each showing the sprite in a different pose. If you make
a sprite switch costumes quickly, it looks like it’s moving.

1 First start a fresh Scratch

project. From the main
SCRATCH File ▾ Edit ▾ Tips

New
?

Scratch website, click Untitled

on Create at the top. If a by abcd (unshared)
Save now
Scratch project is already
open, click on the File Save as a copy
menu above the stage
and select “New”. Go to My Stuff

Upload from your computer

Download to your computer

Revert

Clicking on “New” will save

an existing project before
starting a fresh one.

2 New projects always start with the cat

sprite, but we don’t need it this time. 3 To load a new sprite, click on the small sprite symbol
in the sprites list just below the stage. A window with
To delete it, right-click on the cat (or a huge selection of sprites will open. Choose Dinosaur1
control/shift-click on a one button mouse) and click “OK”. Dinosaur1 will now appear on the stage
and select “delete”. The cat will disappear. and in the sprites list.

Click here to load

a new sprite.

Sprites New sprite:

info

duplicate

delete
Dinosaur1
save to local file
 dino dance party 37

4 Make this simple script for Dinosaur1. Look

carefully and you’ll see the script runs when
You can find brown blocks
by clicking on Events in
the blocks palette.
the space-bar is pressed – not when the
green flag is clicked.
when space ▾ key pressed
Click on Looks to
find purple blocks. next costume

5 Look at the dinosaur on the stage and press the space-bar. Every time
you press it, the dinosaur will change its pose. It’s still the Dinosaur1
Each pose is a different
costume belonging to
sprite, but the way it looks keeps changing. Each different pose is called the dinosaur sprite.
a costume and can be used to make a sprite appear to do different things.

6 Click on the Costumes tab at

the top of the blocks palette to
New costume:
dinosaur1-a Clear Add Import
see all the dinosaur’s costumes.
Press the space-bar to trigger 1
the “next costume” block and
you’ll see the blue outline
move to each costume in
turn as it’s selected. dinosaur1-a
151x169

2
Each costume has a
different name.

dinosaur1-b
233x158

This part of the Scratch window

dinosaur1-c
is called the paint editor. Later on 130x179
you’ll find out how to use it to create
your own sprites and backdrops.
4
100%

Vector Mode
Convert to bitmap
dinosaur1-d
95x172
38 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Dance steps
By using loops you can make the dinosaur change
its costume repeatedly, making it appear to move.
Changing pictures quickly to give the illusion of
movement is called animation.

7 Click on the Scripts tab at the top of the Scratch

window to go back to the dinosaur’s scripts and 8 Click the green flag above the stage to run the
script. You’ll see the dinosaur move wildly as it
add this script. Before you try it, read through the loops through all its costumes at high speed.
script and see if you can figure out what it does. To make a neater dance, the next step will
limit the number of costumes to just two.

when clicked

forever
Remember, blocks are
next costume colour-coded. The “forever”
loop is in the yellow
Control blocks section.

dinosaur1-c dinosaur1-d

9 Remove the “next costume”

block from the loop and
when clicked Drag this block out
replace it with the blocks of the scripts area.
shown here. The new forever
script switches between
two costumes and slows next costume
everything down with
some “wait” blocks. Choose
Run the project again “dinosaur1-c”.
by clicking the green
flag – the dinosaur should switch costume to dinosaur1-c ▾
now dance more sensibly.
wait 0.5 secs
Change the delay
to 0.5 seconds. switch costume to dinosaur1-d ▾

wait 0.5 secs

Choose
“dinosaur1-d”.
 dino dance party 39

10 To add more dancing

dinosaurs to the party you can Sprites New sprite:
simply copy the first dinosaur.
Right-click on the dinosaur in
the sprites list and choose
“duplicate” from the pop-up
menu. A new dinosaur will Stage
1 backdrop Dinosaur1
appear in the sprites list. info
New backdrop:
duplicate

Right-click (or control/

delete
Choose “duplicate”
shift-click) on the dinosaur. to make a copy of the
save to local file
sprite and its scripts.

11 Make another copy so that there

are three dinosaurs in total. Click
on the dinosaurs on the stage and
drag each one to a good spot. Run
the project. Since they all have the
same script, they’ll all do the same
dance at the same time.

Setting the scene

The dinosaurs are dancing, but the room’s a bit boring.
Follow the next steps to add some decorations and music.
You’ll need to make some changes to the stage. Although
it isn’t a sprite, it can still have its own scripts.

12 First, a change of scenery. The picture on the stage

is called a backdrop and you can load new ones. 13 Select “spotlight-stage” from the
backdrops library and click “OK”.
Look at the bottom left of the screen and click on This backdrop will now appear
the backdrop symbol to the left of the sprites list. behind the dancers.

Dino Dance Party

Sprites by PartyPeople555 (unshared)

The “spotlight-stage”
Stage backdrop sets the
1 backdrop Dinosaur1 mood of the party.
New backdrop:

Click this symbol

to add a backdrop.
40 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

14 Now click on the Scripts tab at the top of the

screen to add a script to the stage – each sprite
Scripts Backdrops Sounds
can have its own scripts and so can the stage.
Motion Events
Looks Control
Click here to show
the scripts area. Sound Sensing
Pen Operators
Data More Blocks

15 Add this script to make the disco lights flash. This block only
Then click the green flag to run the project – changes the backdrop
when clicked colours. It does not
it should look like a real disco. You can
affect the other sprites.
experiment with the time in the “wait”
forever
block to make the lights flash faster or
slower if you want. change colour ▾ effect by 25

wait 0.1 secs

Adjust the number
here to change how
fast the lights flash.

16 Now it’s time to add some music. Click on the

Sounds tab, which is next to the Scripts tab at
Scripts Backdrops Sounds
the top. Then click on the speaker symbol
to open Scratch’s sound library. Select “dance New sound:
around” and click “OK” to load it into the stage’s
list of sound clips.

Click here to choose a

sound from the library.

17 Click on the Scripts tab again and add this new

script to play the music in a loop. Click the green
flag to run the project again. The music should
Don’t forget to click
play. You now have a real party on your hands!
the full-screen symbol
above the stage to see
me at my best.
when clicked The music
repeats forever!
forever

play sound dance around ▾ until done

This block plays the whole

tune before the script
goes back to the start.
 dino dance party 41
Get a move on!
The dinosaurs are throwing some wicked shapes, but they’re
not moving around the dance floor much. You can fix that
with some new scripts that use Scratch’s “move” block.
Click here to see
Dinosaur2’s scripts.

18 First, click on Dinosaur2

in the sprites list to Sprites
show its scripts in the
scripts area.

Dinosaur1 Dinosaur2

19 Next, add this extra script. To find the dark blue

blocks, click Motion at the top of the blocks 21 To prevent the blood rushing to the dinosaur’s
tiny brain, click on the blue “i” symbol next to
palette. What do you think the new script does? the sprite in the sprites list. This reveals extra
information about the sprite.
These aren’t actual
dinosaur steps,
when clicked
they’re Scratch’s
way of measuring
forever distances.

move 10 steps Click here.

if on edge, bounce
Add this block to turn
Dinosaur2
the dinosaur round at
the stage’s edge.

20 Now click the green flag and both of Dinosaur2’s

scripts will run at the same time. The sprite will 22 An information box will pop up. Change “rotation
style” to the double arrow and watch the dinosaur
move all the way across the stage and then turn dance. See what happens if you click the other
around and dance back. But you’ll notice that rotation styles. You now have the power to choose
it dances back upside down! whether the dinosaur dances on its head or not!

Click here to go back Select the double arrow to

to the sprites list. keep the dinosaur upright.

Dinosaur2
x: –5 y: 18 direction: -90°
rotation style:
can drag in player:
show:
42 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Keyboard control
Ever dreamed of taking control of your very own
dinosaur? The next script will give you keyboard
control of Dinosaur3’s movements: you’ll be able
to move the dinosaur across the stage with the
right and left arrow keys.

23 Click on Dinosaur3 in the

sprites list so you can edit
its scripts.
The blue outline shows
that Dinosaur3 is the
Dinosaur3 selected sprite.

Click here and choose

Add this script to the
24 scripts area. It’s quite
when clicked
“right arrow”.

complicated, so make
sure you get everything forever key right arrow ▾ pressed?
in the right place. The
“if then” block is in if then
the yellow Control Drag this pale blue Sensing
block into the window in
blocks section. It’s point in direction 90 ▾ the yellow block.
a special block that
chooses whether or move 10 steps Choose 90 here. This points
not to run the blocks the sprite to the right.
inside it by asking a
question. Take care to
ensure that both “if if key left arrow ▾ pressed? then
then” blocks are inside
the “forever” loop and point in direction –90 ▾ Click here and choose
not inside each other. “left arrow”.
move 10 steps

Choose minus 90 here. This

points the sprite to the left.

25 Before you run the script, read through it carefully and see
if you can understand how it works. If the right arrow key
is pressed, blocks that make the sprite point right and move
are run. If the left arrow key is pressed, blocks that make
the sprite point left and move are run. If neither is pressed,
no blocks are run and the dinosaur stays put. Repeat
step 22 to stop Dinosaur3 from turning upside down.
 dino dance party 43
ExpErt tips
Making choices
You make choices all the time. If you’re hungry, you
decide to eat; if not, you don’t. Computer programs
can also make choices between different options.
One way to make them do this is to use an “if then”
instruction, which is used in lots of programming Is the right
arrow key Move right
languages. In Scratch, the “if then” block includes
pressed? Yes
a statement or a question and only runs the code (true)
inside the block if the statement is true (or the
answer is yes).
No
(false)

Add a ballerina
The dinosaurs are dancing, but it’s not much of a party
without some friends. A ballerina is going to join the fun
and will do a routine. Her scripts will show you how to
create more complicated dance routines.

26 Click on the sprite symbol in the sprites list and load the
ballerina. Then use your mouse to drag the sprite to a good
spot on the stage. To give the ballerina some scripts, make
sure she’s selected in the sprites list – the selected sprite
has a blue outline. Scripts Costumes Sounds

Ballerina is the New costume: ballerina-a

selected sprite.

Ballerina

ballerina-a
61x10

27 You can see all the costumes of a sprite by clicking on the

Costumes tab when the sprite is selected. The ballerina has
2

four costumes, and switching between them will make her

dance a beautiful ballet.

Each costume has ballerina-b

66x81
a unique name.
44 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

28 Using the names of the

different costumes, you
can design a dance routine
for the ballerina, like the
one shown here. Each step
Costume ballerina-a then
in the dance will become an ballerina-d, repeated three times.
instruction block in the code.

29 Build this script to create the

ballerina’s first dance. There’s no when clicked The loop repeats the
“forever” loop – instead, the script
blocks inside three times.
uses a “repeat” loop that runs a fixed repeat 3
number of times before moving on
to the next block. Run the project switch costume to ballerina-a ▾
to see her perform the dance routine.
wait 0.5 secs

To set the delay time, switch costume to ballerina-d ▾

click on the window
and type 0.5. wait 0.5 secs

lingo
Algorithms
An algorithm is a series ALGORITHM PROGRAM
of simple, step-by-step (Dance steps) (Dance steps turned into computer
instructions that together programming language)
carry out a particular task.
In this project, we converted
STAND!
the ballerina’s dance routine
(an algorithm) into a WAIT! switch costume to ballerina-a ▾
program. Every computer
program has an algorithm wait 0.5 secs
at its heart. Programming is
KICK! switch costume to ballerina-d ▾
translating the steps of the
algorithm into a computer wait 0.5 secs
WAIT!
programming language that
the computer understands. switch costume to ballerina-a ▾
STAND! wait 0.5 secs

WAIT! switch costume to ballerina-b ▾

BEND
THE KNEES!
 dino dance party 45

30 Now for the second part of the

ballerina’s routine. After flexing
Costume ballerina-a then
her leg three times, she’ll dip twice.
ballerina-b, repeated twice

31 Add the blocks shown here to the

bottom of the ballerina’s script, 32 Next, click the green flag and you’ll see the
ballerina do her full routine. But she’ll only
after the first “repeat” block. do the routine once. To make the dance
go on we can wrap the whole body of the
script in a “forever” loop. Loops inside loops!

Drag the “forever”

when clicked loop to the top
of the existing
when clicked script and the
repeat 3
jaws will expand
forever
to fit.
switch costume to ballerina-a ▾

wait 0.5 secs switch costume to ballerina-a ▾

switch costume to ballerina-d ▾ wait 0.5 secs
wait 0.5 secs switch costume to ballerina-d ▾

wait 0.5 secs

Add the second

repeat block here.
repeat 2
repeat 2
switch costume to ballerina-a ▾
switch costume to ballerina-a ▾
wait 0.5 secs
wait 0.5 secs
switch costume to ballerina-b ▾
switch costume to ballerina-b ▾
wait 0.5 secs
wait 0.5 secs
46 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

ExpErt tips
repeat loops and forever loops
Look at the bottom of the two types of forever repeat 10
loop you’ve used so far. Which one can
have blocks attached to it? You might
spot that the “repeat” block has a small
lug on the bottom, but the “forever” block
doesn’t. There’s no lug on a “forever” loop
because it goes on forever, so there’s no
point adding blocks after it. A “repeat”
block, however, runs a fixed number A lug allows you to
of times and the script then continues. join new blocks.

Hacks and tweaks

You can add as many dancers as you like
to this project. There are lots of sprites in
Scratch that have several costumes, and
even those with only a single costume
can be instructed to dance by flipping
left to right or by jumping in the air.
This is the same as selecting
the double arrow rotation
▽ Turn around style in the sprite’s
You can make any character face the other information panel.
way by using a “turn 180 degrees” block.
Just add this block before the end of the
“forever” loop to make your sprite’s dance when clicked
switch direction each time.
set rotation style left-right ▾

forever

turn 180 degrees

wait 0.5 secs

This block flips

the sprite to its
mirror image.
 dino dance party 47
▷ Dance-off!
Look in the library for sprites with the word “Hip-Hop” in the when clicked
name. They have lots of costumes showing different dance
postures. Start off with a simple script like this one that shows set size to 50 %
all the costumes in order. Then choose the costumes that work
best together and switch between them. Add loops to extend forever
the dance or add sensing blocks to give you keyboard control.
next costume

wait 0.2 secs

▽ Might as well jump!

Add another ballerina and make her jump
in the air with this script. The change of
costume makes it seem like the ballerina is
really jumping. Experiment with the timing
to make the dance match the music.

when clicked Try This

set rotation style left-right ▾ shout!
forever Add this short script to every one of
your sprites. When you press the x key,
switch costume to ballerina-b ▾ all the sprites will shout “Party!”
wait 3 secs
Choose 0
for upward
point in direction 0 ▾ movement. when x ▾ key pressed
move 50 steps say Party! for 2 secs
switch costume to ballerina-c ▾

wait 0.5 secs PARTY!

point in direction 180 ▾

move 50 steps Choose 180

for downward
movement.
48 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Animal Race
Have you ever wondered which is
faster – a dog or a bat? Now you Animal Race
by TopDog763 (unshared)
can find out when you play this
fun fast-finger, button-pressing,
two-player animal race game. Go!

How it works
The aim of this two-player game is simply
to race across the screen and reach the
balloons before the other player. Fast
finger action is all you need to win.
The faster you tap the keyboard’s “z”
or “m” key, the faster your sprite moves
from left to right.

◁ Sending messages
This project shows you how
to use Scratch’s message
feature to make one sprite
pass information to other
sprites, such as when the
cat sprite tells the dog
and bat to start racing.

◁ Variables
The cat’s script stores
information in something
3 programmers call a variable.
In this project, you’ll use
a variable to store the
numbers for the cat’s count
at the start of the race. The cross and arrow
Count mark the start line.
 animal race 49
The bat flaps its wings
every time you press
the “z” key.

◁ Fastest finger first

As soon as the cat starts
the race, the dog and the
bat start running towards
the balloons. The faster the
players press their keys,
the faster their sprites run.

Balloons mark
the finish area.

Catch me
if you can!

The dog runs for

the finish – one stride
every time you press
the “m” key.
50 g e t t i n g S ta r t e d

Starter cat 1... 2... 3...

The cat starts the race with “1… 2… 3… Go!”, so you need to Go!
teach him how to count. Computer programs use variables
to store information that can change, such as a player’s name
or their score in a game. The cat will use a variable named
“Count” to keep track of what number he’s got up to.

1 Start a new project. To create a new variable,

select the orange Data block in the blocks 2 A small window will pop up asking you to give
the new variable a name. Type “Count”, leave
palette and click on the “Make a variable” button. everything else alone, and click the “OK” button.

Scripts Costumes Sounds New Variable

Variable name: Count

Motion Events
Looks Control For all sprites For this sprite only

Sound Sensing
Pen Operators
OK Cancel
Data More Blocks

Enter
Make a Variable “Count” here.

Make a List

Click here.
4 Make this script for the cat. It starts by setting the
value of “Count” to zero. Next, inside a loop, it adds
one to the value of “Count” and makes the cat say
the new value for one second. The loop runs three
3 You’ll now see some orange blocks for the
new variable in the blocks palette. Uncheck times and then the cat says “Go!” to start the race.
the variable’s tick box so that it doesn’t
appear on the stage.

Make a Variable when clicked

set Count ▾ to 0 This increases

Count
the value stored
in “Count” by 1.
repeat 3
Tick box set Count ▾ to 0
change Count ▾ by 1
change Count ▾ by 1
say Count for 1 secs
show variable Count ▾

Drag this orange block

hide variable Count ▾
from the Data blocks
say Go! into the purple block.
 animal race 51

5 Click the green flag to run the script.

The orange “Count” block in the
lingo
window of the “say” block makes Variables
the cat say the variable’s value each
time. You can change how high the Think of a variable as a box for
cat counts by changing the number storing information, with a label
in the “repeat” loop’s window. to remember what’s inside. When
you create a variable, give it a
sensible name, such as “High 95970
1... 2... 3 Score” or “Player Name”. You can
put all sorts of data into variables,
including numbers and words,
and the data can change while High Score
the program is running.

Setting up the racers 8 Make sure Dog2 is selected in the sprites list.
Click on the Costumes tab at the top of the
The cat is ready to start the race. The next steps blocks palette and you’ll see it has three
are to decorate the stage for the race and then to costumes. The first two show the dog running,
add the bat and the dog sprites, along with other but we don’t need the third one so delete it.
sprites to mark the start and end of the racetrack.
New costume:

6 Add a backdrop. Click

on the backdrop symbol Stage
1 backdrop The first two costumes
to the left of the 1 work well for this project.
sprites list and add
the “blue sky” backdrop. New backdrop:

dog2-a
Click here to open 127x110
the backdrop library.
2

7
It’s time to add some sprites for the racers,
starting with the dog. Click the sprite
symbol in the sprites list. Find Dog2
in the library and add it to your project. dog2-b
127x104 Click here to delete
the third costume.
Sprites 3

Dog2 will now

appear in the
sprites list. dog2-c
121x109
Sprite1 Dog2
52 G e t t i n G s ta r t e d

9 To tell the dog where to start

the race, add another new
AnimalRace
by TopDog786 (unshared)

sprite: Button5, which is a

black cross. Drag it to the
bottom left of the stage.

The black cross

tells the dog where
to start the race.

10 Every sprite you load should have a meaningful name.

This makes scripts easier to understand. To rename 11 Select Dog2 again. Then click the Scripts
tab at the top of the Scratch window and
Button5, click on the blue “i” and name it “Dog Start”. add this script to make the dog start in
Then click the blue triangle to return to the sprites list. the correct place. Run the project to see
it in action.

Choose “Dog
Start” from the
drop-down menu.

when clicked

go to Dog Start ▾
Button5 Type the new name
for the sprite here. go to front

Dog Start This block makes

x: –211 y: –129 direction: –90°
the dog appear on
I should be on top
top of the cross,
rotation style: of the black cross.
not behind it.
can drag in player:
show:

Click here to return

to the sprites list.
 animal race 53

12 Now add a new sprite for

the dog’s finish line. Choose
AnimalRace
by TopDog786 (unshared)

Balloon1, but rename it “Dog

Finish”. To change the balloon’s
colour, click on the Costumes tab
and choose the yellow costume.
On the stage, drag the sprite to
the finish point of the dog’s race.

Remember to choose
the yellow balloon
for the dog.

13 The dog needs someone to

race against. Click the sprite 14 Now add the Arrow2 sprite, but rename it “Bat
Start” and drag it just above the cross. Then
symbol in the sprites list add another balloon, rename it “Bat Finish”,
again and add Bat1 to the and place it at the bat’s finish line on the right. The bat has to
project. Click the Costumes touch the balloon
to finish the race.
tab and you’ll see two
costumes perfect for flapping.
AnimalRace
by TopDog786 (unshared)

bat1-a
115x125

bat1-b
101x103
54 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

15 Select the bat sprite in the sprites list and

give it this script. Run the project and watch
the competitors line up at the start.

when clicked

go to Bat Start ▾

go to front

The race
The bat and the dog both need scripts to make them Go!
race. The cat will trigger these scripts by sending a
message when it says “Go!” at the start of the race.
Both contestants will receive the message at exactly
the same time.

16 Select the cat sprite in the sprites list and

add a “broadcast message1” block to the 17 Click on the black triangle in the
“broadcast” block and choose “new
bottom of its script. This block sends out message” from the drop-down menu.
a message to every other sprite. Type “Start Race” as the name of the
new message and click “OK”.

say Go!
when clicked
broadcast message1 ▾
set Count ▾ to 0
message1
repeat 3 Open the drop-down
menu by clicking here.
new message...
change Count ▾ by 1

say Count for 1 secs

New Message
say Go!
Message name: Start Race
Add this block to the
bottom of the script.
OK Cancel
broadcast message1 ▾
 animal race 55

18 Now the cat sends out the “Start Race” message at the start of
the race. Each racer needs a script to make it react, so select
the dog first and add this script. See how the two “wait until”
blocks together make the player press the “m” key and then
release it again and again to move their character; just
keeping your finger on the “m” key won’t work.

Check the message

in here is “Start Race”.

when I receive Start Race ▾

The script waits here
forever until the “m” key is pressed.

wait until key m ▾ pressed?

The script then waits
here until the “m” key
wait until not key m ▾ pressed? is released.

move 10 steps This block checks if the Look for this block
Dog2 sprite is touching in the light green
next costume the “Dog Finish” balloon. Operators section.

if touching Dog Finish ▾ ? then

stop all ▾

I won!

This ends the game when

the dog gets to its balloon.

lingo
Boolean operator: noT
The “not” block reverses the answers to yes/no questions
answer to the question block (or true/false statements) in
inside it. This block is very useful useful ways: “not”, “or”, and “and”.
for testing if something isn’t Programmers call these “Boolean
happening. There are three green operators” and you’ll use all of
Operators blocks that can change them in this book.
56 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

19 Run the project. Once the cat says “Go!”, you should find
that the dog runs forward a step each time you press and m... m... m...
release the “m” key. When it reaches its balloon, the dog
should stop responding. If anything isn’t working, carefully
check your script against the version in the book.

20 Next, add this similar script to the bat sprite. The only
differences are that the key selected now is the “z” key
and the bat must touch its own finish sprite.

when I receive Start Race ▾

Note the differences
to the dog’s script.
forever

wait until key z ▾ pressed?

wait until not key z ▾ pressed?

move 10 steps
The bat stops running when
next costume it touches the balloon sprite.

if touching Bat Finish ▾ ? then

stop all ▾

21 Now try to race the sprites. You

might find that one sprite wins Animal Race
by TopDog763 (unshared)
more easily because a wing or a
nose sticks out. You can drag the
Go!
start and finish sprites around
a little to even things up.

Drag the cat to

the corner, out of the
way of the racers.
 animal race 57

Hacks and tweaks

The race game is very simple, but you can easily add
features to make it more interesting. Here are some
suggestions to get you started. It’s worth making
a copy of your project before you start to change
things – then you won’t be afraid to experiment.

Click the drop-down

▷ Sounds menu to see the sounds
Add a sound effect to mark the start of the race say Go! loaded for this sprite.
by adding a “play sound” block to the cat’s
script. The cat has the “meow” sound preloaded, broadcast Start Race ▾
but you can load other sounds from the sound
library by clicking the Sounds tab and then the
speaker symbol . play sound meow ▾

Change 0 to 4. ◁ Countdown
set Count ▾ to 4 Try changing the middle part of the cat’s
script to look like this. Can you work out
repeat 3 Place a minus what will happen now?
sign in front of 1.
change Count ▾ by –1

say Count for 1 secs

I'm the fastest!

◁ Extra competitors
Why not add more animals to the race? Find some sprites
in the sprite library with costumes you can animate, like the
parrots or Butterfly1. Add start and end sprites for each one
of them and adapt the racing script to use different keys. If
you need to adjust a sprite’s size, just add a “set size” block.
58 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

▽ Challenging controls
You can make the game harder for the players
by making them press two keys alternately FASTER, FASTER, KEEP
rather than one key repeatedly. You just need GOING STRAIGHT!
to change the script to wait for a second key
to be pressed and released after the first one.
This shows how to change the dog’s script.
For the bat, make the same change but
use “x” for the second key instead of “n”.

when I receive Start Race ▾

forever

wait until key m ▾ pressed?

wait until not key m ▾ pressed?

move 10 steps

next costume

if touching Dog Finish ▾ ? then

stop all ▾

Note that these blocks

have “n” selected, not “m”.

wait until key n ▾ pressed?

wait until not key n ▾ pressed?

move 10 steps For the bat’s script,

select “x”.
next costume
 animal race 59
Race positions
It might not always be easy to tell who’s won if the
finish is close. To fix this, you can make each animal
show their finishing position when the game ends.

1 Choose Data in the blocks palette and then

click the “Make a Variable” button to create 2 Next add a “set Position to” block to
the bottom of the cat’s script and
a new variable. Call it “Position”. change the number to one.

New Variable say Go!

Variable name: Position broadcast Start Race ▾

For all sprites For this sprite only

set Position ▾ to 1

OK Cancel Change the

number to 1.

3 Now change the end of the dog’s script so it looks

like this. You need to add two new blocks and 4 Try it out. The cat’s script sets “Position”
to 1. The first sprite to reach the finish
choose a new menu option in the “stop” block. runs the “think Position” block, which
Do the same for the bat. makes a thought bubble containing the
number 1 appear. Their script then adds
1 to the value of “Position”, making it 2.
when I receive Start Race ▾ When the second sprite finishes and
thinks of “Position”, it displays 2.
forever

wait until key m ▾ pressed?

2
wait until not key m ▾ pressed?

move 10 steps

next costume

if touching Dog Finish ▾ ? then

think Position
Add these
two blocks.
1
change Position ▾ by 1
Choose “this script” in
stop this script ▾ the drop-down menu.
60 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Ask Gobo
Do you have a tricky decision to make
Name of the project.
or want to predict the future? Let Gobo
help you in this fortune-telling project.
Here you’ll learn about random numbers,
Ask Gobo
variables, and how computer programs by FortuneTeller100 (unshared)
make choices.

How it works
Gobo invites you to ask a question and
then answers with either “Yes” or “No”.
You can ask anything you like, from “Am
I going to be a billionaire?” to “Should I
play a computer game instead of doing
my homework?” Gobo pauses to look
like it’s thinking, but its answers are
actually pure chance.

◁ Gobo
Friendly Gobo is the only
sprite in this project. It has
three costumes that you
can use later to help bring
it to life.

◁ Take a chance
Just as the roll of the dice
creates random numbers,
Scratch can generate
random numbers to
make the program react
in unpredictable ways.
 ask gobo 61

The green flag

starts the project. The red button
stops the project.

◁ Ask a question!
Gobo works best if you ask
it to make predictions or
decisions for you. Don’t ask
factual questions as it’ll often
get the answer wrong!

I can answer your

yes-or-no questions.

Gobo uses speech

bubbles to interact
with you when you
run the project.

Ask your question

then press space.

Get ready to see

into the future!
62 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Setting the scene

Starting a project usually involves picking sprites and
backdrops. Follow these steps to add the Gobo sprite
to the project and to load a suitable backdrop to create
a grand setting for Gobo’s answers.

1 Start a new project. Then get rid

of the cat sprite by right-clicking 4 Gobo’s answers should be spoken in a serious setting. Click
on the backdrop symbol in the lower-left corner of the
on it and selecting “delete”. Scratch window and load the “greek theater” backdrop.
Now drag Gobo to the centre with your mouse.

Ask Gobo
by FortuneTeller100 (unshared)

info

duplicate

delete

save to local file

2 To load the Gobo sprite, click on the

sprite symbol in the sprites list.
Choose Gobo and click “OK”. Gobo
will now appear in the sprites list.

5 Select Gobo by clicking on it in the sprites list. Now add these

extra blocks to your script to make it speak when the project
starts. Run the new script and you’ll see that it pauses until
you press the space-bar. Gobo won’t answer yet.

Gobo This “say” block doesn’t have

when clicked a time limit so it stays until
the next “say” block.

3 Gobo’s a bit small, so add this script set size to 250 %

to make him bigger. Run the project
and see him grow. say I can answer your yes-or-no questions. for 3 secs

say Ask your question then press space.

when clicked wait until key space ▾ pressed?

set size to 250 % say Wait! The answer is coming to me... for 3 secs

Click in the window wait 1 secs This is just a trick – the

and type 250. computer isn’t really listening!
 ask gobo 63
Making random choices
Computers are usually very predictable. Often, with
the same code and inputs, you’ll get the same outputs,
but you don’t want that in this project. Gobo’s script
will mix things up with some random numbers.

6 You need to add some more blocks to create

Gobo’s answer. Gobo will reply in one of two 8 A small window will pop up. Type
“ReplyNumber” into the box to name
ways, which we’ll number one and two. the new variable and click “OK”.

New Variable
Yes! No!
Variable name: ReplyNumber

For all sprites For this sprite only

OK Cancel
ReplyNumber = 1 ReplyNumber = 2
Type the variable’s
name here.

7 The script will use a variable named “ReplyNumber”

to store the number of the reply the program has 9 You’ll see that a block for your variable now
appears in the Data blocks along with several
chosen so it can show the correct message. To make other blocks.
a new variable, choose the orange Data blocks at
the top of the blocks palette. It won’t have any If this tick box is ticked, the value
blocks in it yet, so click the “Make a Variable” button. of the variable is shown on the
stage. Leave it ticked for now.

Scripts Costumes Sounds ReplyNumber

Motion Events set ReplyNumber ▾ to 0

Looks Control
Sound Sensing change ReplyNumber ▾ by 1
Pen Operators
Data More Blocks This block is used
to insert a value
into the variable.
Make a Variable

Make a List
Click here.
64 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

ExpErt tips
random numbers
A random number is one that you can’t
predict before it appears. A dice roll is a
random number – any of the numbers 4
1 Lowest number If you click on the
from one to six could appear each time
it can select block it will tell
you roll the dice. You don’t know which you its value. It
number will come up until you roll. In selects a random
pick random 1 to 6
Scratch, you can get a random number number each time.
using the “pick random” block. Drag
this block into the scripts area and Highest number 6
experiment with it. it can select 3

10 The variable will hold the number of Gobo’s reply, but the
program needs a way to choose that number randomly. Add a 1
“set ReplyNumber to” block to the bottom of Gobo’s script and
2
then drag a green “pick random” block into it from the Operators
section. Change the second number to two. The green block
picks randomly between one and two, like flipping a coin.

Change the second

set ReplyNumber ▾ to number to 2.

pick random 1 to 2

11 Next create this block to add to the

bottom of the script. It will make Gobo if ReplyNumber = 1 then
say “Yes!” if the value in the variable
“ReplyNumber” is one. The “say” block say Yes!
only runs if the value is one, otherwise
it’s skipped.

Connect this block to the

bottom of Gobo’s script.

12 Now run the project a few times.

Around half the time Gobo will say if ReplyNumber = 2 then
“Yes!” The other times it doesn’t say
anything. If you look at the top of the say No!
stage, you’ll see the “ReplyNumber”
variable says one when you get “Yes!”
and two when you get no reply. Add
this extra block to make Gobo say Again, connect this
“No!” when the variable is two. block to the bottom
of Gobo’s script.
 ask gobo 65

13 The script should now look like this. Run the project a
few times and check that Gobo gives random “yes” and
“no” answers. If not, check the whole script carefully.
Wait! The answer
is coming to me...

when clicked

set size to 250 %

say I can answer your yes-or-no questions. for 3 secs

say Ask your question then press space.

wait until key space ▾ pressed?

say Wait! The answer is coming to me... for 3 secs

wait 1 secs

set ReplyNumber ▾ to pick random 1 to 2

if ReplyNumber = 1 then

say Yes!

if ReplyNumber = 2 then

say No!

14 You can now go to the Data blocks section

and untick the “ReplyNumber” block to
Scripts Costumes Sounds
remove the variable from the stage.
Motion Events
Looks Control
If you use the offline Sound Sensing
version of Scratch, don’t
forget to save your work Pen Operators
from time to time.
Data More Blocks

ReplyNumber
Uncheck
the tick box.
66 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

15 Now try using your project

to answer some important
questions to predict the future!
Will I get a puppy
for Christmas?

Am I a brilliant
programmer?

Should I be nicer
Should I do my to my sister?
homework right away?

ExpErt tips
More decisions
You’ve already seen how to use “if then” blocks There are three different green blocks you
containing questions to decide whether or can use to compare numbers, each with
not to run lines of code. In this project, you a different job and symbol: = (equal to),
use green Operators blocks inside “if then” > (greater than), and < (less than). Programmers
blocks to check the value of a variable. The call true-or-false decisions used inside “if then”
pale blue question blocks have “yes” or “no” blocks “Boolean conditions”. They are named
answers, but when you use the green blocks after the English mathematician George Boole
you should ask if what they say is true or false. (1815–1864).

All the blocks can go

inside an “if then” block.
key space ▾ pressed?

touching Balloon1 ▾ ? True only if the

if then variable “Age”
has a value of 10.
code to run Age = 10
True only if the
variable “Age” has a
Age > 5 value greater than 5.

True only if the

Age < 18 variable “Age” has
a value less than 18.
 ask gobo 67

Hacks and tweaks

You can do much more with the random numbers
than simply answering yes-or-no questions.
Try exploring some of these possibilities.

set size to 250 %

▽ Ask me another say I can answer your yes-or-no questions. for 3 secs

To make Gobo answer more questions after the say Ask your question then press space.
first one, place the original script inside a “forever”
wait until key space ▾ pressed?
loop, as shown here, with a few extra blocks to
make Gobo prompt the user for a new question. say Wait! The answer is coming to me... for 3 secs

wait 1 secs

Insert the original set ReplyNumber ▾ to pick random 1 to 2

script here.
if ReplyNumber = 1 then

say Yes!
when clicked

forever if then
ReplyNumber = 2

say No!
wait 3 secs

say Press space to ask another question.

wait until key space ▾ pressed?

▷ Special effects
You can alter Gobo’s replies to be more
fun. While you’re at it, why not make if ReplyNumber = 2 then
Gobo change colour or costume for each
reply? You could also add sounds to its say How DARE you ask that!
replies, some dance steps, or a spin.
switch costume to gobo-c ▾

set colour ▾ effect to 50

How DARE you
ask that!
play sound scream-female ▾
68 G e t t i n G s ta r t e d

▽ More replies
To add to the fun you can extend the number of replies. You simply need
to increase the top number in the “pick random” block to the new number
of choices and then add extra “if then” blocks containing new “say” blocks. Change the 2 into a 6. This must
This example has six possible answers, but you can add as many as you like. match your number of replies or
some responses will never appear.

set ReplyNumber ▾ to pick random 1 to 6

Yes!
if ReplyNumber = 1 then

say Yes!

if ReplyNumber = 2 then
No!
say No!

if ReplyNumber = 3 then

Add four more “if then”

say Maybe... blocks. These are just
suggestions – you can
choose your own replies.

if ReplyNumber = 4 then
Definitely!
say Definitely!

if ReplyNumber = 5 then

say Never! Never!

if ReplyNumber = 6 then

To make Gobo seem

say Tuesday! more mysterious, you
can include some
strange answers.
 ASK gobo 69
▽ Counting horse
You don’t have to stick to yes-or-no answers – instead, you
could answer questions like “How old am I?” or “What’s my Don’t forget to click the
IQ?” with random numbers. Start a new project, load the full-screen symbol
Horse1 sprite, and add the script below to make it count above the stage!
out the answers by stomping up and down with its feet.
You could also add some horse noises from the sound library.

when clicked

switch costume to horse1-a ▾

say I can answer your number questions. for 3 secs

say Ask your question then press space.

wait until key space ▾ pressed

Maximum number
say Wait! The answer is coming to me... for 3 secs the horse can say

wait 1 secs

set ReplyNumber▾ to pick random 1 to 5

This loop makes the horse

repeat ReplyNumber count out the answer by
lifting its feet.
switch costume to horse1-b ▾

wait 1 secs

switch costume to horse1-a ▾

wait 1 secs

say ReplyNumber

▷ Do as I say!
Rather than answering questions, Gobo could give Take a hike!
random orders, such as “run up and down the stairs”,
“jump in the air twice”, or “sing a famous song”. Just
change the text in the “say” blocks to Gobo’s commands.
You could also change Gobo’s appearance to something
grumpy to match the mood.
70 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Funny Faces
You can have lots of fun drawing your own sprites in
Scratch – you don’t have to stick to the ones in the sprite
library. Creating your own sprites will give your projects
a unique look. For this project, you can go wild making
facial features and accessories for a DIY face.

How it works
This project starts with a blank face surrounded by a
collection of eyes, noses, and other items that you can You can add up to 11
drag into the middle to create crazy expressions. Press eyes, but most sprites
the green flag to reset the face and start again. are just a single item.

Funny Faces
by MonsterFace321 (unshared)

Empty face

Bow tie

Mouth
 f u n ny fac e s 71

Go ahead and create

as many funny faces
as you like!

△ Funny, funnier, funniest!

This project lets you use your creativity and
imagination to the fullest. You don’t have
to make human faces. You can make aliens,
monsters, or anything! Type in the name of
your project here.

Funny Faces
by MonsterFace321 (unshared)

Pig nose

Snotty
nose

Tongue
72 G e t t i n G s ta r t e d

Get painting
Dust off your digital overalls because it’s time for some
painting. Scratch has a great paint editor built in, so you
have all the tools you need to create a mini-masterpiece
for each body part and item of clothing.

1 Start a new project and remove the cat sprite

by right-clicking on it in the sprites list and New sprite:
selecting “delete”. You’re going to make your
own sprites, so click on the paint symbol
Click here to open
above the sprites list to create the first one.
the paint editor.

Use this tool to

2 Scratch’s paint editor will now open. centre the sprite.

You can use the paint editor to draw
your own sprites. Make sure “Bitmap Flip
Mode” is selected in the bottom right. Undo
Redo Crop

costume1 Clear Add Import

Brush tool

Line tool

Use this tool Rectangle tool

to fill a shape
with colour. Ellipse tool (oval)

Use this tool

to select part Eraser
of a drawing.

Colour palette

Selected colour
100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector
Line thickness
 f u n ny fac e s 73

3 Click on the brush tool in the upper

left corner of the paint editor. Then Brush tool
click and draw an oval shape to form
the head for your funny face. The
middle should be near the small
cross in the centre of the painting area. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit uneven,
but make sure you join up the ends
to make a complete loop.

Centre the shape on

the small cross.

4 Now choose the fill tool, which looks like a

bucket of paint being tipped over. Click in
Fill tool
the colour palette at the bottom to choose
a colour for the face. Then click inside the
head to fill it with your chosen colour.

If the colour accidentally fills the

checked background area, click
the undo button and check the
outline of the face for gaps.

5 Now check where Scratch

thinks the centre of the costume1 Clear Add Import
head is by clicking the
centre tool in the top Centre tool
right. A cross will appear
on the paint editor – this
shows the sprite’s centre.
You can click to move it.

The sprite’s
centre
74 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

6 Well done – you’ve created a head!

As a finishing touch, click the blue Head
Change
name here.
“i” symbol on this sprite in the x: 40 y: 15 direction: 90°
sprites list and change the name rotation style:
to “Head” in the information panel. can drag in player:
show:

7 The head needs to be in the centre

of the stage when the Funny Face Funny Faces
by MonsterFace321 (unshared)
project runs. The project will
position every sprite on the screen
at the start to keep things tidy. To
do this for the head, add this script.

when clicked

go to x: 0 y: 0

This block sends the head sprite

to the centre of the stage.

ExpErt tips
Coordinates
To pinpoint any spot on the stage you can
use two numbers called coordinates. The Funny Faces
by MonsterFace321 (unshared)
x coordinate, written first, tells you how far
the point is across the stage horizontally. y
The y coordinate, written second, tells 180
you how far the point is up or down the (–190, 110)
stage vertically. The x coordinates go from (130, 90) (215, 90)
–240 to 240. The y coordinates go from 90
–180 to 180. The coordinates of a point
are written as (x, y). The centre of the
(x:0, y:0)
bow tie on the right, for instance, has x
coordinates (215, 90). –240 –120 0 120 240
(200, –80)

–90
Every spot on the stage has a unique
(x:120, y:–90)
pair of coordinates that can be used
to position a sprite exactly. (–120, –100) –180
 f u n ny fac e s 75
Time to make lots of sprites
The more different eyes, noses, mouths, ears, hats, and
accessories your Funny Face project has, the more silly
faces you can make, so spend some time making as many
as you can. It’s great fun. You can also find useful items in
Scratch’s costumes library, such as hats and sunglasses.
You can skip the drawing stages for those.

8 Follow steps 8–13 to create your own items. Click

on the paint symbol in the sprites list to create
the new sprite. Use the paint editor tools to draw
it, following the tips shown on this page.
Click the icon to
create a new sprite.

Sprites New sprite:

To make round eyes,

use the ellipse tool
and hold down shift.
Fill with white and add
black spots for pupils.
Head Eyebrow Eye
Use the ellipse
tool to make a
pig’s nose.

Use the ellipse

tool to create an
open mouth. Add
teeth if you like.
Nose1 Hat1 Smile
Use the brush
tool to create a
tongue and fill it
with pink or red.
Use the rectangle
tool to create a
top hat.

Tongue Hair Hat2

Make a bow tie
with the line tool
and fill tool and Look in the sprite
then use the brush library for some cool
tool to add spots. shades and silly hats.

Bow tie Nose2 Sunglasses

76 G e t t i n G s ta r t e d

9 Remember to set the

middle of each sprite
with the centre tool.

Click in the middle

to set the centre.

Centre tool

10 Click the blue “i” on each sprite in the sprites list and
give your creation a meaningful name. Also make sure 11 When you’ve finished drawing a
sprite, drag it across the stage to
the “can drag in player” check box is ticked so you can its starting position outside the
drag the sprite around the stage in full-screen mode. face. Don’t worry if the sprites
overlap a bit.
Type a name for
the sprite here.

Eyes
x: 8 y: 42 direction: 90°
rotation style:
can drag in player:
show:

Make sure
this is ticked.

12 To make the new sprite appear in the right

place when you run the project, use the 13 Go back to step 8 and repeat the
process until you have all the sprites
mouse to drag it to its start position and then you want.
give it a script like this one. The “go to” block
in the blocks palette will automatically show
the sprite’s current coordinates. Hey, this is
a loop!

when clicked

go to x: 150 y: 100

Drag this block in from the Motion

blocks and it will already contain
the correct coordinates.
 F u n ny Fac e s 77

14 Now add a plain backdrop.

Look in the stage info area backdrop1 Clear Add Import
to the left of the sprites list
and you’ll see a row of small
symbols. Click the paint
symbol to paint a new
backdrop. Then choose a
colour from the palette and
use the fill tool to fill the
whole of the white area.

Fill tool

Choose a colour.
100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector

Click the equals sign to

zoom out before filling.

Clones
You might want to use some sprites lots of
times – perhaps your face will be funnier with
ten eyes rather than two. Scratch allows you
to “clone” a sprite to make fully working copies.

ExpErt tips
Clones
15 Make ten clones of the eye sprite
by adding this loop to its script.
Clones work a bit like the “stamp” block you
Now when you run the project
you can place all 11 eyes!
used in the Cat Art project. But while “stamp”
just draws a picture on the backdrop, the
clone block creates a working sprite. Clones
can be used for lots of clever things, as you’ll
when clicked see in later projects.
This loop creates 10
go to x: 200 y: 100 extra eyeballs on top
of the original.
create clone of myself ▾
repeat 10

create clone of myself ▾ This block makes an identical

copy of a sprite in exactly the
same position on the stage.
78 g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

Hacks and tweaks

Funny Faces is great fun to extend. Create more silly
sprites and think about how to make them move.
As a finishing touch, you can frame your creation!

▽ Special effects ▽ Spinning tie

Can’t see the eyes through the glasses? No Bring your sprites to life by making them
problem – make the sunglasses transparent move. To make the bow tie spin around,
with Scratch’s ghost effect. You’ll find the block add a “forever” loop containing a “turn” block.
in the Looks section, where it’s called “set colour
effect”. Change “colour” to “ghost” in its menu.

when clicked
Increase the number
to make the sunglasses
go to x: 180 y: –30
more transparent.

set ghost ▾ effect to 30 forever

turn 1 degrees

▽Snotty nose
To make disgusting green snot drip out of
the nose, create two new costumes for the 1
nose with spots of green colour. Then add
these new blocks to make the snot drip.

Right-click the costume costume1

and select “duplicate” 53x55
when clicked
to make copies.
2
go to x: 190 y: 25

switch costume to costume1 ▾ costume2

53x59
forever 3

wait 1 secs Edit each costume so

the drip gets larger.
next costume
costume3
53x65
 f u n ny fac e s 79
In the frame 2 Run the project to centre the sprite.
Next click the Costumes tab to return
To create a neat frame around your funny to the paint editor. Choose black in
face, follow these steps. the colour palette and use the fill tool
to fill the white area with black. Then
use the select tool to draw a rectangle
1 Click the paint symbol in the sprites list to create
a new sprite in the paint editor. Before you start
in the middle, and press “delete” on
your keyboard to make a hole. Check
painting, open the Scripts tab and give the sprite the stage to see if the frame is the
these scripts. They hide the frame at the start and right shape and adjust as needed.
make it appear when you press the space-bar
and disappear when you press the “c” key.

when clicked

hide Type 0 in both

windows.
go to x: 0 y: 0

when space ▾ key pressed

go to front
This places the sprite in
front of the other sprites,
show covering them up.

Select tool Fill tool

when c ▾ key pressed

hide

try this
3 Now run the project. Make a silly face and then
check if you can make the frame appear and
try something different
disappear with the space-bar and “c” key.
You can use this project to create
Funny Faces anything from snowmen and Christmas
by MonsterFace321 (unshared)
trees to monsters and aliens!
Art
82 art

Birthday Card Be sure to run this project

in full-screen mode.
Who wants an ordinary birthday
card when you can have an Birthday Card
animated feast for the eyes and by PartyPlanner120 (unshared)

ears? Scratch is the perfect tool

for making a birthday card. This
card has singing sharks, but you
can adapt the project to make
someone their own unique card.

How it works H A P PY
When you run this project, a
mysterious flashing green button
appears. Press the button and an
animated birthday card fills the Happy birthday
to you!
screen, complete with singing sharks.
The sharks take turns singing the
lines of the “Happy Birthday” song.

Birthday Card
by PartyPlanner120 (unshared)

PRESS ONLY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!

Click the button to open The sharks drop in from the top
the birthday card. and then sing “Happy Birthday”.
 b i r t h d ay c a r d 83

A balloon-filled backdrop The animated sign at the

sets the scene. top rocks from side to side.

T H DAY !
B I R △ Gliding around
This project uses the “glide”
block, which makes sprites
move smoothly around
the stage. You need to use
Scratch’s coordinates system
to set the exact start and
finish point of each glide.
If you can’t remember how
coordinates work, see the
Funny Faces project.

△ Keeping time
Like Animal Race, this project
uses messages sent from one
sprite to another to control
the timing of scripts. The
singing sharks send messages
back and forth to time their
The cake slides into view lines of “Happy Birthday”.
from the edge of the stage.
84 art

Birthday button
To avoid spoiling the surprise of the card, all Surprise!

that appears when the project is run is a message

and a button for the birthday person to press.

1 Start a new project. Remove the

cat sprite by right-clicking on it
in the sprites list and selecting
“delete”. Load the Button1 sprite
from the sprite library.
3 To add the sign saying “PRESS ONLY
ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!”, you need to edit
the backdrop. First select the stage
by clicking the small white rectangle
Button1 to the left of the sprites list. Then
click the Backdrops tab above the
blocks palette.
2 Add these two scripts to Button1. The first one makes
the button appear in the centre of the stage and flash
invitingly when the project starts. The second one
runs after the button is clicked, making the button
disappear and sending a message to launch the rest
of the card. After adding the “broadcast” block, open
its pop-up menu, choose “new message”, and call the
message “Go!”

This block positions

the button in the
centre of the stage. Stage
1 backdrop Click to select
when clicked the stage.

go to x: 0 y: 0
New backdrop:
show This makes the
button shimmer
with changing colours.
forever

change colour ▾ effect by 3

Click this tab to
Once clicked, the edit the backdrop.
button disappears.

Scripts Backdrops Sounds

when this sprite clicked

hide This sends a message Motion Events

that triggers scripts
in other sprites. Looks Control
broadcast Go! ▾
Sound Sensing
stop other scripts in sprite ▾ Pen Operators
Choose “other scripts Data More Blocks
in sprite” here.
 b i r t h d ay c a r d 85
Scratch’s paint editor will now open. Choose the text tool T and click
4 in the large white area, about a third of the way down. Type the words
“PRESS ONLY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!” If you want to re-type the message
for any reason, use the select tool to draw a box around the text and
press delete on your keyboard before starting again.

New backdrop:
backdrop1 Clear Add Import

backdrop1 PRESS ONLY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!

480x360

Text tool

Select tool

Font:
Helvetica ▾ 100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector
Font menu

5 You can choose a font using the font

menu at the bottom left of the paint editor. 6 Use the select tool to resize or move
the text until you’re happy with it.
“Mystery” works well for a birthday card.
Resize the
text with
these boxes.
Font:
Donegal
Helvetica ▾
Gloria
PRESS ONLY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!
Helvetica
Marker Click and drag
this circle to
Mystery move the text.
Scratch
86 art

7 For the card itself you need a different

backdrop. Click the backdrop symbol Stage
1 backdrop
in the lower left of the Scratch window to
choose a new backdrop from the library.
Then select the “party” backdrop. New backdrop:

Click here to open

the backdrops library.

8
Make sure you still have the stage This block shows the
selected in the lower left of the Scratch white backdrop.
when clicked
window and not one of the sprites.
Click on the Scripts tab above the
switch backdrop to backdrop1 ▾
blocks palette and add these scripts
for the stage. Now try running the The “party” backdrop
project and see what happens with balloons appears
when you click the button. when I receive Go! ▾ when the button is pressed.

switch backdrop to party ▾

Enter the cake

Once the button is pressed, the card opens. The
button’s script broadcasts the “Go!” message to
all the sprites to trigger the animations and music.

9 What else does a birthday need

besides a card? A cake! Click on the 10 Before you create the cake’s scripts, you need to
load the birthday song. Click the Sounds tab at the
sprite symbol in the sprites list and top of the Scratch window and then the speaker
add the Cake sprite to the project. icon to choose a sound from the library. Select
the sound called “birthday” and click “OK”.

Click
here first.

Scripts Costumes Sounds

New sound:

Cake

Then click here to

open the sound library.
 b i r t h d ay c a r d 87

11 We want the cake to slide in

from the left, starting from a Birthday Card
by PartyPlanner120 (unshared)
position off-stage. If we send
the cake to the edge of the stage
(–240, –100), half of it will show
because that’s the position
of the cake’s centre. You can’t
send a sprite completely off
the screen, so we’ll send it
to (–300, –100), so that only
a tiny bit shows.

The starting position of

the cake (–300, –100)

The final position

of the cake (0, –100)

12 Add these scripts to the cake to hide it when

the project runs, and then make it glide in
This is the cake’s starting
from the left when the green button is pressed.
position off the left
Note that the cake broadcasts a new message, of the stage.
called “Line1”. Later you’ll use this to make
one of the sharks sing the first line of
“Happy Birthday”.

when I receive Go! ▾

To begin with, the go to x: –300 y: –100 This block makes
cake is hidden. the cake slide to the
show centre of the stage.

when clicked glide 2 secs to x: 0 y: –100

Choose “new message”
hide forever
in the menu and
call it “Line1”.
switch costume to cake-a ▾ broadcast Line1 ▾

play sound birthday ▾ until done

Choose cake-a to make
sure the candles are lit. wait 10 secs
The song repeats after
a ten-second pause.
88 art

Birthday banner
The next thing needed for a party HAPPY BIRTHDAY
atmosphere is an animated birthday
banner that rocks back and forth.

13 The banner will be a sprite, but this time you’ll create a

new sprite by painting it rather than loading it from the Sprites New sprite:
library. Click the paint symbol in the sprites list and
the paint editor will open. A new sprite will appear in
the sprites list. Click the blue “i” symbol on the sprite
and rename the sprite “Banner”.
Button Cake Banner

14 Draw your birthday banner in the paint editor. Use the

rectangle tool to create the banner, either as a solid colour
Click here.

or just an outline. Then use the text tool to add the words
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Try whichever font and colours you
like. Use the select tool to position the text or trim the
banner to fit.

costume1 Clear Add Import

Centre tool

Rectangle
tool

Text tool HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Choose
Selected colour colours here.

100%
Outline
Bitmap Mode
Solid colour Convert to vector
 b i r t h d ay c a r d 89

15 Click the centre tool in the top right of the paint

editor and then click in the very centre of your
banner. This is important as the banner’s script
will make it rotate around this point.

HA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Use this tool

to set the
costume’s centre.

ExpErt tips
16 Now select the Scripts tab and add the banner’s
two scripts. These keep it hidden until the
Directions
button is pressed and then jiggle the banner
around. Run the project to check it works.
Scratch uses degrees to set the direction
of sprites. You can choose any number from
–179° to 180°. Remember, negative numbers
Reduce the y
point sprites left and positive numbers point
when clicked coordinate if your
banner is too high them right. Use 0° to go straight up and 180°
on the stage. to go straight down.
hide
–90° moves a
go to x: 0 y: 120 sprite straight 0°
to the left.

when I receive Go! ▾ –90° 90°

point in direction 80 ▾
180° moves a
show The banner starts sprite straight
off tipped a little down.
anticlockwise.
180°
forever

turn 20 degrees
It turns Use the blue “turn”
wait 1 secs clockwise. blocks to make the
turn 20 degrees banner turn.

wait 1 secs It then turns

anticlockwise.
90 art

Singing sharks
What’s the perfect finishing touch to a birthday surprise?
Yes, of course... singing sharks! The two sharks will take
turns singing by sending messages to each other after
each line of the song.

17 Click the sprite symbol in the sprites list

and add the shark sprite to the project. You’ll 18 To create the second shark, right-click (or
control-click) on the first shark and select
need two sharks, so rename the first one “duplicate”. The new sprite will be named
Shark1 by clicking on the sprite’s “i” symbol. Shark2 automatically.

Click here info

to rename
the sprite. duplicate

delete
Shark1 Shark1
save to local file

hide

19 Now give Shark1 this script. When the project

runs, Shark1 is hidden but takes its position in 20 Add this script to Shark2. Run the project
to test the sharks.
the top left of the stage. When it receives the
“Go!” message, it reveals itself and glides down
to the bottom of the stage.
when clicked

hide This makes the

when clicked shark face left.
go to x: 165 y: 180
hide
set rotation style left-right ▾
go to x: –165 y: 180
point in direction –90 ▾
point in direction 90 ▾
switch costume to shark-a ▾
switch costume to shark-a ▾

The shark
starts out with
when I receive Go! ▾ a costume when I receive Go! ▾
that has its
show mouth closed. show

glide 2 secs to x: –165 y: –70 glide 2 secs to x: 165 y: –70

 b i r t h d ay c a r d 91

21 Time to get the sharks singing. Remember the loop belonging to the cake sprite
that plays Happy Birthday? It sends the message “Line1” every time the song
starts. Add the scripts shown on the left to Shark1 and the scripts on the right
to Shark2 to make them react to the message. More messages make them take
turns to sing each line. You’ll need to create new messages for each line of the
song. Name them by using the drop-down menu in the “broadcast” blocks.

Shark1

when I receive Line1 ▾

switch costume to shark-b ▾

Shark2
say Happy birthday to you! for 2 secs

switch costume to shark-a ▾

broadcast Line2 ▾ when I receive Line2 ▾

switch costume to shark-b ▾

say Happy birthday to you! for 2 secs

switch costume to shark-a ▾

when I receive Line3 ▾ broadcast Line3 ▾

switch costume to shark-b ▾ Type the name of the

birthday boy or girl in
say Happy birthday dear Joe for 2 secs this block.

switch costume to shark-a ▾

broadcast Line4 ▾ when I receive Line4 ▾

switch costume to shark-b ▾

Wow, say Happy birthday to you! for 2 secs

thanks!
switch costume to shark-a ▾

22 The birthday card is now complete.

Click on the full-screen symbol
above the stage and run the project
for the birthday boy or girl!
92 art

Hacks and tweaks

You can customize your card for different people
and occasions. Instead of using singing sharks,
you could try singing lions, penguins, elephants,
or ghosts. Change the song to “Merry Christmas” or
“Jingle Bells” and replace the balloons with snowy
Christmas trees if you like. Feel free to experiment.

▽ Fading in ▽ Supersize your sprite

The sharks drop from the top when they appear, Another way to make a dramatic entrance is to
but you can use Scratch’s special effects to create start tiny and grow into a giant. Put a “change size
a more dramatic entrance. To make an invisible by” block in a “repeat” loop to create this effect. You
sprite fade in slowly, for instance, use the “set could also try making your sprite spin as it grows,
ghost effect” block in the script shown here. or add a “change whirl effect” block to turn it into
a crazy whirlpool.

when clicked

hide

when I receive Go! ▾

when clicked set size to 10 %

hide show

repeat 50

change size by 5
when I receive Go! ▾

set ghost ▾ effect to 100

show Put a “change ghost effect

by” in a “repeat” loop to
make a sprite fade in.
repeat 100

change ghost ▾ effect by –1

 b i r t h d ay c a r d 93
Try This
sharks on elastic!
See if you can work out how to make
the sharks move up at the end of the
“Happy Birthday” song and then come
back down when it’s time to sing again.
Don’t forget to work on a separate copy
of your project so you won’t lose the
original if things go wrong.

△ Adding photos
Why not try importing a photo of the birthday boy
or girl into the project? You can upload any picture
you like to make a new sprite by clicking the upload
symbol in the sprites list. But don’t share projects
containing people’s photos without their permission.

Happy birthday
to you...

Scripts Costumes Sounds

New sound:

Record a Upload a sound

sound

△ Adding sound
You don’t have to use Scratch’s built-in sounds and songs – △ Birthday dancers
you can add your own music or record your very own version Why not reuse some of your dancers from the
of “Happy Birthday” if you want. Click the upload symbol Dino Dance Party in your birthday card? If you
in the Sounds tab to add a sound file from your computer. do, adjust the timing of the costume change
Click the microphone symbol to record your own sounds. so they dance in time to the music.
94 art

Spiralizer
Try out this spinning spiral project. Click the icon to
Change the patterns using special make the spiral
fill your screen.
sliders to alter the values of variables
in the code. You control the art – the
Spiralizer
possibilities are endless! by SpiralAttack (unshared)

Angle 10

How it works Speed 2

This simple project has only one sprite: a
coloured ball, which stays in the middle.
Scratch’s clone blocks make copies of the
ball that move outwards in straight lines.
A spiral pattern forms because each clone
moves in a slightly different direction, like
water from a garden sprinkler. The Scratch
pen draws a trail behind each clone, making
colourful background patterns.

Adjust the sliders to

change the look
of the spiral.

Wow! This project has

got me in a spin.

Each line is drawn using

Scratch’s built-in pen,
which lets any sprite draw.

Each cloned ball flies in

a straight line from the
centre to the edge.
 spiralizer 95

The clones’ different The ball in the centre

directions make is the original sprite;
them form a spiral. all the others are clones.

△ Clones
Clones are working copies
of sprites. When a clone is
created, it appears on top
of the existing sprite and
has the same properties,
such as direction, size,
and so on.

△ Scratch pen
Every sprite can draw a
trail behind it wherever
it goes – just add the
dark green “pen down”
block to its script. Try out
the other blocks in the
Pen section of the blocks
palette to change the
pen’s colour, shade,
and thickness.
96 art

Ball clones 1 Start a new project. Remove the

cat sprite by right-clicking on it
Scratch allows you to create hundreds of and selecting “delete”. Load the
clones from a single sprite, filling the stage ball sprite from the sprite library.
with action. Each clone is a fully working The ball has several different
coloured costumes. Click the
copy of the original sprite but also runs
Costumes tab and choose the Ball
a special script that only affects clones. colour you like best.

2 Add this loop to make clones of the ball.

When you run this script nothing much will 3 To make the clones move, add this second script to
the ball sprite. Every new clone will now run its own
appear to happen. Actually, it’s making lots copy of this script when it appears. The script makes
of clones of the ball sprite, but they’re all on the clone move away from the centre in the direction
top of each other. You can drag them apart the parent sprite was pointing when it was cloned.
with the mouse (but only in editor mode, Run the project.
not full-screen mode).

when I start as a clone

forever
when clicked This shrinks
the ball.
move 2 steps
set size to 30 %
This block moves
go to x: 0 y: 0
the ball to the
centre of the stage.
forever ▷ What’s going on?
The parent sprite changes its
create clone of myself ▾ direction a little before each clone is
created. As a result, the clones move
turn 10 degrees off in slightly different directions,
one after another. Each clone travels
Each time this
block runs, a new
in a straight line to the edge of the
clone is made. stage, making the clones form an
ever-expanding spiral pattern.

4 The clones will stop appearing after a while as Spiralizer

by SpiralAttack (unshared)

Scratch won’t allow more than 300 clones on

the stage at once. Any instructions to make
new clones after this are ignored. The clones The clones
collect at the
stop forming at the centre and all the existing
edge because
clones collect around the edge of the stage. the “move”
block can’t
take a sprite
completely
off the stage.
Once there are 300
clones on the stage, no
more clones are created.
 spiralizer 97

5 To fix this problem, add an “if then” block inside the

clone’s “move” loop to delete the clone when it gets 6 To make the spiral show up better, add
a black background. Click the paint
to the edge. Run this version. Now the balls should symbol in the stage info area to the
disappear at the edge as fast as they are made, and left of the sprites list to create a new
the spiral should continue for as long as you want – backdrop. Use the fill tool to paint
Scratch will never reach its clone limit. the backdrop solid black.

Is this clone touching

when I start as a clone the edge of the stage?

forever Add this “if

then” block
move 2 steps inside the loop.

if touching edge ▾ ? then

delete this clone

Just as you can make clones,

you can destroy them.

Taking control
There are two numbers in the ball’s scripts that you can change to alter
the spiral’s appearance. One is the change in the angle before each new
clone appears. The other is the number of steps in the “move” block,
which determines the clones’ speed. If you create variables for these
numbers, Scratch lets you add a slider control to the stage so you can
change them while the project is running. This makes experimenting easy.

7 Select the ball sprite in the sprites list.

Choose Data in the blocks palette and
Type the variable’s
name here.
then use the “Make a Variable” button
to create two variables. Name them
“Angle” and “Speed”. New Variable

Click here to open the Variable name: Angle

“New Variable” window.
For all sprites For this sprite only

Make a Variable Click “OK”.

Make a List OK Cancel

98 art

8 Keep the variables ticked

in the blocks palette Spiralizer
so that they appear by SpiralAttack (unshared)
on the stage.
Angle 0

Speed 0

The variables are shown

on the stage like this.

Angle

Speed

Leave the ticks

in the tick boxes.

9 Now change the ball’s

scripts to use the variables. set Angle ▾ to 10
These blocks set the
starting values for
“Angle” and “Speed”.
set Speed ▾ to 2

when clicked

set size to 30 % Insert the “Speed”

variable block into
go to x: 0 y: 0 the “move” block.
when I start as a clone
forever
forever Speed
create clone of myself ▾
move 2 steps
turn 10 degrees
if touching edge ▾ ? then

delete this clone

Angle

Insert the “Angle” variable

block into the “turn” block.
 spiralizer 99

10 Run the project and everything should

work just as before. Right-click on the 11 Both variables will now have a slider control.
The sliders let you instantly change the values
“Angle” variable on the stage and select stored in the variables. Run the project and
“slider”. Do the same for “Speed”. try moving the sliders. The patterns of the
ball clones will change instantly.

Angle 10
Angle 10
normal readout
Speed
Move the two sliders
large readout slightly apart on the
stage so that you can
slider see them fully.
Speed 2
hide

Use the mouse to adjust

the value of this variable.

12 Now try experimenting

with different values.

Angle 3 Angle 3 Angle 49

Speed 1 Speed 30 Speed 5

Angle 3, Speed 1 Angle 3, Speed 30 Angle 49, Speed 5

When the space-bar is pressed,

every clone runs this script
and deletes itself.

13 You might find it handy to clear the stage of clones

from time to time, so add this script to turn the
when space ▾ key pressed
space-bar into a clone destroyer. Each clone runs
all the ball sprite’s scripts except the one headed delete this clone
by a green flag, so this script will affect every clone.
Run the project and tap the space-bar to try it out.
100 art

The mighty pen

Every sprite in Scratch has a magic pen built in. If you
switch the pen on, it will draw a line wherever the sprite
goes. Every clone has a pen too, so by turning them on
you can create some amazing art in our spiral project.

14 If you activate the pen for the original sprite, it

will be activated for every clone (clones inherit
when clicked
everything from the parent sprite the moment
they’re created, such as size, direction, colour, set Angle ▾ to 7
costume, and so on). Add these green blocks
to activate the pen for every clone. set Speed ▾ to 2

set size to 30 %
This block removes
all pen trails so the go to x: 0 y: 0
stage starts blank.

forever
clear
This activates create clone of myself ▾
the pen so set pen size to 1
that every
turn Angle degrees
clone leaves
pen down Type 1 in here
a trail.
for a thin pen.

15 Run the project to see a beautiful display. You can use

the sliders to try different numbers. Odd numbers work When many lines are drawn close
to each other, imperfections line
well for “Angle” – try 7 or 11 – because the whole pattern
up and make strange swirls called
moves around a little each time, filling the space and
Moiré patterns.
creating interesting effects.

Angle 10 Angle 7

Speed 2 Speed 2
 spiralizer 101

16 Add a “clear” block to your clone- Insert a “clear”

destroyer script. This makes the block here
when space ▾ key pressed to remove
space-bar wipe the stage clear
all pen traces
of everything, creating a blank clear from the stage.
canvas for your art. delete this clone

17 As a final experiment, change the

pen colour for each clone so that
Angle 10

each one draws in a new colour. Speed 2

when clicked

set Angle ▾ to 10

set Speed ▾ to 2

set size to 30 %

go to x: 0 y: 0

clear

set pen size to 1

pen down

forever

create clone of myself ▾

I can spin
turn a rainbow!
Angle degrees

change pen colour by 1

Insert this block

to change the pen
colour for each clone.
102 art

18 Run the project and explore the range of effects

you can create by changing the sliders, the pen
Play with the sliders to see
size, and the pen’s colour change. Try thicker what stunning visual effects
pen sizes and see what happens. Don’t forget you can make.
you can clear up by pressing the space-bar.

Spiralizer Spiralizer
by SpiralAttack (unshared) by SpiralAttack (unshared)

Angle 10 Angle 31

Speed 2 Speed 10

Pen size = 1, Angle = 10, Speed = 2 Pen size = 1, Angle = 31, Speed = 10

Spiralizer Spiralizer
by SpiralAttack (unshared) by SpiralAttack (unshared)

Angle 10 Angle 10

Speed 2 Speed 2

Pen size = 10, Angle = 10, Speed = 2 Pen size = 100, Angle = 10, Speed = 2
 spiralizer 103

Hacks and tweaks This project

looks best in
full-screen mode!
The spiral generator is perfect for customizing.
Here are some more suggestions for changes,
but don’t be afraid to experiment with the code
and try your own ideas. You could even adapt
the project to make a game in which the player’s
sprite has to dodge the flying balls.

▷ Colour control PenChange 0

You could make a new variable, “PenChange”,
with its own slider (as in step 10) to control how
quickly the lines change colour. Insert the new
variable block in the “change pen colour” block. Slider Range Change this
Then right-click on the slider to set the range. (If to minus 10.
you give the “Angle” slider a negative minimum, Min: –10
you’ll be able to reverse the spiral’s direction.) Max: 10 Change
this to 10.

forever OK Cancel

create clone of myself ▾

turn Angle degrees

change pen colour by 1

Make a variable called

“PenChange” and add
PenChange it to the green block. When you find a great
spiral, copy the numbers
from the sliders to make
your preset code.
▷ Favourites
You can create keyboard
shortcuts to set the spiral’s
when 1 ▾ key pressed when 2 ▾ key pressed
variables to your favourite
patterns. Then simply hit set Angle ▾ to 7 set Angle ▾ to 2
the keyboard shortcut to
show someone your most set Speed ▾ to 10 set Speed ▾ to 1
dramatic creations.
104 art

▽ Turn it into art

Add these scripts to hide the balls and sliders
when you press the down arrow key and
bring them back with the up arrow key. You
can save the picture as an image file on your
computer by right-clicking on the stage.

when down arrow ▾ key pressed

hide This block

hides all Spiralizer
the clones. by SpiralAttack (unshared)
hide variable Angle ▾

hide variable Speed ▾

These hide
the sliders.

when up arrow ▾ key pressed

show Remember that

these scripts run
show variable Angle ▾ for all the clones
on the stage.
show variable Speed ▾

Spiralizer
◁ Ball control
by SpiralAttack (unshared) Instead of generating clones in a spiral pattern, you
Angle 10 can make them follow the mouse-pointer. Just replace
the “turn” block with a “point towards mouse-pointer”
Speed 2 block. Now try painting with the mouse.

Clones shoot out from

the centre towards the
mouse-pointer.

turn Angle degrees

point towards mouse-pointer ▾

 spiralizer 105
▷ Sunset Spiralizer
You can drag the original ball sprite anywhere on by SpiralAttack (unshared)

the stage and then hit the space-bar to clear the

old pattern. See if you can create the artificial sunset
pattern shown here. Hint: you’ll need a pen size of 1
and the “Angle” variable set to 7. Don’t forget there’s
a “go to” block in the code that will reset the position
each time the project is run – you can take that block
out or change the coordinates once you’ve found
a good sun position. You could even add another
full-sized ball sprite in yellow to be the sun.

try this
Clone lab
Experiment with clones to get a feel for how in a “go to x: y:” block to see some crazy effects.
they work. Start a new project and add a clone You can even add some keyboard controls and
creation loop to the cat and give each clone a sound effects for fun. Once you’ve mastered
simple script to run when it starts. Experiment clones, you’ll find you can do all sorts of things in
with a “pen down” block or put random numbers Scratch that are almost impossible without them.

when clicked when I start as a clone

repeat 10 point in direction pick random –180 to 180

create clone of myself ▾ forever

change colour ▾ effect by 25 move 10 steps

if on edge, bounce
106 art

Fantastic Flowers
Create a virtual meadow and fill it Type the name of
the project here.
with colourful flowers. In this project,
you’ll learn how to make your own
customized Scratch blocks. Each time
Fantastic Flowers
one of these runs, it triggers a special by Buttercup (unshared)
script called a subprogram, which
paints a flower.

How it works
When you run the project, a flower appears
wherever you click the mouse. Scratch uses
a simple ball sprite and a “stamp” block to
draw each flower. The ball stamps an image
of itself to create each petal, moving back
and forth from the flower’s centre each time.

draw flower

△ Subprograms
Scratch lets you create your own custom blocks
to trigger scripts that you’ve built. Then, instead
of repeating the whole script each time you need
it, you simply use the new block. Programmers
use this trick all the time and call the reused
code a subprogram.

draw flower with 4 petals

△ Adding inputs
You can create blocks that have windows for
inputting numbers or other information, like
the example shown here, which lets you set
the number of petals.
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 107

Each flower is created with Create your own backdrop

a custom “draw flower” block. for the flowers.

You can choose the colours

and number of petals or
randomize them.

Another custom block

draws flower stalks.

I think it must
be spring!
108 art

Make a flower 1 Start a new project. Remove the

cat sprite by right-clicking on it
Follow these steps to make a script and selecting “delete”. Click on
that creates a flower when you click the sprite symbol and load the
on the stage. Once it’s working, you ball sprite from the sprite library.
The ball is the building block for
can reuse the script to make the making each flower. Ball
special flower-drawing block.

2 Build and run this script to draw a simple flower with

five petals. The loop runs five times, drawing a ring
of petals centred on the ball sprite's starting position.
Each petal is a “stamp” image of the ball sprite.
The ball moves in the
current direction a little
and stamps a copy of itself.
when clicked

repeat 5
It moves back It then turns to face a new
move 25 steps to the centre. direction. There are 360 degrees
in a full circle, so each turn is
stamp
one-fifth of a circle.
move –25 steps 4 5

turn 360 / 5 degrees 1

3
2
The “repeat” loop
stamps five petals.
stamp
The "stamp" block after the
loop makes the flower’s centre.

ExpErt tips
Doing maths
Computers are very good at maths. You can Add Subtract
use the green Operators blocks in Scratch to
do simple sums. For more complex calculations, + –
you can also put Operators blocks inside each Divide
other or combine them with other blocks. If
blocks are put inside each other, the computer * /
works from the innermost blocks outwards,
as if the inner blocks were in brackets. Multiply (Computers usually
use a * sign to avoid confusion
with the letter x.)
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 109
More blocks
The next step is to turn the flower-drawing
code into a flower-drawing block. You
can then use this block to grow flowers
wherever you want.

3 To make a new Scratch block, select More

Blocks in the blocks palette and click “Make
a Block”. A window will open up. Type in the Type the name of
name of your new block: “draw flower”. the new block here.

Scripts Costumes Sounds New Block

Click here to
Motion Events create the
Looks Control new block.
draw flower
Sound Sensing
Pen Operators
▸ Options
Data More Blocks

Make a Block
OK Cancel

4 Once you’ve clicked “OK”, you’ll see the new

block under More Blocks. Before you can use Make a Block
it, you’ll need to create the script it will trigger
(or “call”, as programmers say).
draw flower

5 In the scripts area you’ll see a new “define”

header block with the same name as the
when clicked Delete this block.
block you’ve just created. Move the flower
script under this header. The code will now
run whenever the “draw flower” block runs. repeat 5

move 25 steps

stamp
define draw flower
move –25 steps

turn 360 / 5 degrees

Drag the script to
the "define" header.

stamp
110 art

6 Next, build a new script to use the “draw flower”

block. When you run it, you can draw flowers with 7 Run the project and click around the
stage to create a patch of flowers.
a click of your mouse.

Fantastic Flowers
The blocks inside the “if then” by Buttercup (unshared)

when clicked block run only when the

mouse button is pressed.
forever

if mouse down? then

go to mouse-pointer ▾

draw flower

This block works as if the Wherever you

whole script under the “define” click the mouse, a
header was squeezed in here. flower appears.

8 The stage will soon fill up, so make a flower-eraser

script to clear away the flowers when you press when space ▾ key pressed
the space-bar.
clear This removes images
stamped on the background,
but not the original sprite.
ExpErt tips
subprograms
Good computer programmers always
break up their programs into easily
understandable chunks. Code that
does something useful that you want define draw flower
to reuse within the program is moved
repeat 5
into a “subprogram” and given a name.
When the main script runs, or “calls”, move 25 steps
a subprogram, it’s as if the code in the stamp
subprogram is inserted at that point. draw flower move –25 steps
Using subprograms makes programs
shorter, easier to understand, and turn 360 / 5 degrees
simpler to change. Always give your
custom blocks helpful names that
stamp
describe what they do.
Scratch’s custom blocks
are subprograms.
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 111
Paint by numbers
If you wanted to make a lot of identical flowers, you
could simply draw a flower sprite. The real power of
custom blocks comes when you add inputs to them
to change what they do. To make flowers of different
colours with different numbers of petals, you can
add input windows to the “draw flower” block.

9 To add an input window to

control the number of petals in
define draw flower
flowers, right-click (or control/
shift-click) on the “define” delete
header block and choose “edit”. repeat 5 add comment
move 25 steps help
stamp edit

move –25 steps

turn 360 / 5 degrees

stamp

Choose this option.

10 A window will open up. Click on

“Options” and then select the
Edit Block
symbol next to “Add number input”.
draw flower

▾ Options
Add number input:

Add string input:

Add boolean input:

Add label text: text

Run without screen refresh

OK Cancel
112 art

11 An input window now appears in the

block. Type “number of petals” into
Edit Block
this window and click “OK”.

draw flower number of petals

▾ Options
Add number input:

Add string input:

Add boolean input:

Add label text: text

Run without screen refresh

OK Cancel

12 You’ll now see a dark blue “number of petals” block

in the header block. You can drag copies of this off
the header block and drop them in the script. Drag
and drop copies into the “repeat” and “turn” blocks
where the number of petals (5) is mentioned.

A new block appears

inside the header block.
define draw flower number of petals

repeat number of petals

move 25 steps
Drag the “number
stamp of petals” block into
these two places.
move –25 steps

turn 360 / number of petals degrees

stamp
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 113

13 Look at the “draw flower” block in your script

and you’ll see that an input window has 14 Run the project and click on the stage.
Your flowers should have seven petals.
appeared. The number you type here will be Don’t forget – you can clear the stage
used in the define script wherever “number by pressing the space-bar.
of petals” appears. Type in the number seven.

when clicked

forever

if mouse down? then

go to mouse-pointer ▾

draw flower 7

Now the flowers have

Type 7 here. seven petals each.

15 For more variety, insert a “pick random” block

into the “draw flower” block instead of typing 16 Now add extra inputs to change the colour of
the petals and the flower’s centre. Right-click
in the number of petals. Try it again. on the “define” block again, choose “edit”, open
“Options”, and then add two number inputs
called “petal colour” and “centre colour”.

when clicked
Click here if you want to
delete an input window.
forever

if mouse down? then Edit Block

go to mouse-pointer ▾ draw flower number of petals petal colour centre colour

draw flower 7
▾ Options
Add number input:

Add string input:

Add boolean input:

Add label text: text

pick random 5 to 10
Run without screen refresh
Type 5 and 10 into the “pick
random” block to set the
minimum and maximum OK Cancel
number of petals.
114 art

17 Add two new blocks to set the petal and

flower-centre colours. Remember to drag the
correct blue blocks onto these from the header.

define draw flower number of petals petal colour centre colour

repeat number of petals

move 25 steps
set colour ▾ effect to petal colour
stamp

move –25 steps

turn 360 / number of petals degrees

stamp

set colour ▾ effect to centre colour

18 Now add a “clear” block to the main

script and type the numbers 6, 70,
when clicked
and 100 into the “draw flower” block
to make six-petalled blue flowers. clear Add this block to clear
Run the project to check it works. the stage when you
forever run the project.

if mouse down? then

go to mouse-pointer ▾

draw flower 6 70 100

Colour of flower centre

Number of petals Petal colour

 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 115

19 You can make all your flowers different by

using random numbers for each input in
the “draw flower” block.

when clicked

clear

forever
In Scratch, colours go
if mouse down? then from –100 to 100.

go to mouse-pointer ▾
pick random –100 to 100
draw flower 6 70 100

pick random –100 to 100

pick random 5 to 10

20 Run the project and click around

the stage to make a flower garden. Fantastic Flowers
by Buttercup (unshared)
Don’t forget you can press the
space-bar to clear the stage.

Don’t forget to save your

work from time to time
if you use Scratch offline!
116 art

Flower stalks
Real flowers grow on stalks, so follow the next few steps to
add stalks to your virtual flowers to make them look more
realistic. Using custom blocks makes the code easy to read
so you always know what’s going on.

21 Choose More Blocks in the blocks palette and then

click “Make a Block”. Call the new block “draw stalk”.
After you’ve typed the name of the block, open the
Options menu and add number inputs for the length
and thickness of the stalk. Then click “OK”.

Scripts Costumes Sounds Edit Block

Motion Events
Looks Control draw stalk length thickness
Sound Sensing
Pen Operators ▾ Options
Data More Blocks Add number input:

Add string input:

Make a Block

22 Build this script below the “define” header block.

Drag the “length” and “thickness” blocks from
the header to where they’re used in the script.

define draw stalk length thickness

set pen size to thickness

set pen colour to

To set the pen colour, click
here and then click on
pen down
something green in Scratch.

change y by length

pen up This moves the sprite

straight up the stage.
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 117

23 Next, add the new “draw stalk” block to the

main script. Fill in the numbers to set the
stalk’s length to 100 and its thickness to 5.

when clicked

clear
Stalk length
forever

if mouse down? then draw stalk 100 5

go to mouse-pointer ▾ Stalk thickness

draw flower pick random 5 to 10 pick random –100 to 100 pick random –100 to 100

24 Run the project. You can now make a whole

meadow of coloured flowers. Experiment 25 For a finishing touch, add
a backdrop for your flower
with different numbers in the “pick random” meadow. You can paint
blocks to change the look of your flowers. your own backdrop by
clicking the paint symbol
to the left of the sprites
list. Alternatively, click the
Fantastic Flowers
backdrop symbol to
by Buttercup (unshared)
load one from the library.

blue sky
492x367

playing–field
480x360
118 art

Hacks and tweaks

Feel free to experiment with the code to change the
colour, size, and shape of the flowers as much as you
want. You don’t have to use the ball sprite as the Give your petal
template – try creating your own templates to generate a coloured outline
if you like.
more interesting shapes. With a little imagination you
can create all sorts of beautiful scenes.

▷ Different petals 6
Why not use the costume editor to add a
different petal to the flowers? Click on the
Costumes tab and add a new costume with the
paint symbol . Oval petals work well. You’ll
need to add blocks to the “define draw flower”
petal2
script to swap between the petal costume 72x22
and the ball-a costume for the flower’s centre.

▽ Flowers everywhere
Try swapping the main script for this one. It draws
flowers in random places automatically, eventually
covering the stage with them. Think about how
you could add position inputs to the “draw flower”
when clicked The chosen ranges block – you’d need to add x and y inputs and add
keep the flowers a “go to” block at the start of the block’s definition.
clear
away from the edges.
forever

go to x: pick random –200 to 200 y: pick random –140 to 140

draw flower pick random 5 to 10 pick random –100 to 100 pick random –100 to 100
 fa n ta s t i c f lo w e r s 119
Different sizes
By adding another input to the “draw flower”
block, you can control the size of your flowers. 1 Right-click the “define” header to edit it and
add a new input called “scale”. Make the
changes shown below to the script. When
You can also make the meadow look more 3D scale is set to 100 in the “draw flower” block,
by making the flowers smaller if they’re near the flowers are drawn at their usual size.
the top of the stage, as though further away. Smaller numbers will produce smaller flowers.

define draw flower number of petals petal colour centre colour scale

set size to scale % Add this block to set

the sprite’s size.
set colour ▾ effect to petal colour

repeat number of petals Edit the header block

to create a new input.
move 0.25 * scale steps

stamp This sets how far the

petals are from
move –0.25 * scale steps the flower’s centre.

turn 360 / number of petals degrees

set colour ▾ effect to centre colour

stamp

2 Now change the main script so it looks like this.

Look carefully at the calculations for the stalk
length and width and for the flower size. Y is 180
Stalk length is 20 at the at the top of the stage, so flowers further down
top of the stage and the stage will be larger, with longer, thicker stalks.
140 at the bottom. If you click from the top to the bottom of the
stage, you will get a 3D effect, with small flowers
when clicked at the back and larger ones at the front. You
Make the subtraction
could also use a loop to automatically draw
clear block first, then insert
it into the divide block. flowers from top to bottom, or variables with
forever sliders to set the flowers’ properties.
if mouse down? then

go to mouse-pointer ▾

draw stalk 240 – y position / 3 240 – y position / 50

draw flower 6 70 100 240 – y position / 2 Stalk width varies

from around 1 to 8.

Flower size is 30 at the top of

the stage and 210 at the bottom.
Games
122 games

Tunnel of Doom
Scratch is the ideal playground for making and
perfecting games. To win at this game, you need The cat starts here.

a steady hand and nerves of steel. Take the cat

all the way through the Tunnel of Doom, but
Tunnel of Doom
don’t touch the walls! For an extra challenge, by DirtDigger465 (unshared)
try to beat the best time.

How it works
Use your mouse to move the cat all the way through
the tunnel without touching the walls. If you
accidentally touch a wall, you go back to the start.
You can try as many times as you like, but the clock
will keep counting the seconds until you finish.

◁ Cat sprite
Once the mouse-pointer has
touched the cat, the cat follows
it everywhere. You don’t need
to use the mouse button.

◁ Tunnel
The tunnel maze is a giant sprite that
fills the stage. The tunnel itself isn’t
actually part of the sprite – it’s a gap
that you create by using the eraser tool
in Scratch’s paint editor. If the cat stays
in the middle of the path, it won’t be
detected as touching the tunnel sprite.

◁ Home
When the cat touches the home sprite,
the game ends with a celebration.
 tunnel of doom 123

Do you dare
to enter the
“Tunnel of Doom”?
Will your time
Time in seconds be the fastest?

Time 201

Best time 245

Reach home to
win the game.

You can draw

a tunnel in any
shape you like.

Move the cat

with your mouse.

If you touch the

tunnel wall you get
sent back to the start.
124 games

Set the mood

Start by setting the scene for the game with some appropriate
music. You can choose any music you like from the sound
library in Scratch by following the steps below.

1 Start a new project. Let the cat sprite stay,

but change its name from Sprite1 to Cat
to keep things simple.

Click here to bring Type “Cat” as the

up the sprite’s new name.
information.

Cat
x: 84 y: -69 direction: -90°
rotation style:
can drag in player:
Sprite1 show:

Click here to listen to a

sound before you load it.

2 Before building any scripts, add

some music to create the right Sound Library
atmosphere for the game. Click on
the Sounds tab above the blocks Category
palette and then on the speaker
symbol to open the sound All
library. Now choose “Music Loops”. Animal
To preview a sound, click the play birthday birthday bells
Effects
symbol. When you find one you
like, highlight its speaker symbol Electronic
and click “OK”. Human
Instruments
Music Loops
Percussion dance magic dance slow mo
Click here to see only the Vocals
music sound clips that can
be played over and over.

drum eggs
 tunnel of doom 125

3 Add this script to the cat sprite to loop the music.

Use the “play sound _ until done” block, not “play 4 Now run the project and the music
should play… forever. Click on the
sound _”, otherwise things go wrong as Scratch red stop button above the stage
tries to play your sound lots of times at once. to stop it again.

Choose your sound

when clicked
in this menu.
STOP
forever

play sound dance snare beat ▾ until done

Creating the tunnel

The next step is to make the twisty tunnel that
will challenge the player’s nerve and steadiness
of hand. How you draw the tunnel affects the
difficulty of the game.

5 Click the paint symbol

above the sprites list to costume1 Clear Add Import
create a new sprite with
the paint editor. Choose
a colour you like and click
on the fill tool . Then
click anywhere in the
paint area to fill it with
a solid colour.

Fill tool

Eraser tool

Choose any colour from Keep Bitmap

the colour palette. Mode selected.

100%

Selected colour
Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector
126 games

6 Now select the eraser tool and move the slider

at the bottom left so it’s nearly full size.

Eraser tool

Use the slider to set

the width of the tunnel.

Start position End position

7 Use the eraser to make gaps in the top

left and top right where the maze starts
and ends. Then draw a wiggly tunnel
between the two corners. If things
go wrong, click the undo symbol
at the top and try again.

The tunnel should be

chequered, not white.

8 To make the maze look more interesting,

use the fill tool to paint the central area a
different colour. Don’t fill the tunnel with
a colour or the game won’t work.

Click in this area to fill

it with a second colour.
 tunnel of doom 127

9 Now click on the blue “i” on this sprite

in the sprites list and rename it “Tunnel”. 10 With the tunnel sprite selected in the sprites list,
click on the Scripts tab and build this script to position
it correctly and to animate it. Run the project to test it.

Click here to bring when clicked The loop makes the

up the sprite’s colour of the maze
information. go to x: 0 y: 0 keep changing.

forever
Tunnel
change colour ▾ effect by 2

Mouse control
Now to add some scripts to the cat to turn the
project into a working game. The scripts build
step by step, so test them as you go along to
check they work properly.

11 Select the cat sprite and add this script. It shrinks the cat
and positions it at the start of the tunnel. Once the mouse-
pointer touches the cat, it will move with the mouse. Note
Choose a smaller size
that players don’t need to click on the cat to pick it up. The
if the cat gets stuck
script stops with a “meow” if the cat touches the tunnel walls. too easily in the tunnel.

This stops the cat from

when clicked disappearing behind
the maze.
set size to 20 %

go to front This sets the cat’s

start position in
go to x: –210 y: 160 the top-left corner.

wait until touching mouse-pointer ▾ ?

repeat until touching Tunnel ▾ ?

Nothing happens
until the player ‘s go to mouse-pointer ▾
mouse-pointer
touches the cat.

play sound meow ▾ until done

128 games

ExpErt tips
repeat until loops
The useful “repeat until” loop
repeats the blocks inside it until
when clicked
the condition at the top of the
block becomes true, and then repeat until touching Bone ▾ ?
the blocks below are run. The block
makes it easier to write simple, dig
readable code, like this example.

eat bone
Unlike the “forever” block,
“repeat until” has a bump at
the bottom allowing more
blocks to be added to it.

12 Run the game. You should be able to control the cat once
you’ve touched it with your mouse-pointer. Try moving it
along the tunnel. If you touch the wall, the cat will meow
and get stuck. If the cat gets stuck too often, reduce the
number in the “set size” block, but don’t make it too easy.

Help, I’m stuck!

 tunnel of doom 129

13 At the moment you have to restart the game if you

touch the wall. Add this loop to the script to send
the cat back to the start for another try if it touches
the wall. Test the game again.

TRY
AGAIN!
Drag the top of the “forever”
block above the “go to” block when clicked
and it will expand to fit
around all the blocks below.
set size to 20 %

go to front
forever
go to x: –210 y: 160

wait until touching mouse-pointer ▾ ?

repeat until touching Tunnel ▾ ?

go to mouse-pointer ▾

play sound meow ▾ until done

14 Click the sprite symbol above the sprites list to

add a new sprite to the game. Choose the Home
Button sprite and rename it “Home” in the sprites
list. On the stage, drag it into the top-right corner.

Place the home

sprite above the
tunnel’s exit.

15 It will probably be too big, so add this script

to shrink it. Run the project and reposition
when clicked
the house on the stage if you need to.
set size to 50 %
130 games

16 Next you need to add some

code to check if the cat has
when clicked
made it home. Select the cat
in the sprites list and add the set size to 20 %
blocks shown here. The blocks
inside the “if then” block run only go to front
if the cat is touching the house.
forever

go to x: –210 y: 160

wait until touching mouse-pointer ▾ ?

repeat until touching Tunnel ▾ ?

Open the menu, create a new go to mouse-pointer ▾

message, and call it “Well
Done”. You’ll need it later.

This stops the music

and a timer script play sound meow ▾ until done
that you’ll add later.

if touching Home ▾ ? then

stop other scripts in sprite ▾ You’ll need to load the sound

“guitar chords2” from the
broadcast Well Done ▾ sound library before you
can choose it here.
play sound guitar chords2 ▾ until done

stop this script ▾

This releases the cat

from mouse control.

17 Run the game again. Try getting through the tunnel

to the house. When you succeed, the music should
stop, the cat will stop moving, and your celebration
music will play. If you can’t get through the tunnels,
then you need to make the cat smaller, but you can
test the game’s end by clicking on the cat and
dragging it home (this is cheating!).
 tunnel of doom 131
Against the clock 18 Click on Data
in the blocks
New Variable
Tunnel of Doom is more fun if palette and make Variable name: Time
you add a timer to show how a variable called
quickly you’ve made it through “Time”. Leave the For all sprites For this sprite only
check box ticked
the tunnel. Then you can so the variable
challenge other players is shown on
OK Cancel
to beat your best time. the stage.

Type the name here.

19 Add this script to the cat. It simply counts

the seconds since the game started. Move the 20 Try the game again. When you get the
cat home the timer stops, leaving your
“Time” variable to the top centre of the stage final time displayed on the stage.
so the player can see it easily.

This resets the

when clicked timer at the start
of each game. Wow! That was a
speedy escape.
set Time ▾ to 0

forever

wait 1 secs

change Time ▾ by 1

One is added
to the value of
“Time” each second.

21 To make winning the game feel more

rewarding, add a new sprite to show a message 22 To set the centre of the sprite, click the centre
tool at the top of the paint editor and then
congratulating the player. Click on the paint click in the very centre of your sign. When you
symbol above the sprites list to make a sign use a “go to x: y:” block in Scratch, it puts the
in the paint editor using coloured shapes and sprite’s centre at the chosen coordinates.
the text tool. The one shown here is just a
suggestion – you can use your own ideas.

Click in the
centre of
the sign.
To draw perfect
Well done circles, hold shift Well done Centre tool
when you use
you did it! this tool. you did it!
Ellipse tool
132 games

23 To make the sign work, add these scripts to

your new sprite. The first one hides the sign 24 Your game is now complete. Test
it thoroughly (by playing lots)
when the project starts, and the second is and then challenge your friends
triggered when the “Well Done” message to see if they can beat your times.
is sent by the cat. It displays the sign and
makes it flash.
Tunnel of Doom
by DirtDigger465 (unshared)

The sprite shouldn’t Time 201

when clicked be seen at the start
of the game.
hide

go to x: 0 y: 0 This puts the sprite

in the centre of
the stage.

when I receive Well Done ▾

show

go to front

forever

change colour ▾ effect by 20 Rapid colour

changes make
the sign flash.

Hacks and tweaks

This game is bursting with possibilities. Save a copy and
start experimenting! You could add extra sound effects
or extra sprites, such as a floating ghost to scare the cat
back to the start or a friendly bat that jumps the player
to a later spot in the tunnel.

▷ Let’s twist again

You can make the game harder or easier by changing when clicked
how wide and twisty the tunnel is. You could also create
tunnels with branches – perhaps make the player choose switch costume to pick random 1 to 3
between a short narrow tunnel and a long wide one. You
could even make several different costumes for the tunnel Set the upper limit
sprite and choose a random one at the start of each game to the number
by adding this script. of costumes.
 tunnel of doom 133
▽ Best time
You can make the game show the best time achieved Time 35
so far, like a high score. Make a new variable called
“Best time” and drag it next to the “Time” display Best time 15
on the stage. Then add the script below to the cat
to capture new best times when the cat gets home.

The best time

achieved is shown
on the stage.

This block is true True if your time

the first time you was quicker than
run the game. the old record.
when I receive Well Done ▾

if Best time = 0 or Time < Best time then

set Best time ▾ to Time

This block stores the

last game’s time as
the new best time.
I won!
▽ Who’s the best? Let’s celebrate!
You can display the name of the quickest player by
making another variable, “Best player”, and showing
it on the stage. Add these two blocks shown here to
the best-time script.

when I receive Well Done ▾

if Best time = 0 or Time < Best time then

set Best time ▾ to Time

This asks the player to

give his or her name when
there’s a new best time.
ask What’s your name? and wait
Whatever the player
set Best player ▾ to answer types is stored in the
“answer” block once.
134 games

Window Cleaner
Messy windows? You’d better get up and clean them!
This frantic game counts how many splats you can
clean off your computer screen in a minute. You
can wipe away the splats either by using a computer
mouse or by waving your hand in front of a webcam.

How it works
The game starts by cloning a splat sprite and scattering ▽ Splat sprite
clones with different costumes randomly across the stage. This game has one sprite
with several costumes,
When motion is detected by the webcam, Scratch uses
which you’ll paint yourself.
its “ghost” effect to make the splats fade. If you wave your By cloning the sprite you
hand enough, they eventually disappear. The aim of the can cover the screen with
game is to remove as many splats as you can in one minute. splats of messy gunk.

Window Cleaner
by PaintChampion (unshared)

Score 42

Countdown 8

△Controls
First you’ll clean up the
splats with your mouse,
but later you can change
the code to detect the
Each splat is a clone of Wave your hand to movement of your hand
the project’s single sprite. rub out the splats. with a webcam.
 window cleaner 135
Slime time!
To make some mess on the screen, you need to
draw some slimy splats. Follow these instructions
and you’ll be in a mess in no time at all.

1 Start a new project. Remove the cat sprite by right-clicking

(or control/shift-clicking) on it and selecting “delete”. Click
on the paint symbol in the sprites list to paint a new sprite.

2 The paint editor will open. To

make your first splat, choose
a colour from the palette.

3 Select the brush tool

and draw the outline costume1 Clear Add Import
of a large splat. Use the
whole paint area as it
will get shrunk later.

Brush tool

Yay! This is more

fun than paintball!

100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector
136 games

4 Next, choose the fill tool and

click inside the outline to make
a solid splat.

If the fill colour leaks

out of your shape, click
Fill with colour undo and close any
gaps in the outline
before filling.

5 To make another splat costume,

click on the paint symbol at
Scripts Costumes Sounds
the top of the Costumes tab (not
the one in the sprites list). This New costume: costume1
will make a new blank costume.
Draw a splat with a different
colour. Make at least four 1
costumes altogether.

Click here to create

new costumes.
costume1
380x318 T

Vanishing splats
Now it’s time to add code to the splat sprite
to make the game work. Follow the next steps to
make several clones appear and then disappear
when the mouse-pointer touches them. The maximum number of
splats that can be on the
screen at any one time.

6 Click on the Scripts tab to make

some variables. Choose Data MaxSplats Leave the box ticked so the
in the blocks palette and then score appears on the stage.
select the “Make a Variable” Untick the other two.
button to create three variables: Score
“MaxSplats”, “Score”, and
“SplatsOnScreen”. The actual number of
SplatsOnScreen
splats on the screen at
the moment.
 window cleaner 137

7 Add this script to the splat sprite. It sets the maximum

number of splats on the screen to ten and resets the “Score”
and “SplatsOnScreen” to zero, ready for a new game. The
“forever” loop checks whether there are fewer splats than
the maximum and, if so, adds a new one. Don’t run the
game yet as you won’t see anything.

The original sprite stays

when clicked hidden and players only
see its clones.
hide

set MaxSplats ▾ to 10

set SplatsOnScreen ▾ to 0

set Score ▾ to 0

forever

if SplatsOnScreen < MaxSplats then

set size to pick random 10 to 25 % Change this number

to match how many
costumes you’ve drawn.
switch costume to pick random 1 to 4

go to x: pick random –200 to 200 y: pick random –150 to 150

create clone of myself ▾

Each splat goes
to a random
location.
This adds
the new splat.

8 Add this second script to the sprite. This keeps track of

Each new clone will run it. It makes the number of splats.
when I start as a clone
the new splat visible (it’s hidden at
first) and then waits for the mouse- change SplatsOnScreen ▾ by 1
pointer to touch the splat. When it
does, the splat disappears with a show
“pop” and the player scores a point.
wait until touching mouse-pointer ▾ ?

The clone is hidden change Score ▾ by 1

when it’s created, so
you need to show it. change SplatsOnScreen ▾ by –1

play sound pop ▾ Nothing happens until the

player’s mouse-pointer
touches the splat.
delete this clone
138 Games

9 Run the game to test it. Ten splats

should appear. You should be able
Window Cleaner
by PaintChampion (unshared)

to remove the splats by touching Score 42

them with the mouse-pointer, but

new splats will appear too. However,
there’s a problem – the game never
comes to an end.

Goodbye splat!

Countdown 10 Make a new variable and

call it “Countdown”. This
Nothing puts a player under pressure will tell the player how
Countdown
like a time limit. The next script will give much time they have
the player a one-minute countdown in left. Keep it ticked so it
appears on the stage.
which to zap as many splats as they can.

Set the number

of seconds here.
11 Add this script to launch the
countdown. Once the timer has
when clicked
ticked down, it stops the other
script from making any more
set Countdown ▾ to 60
splats and sends out a message
that you’ll need later on.
repeat until Countdown < 1
Tick down
a second. wait 1 secs

change Countdown ▾ by –1

This stops new

splats appearing.
stop other scripts in sprite ▾

broadcast Time’s Up! ▾ Select “new message” in the

menu and call it “Time’s Up!”

12 Test the game. It should end when the timer

reaches zero. But there’s a small problem: any
when I receive Time’s Up! ▾
leftover splats can still be cleaned up for points,
even though the game’s over. To prevent this, Every clone will run this
delete this clone
add this tiny script to remove any remaining script, so all the clones
splats. Now try the game again. will be deleted.
 window cleaner 139
Camera control 13 Make a new variable and call it “Difficulty”.
This can be set anywhere from 0 to 100 –
You can make the window cleaning more realistic the higher the number, the harder the
by adding camera controls. You’ll need a webcam game. Uncheck the tick box so the variable
attached to your computer to complete the next isn’t shown on the stage.
section. When playing the game with the webcam,
stand well back from the computer screen so that
Difficulty
most of your body is visible on the stage.

14 Add this script to set the value of “Difficulty” and

turn on the webcam. Try setting “Difficulty” to
when clicked
40 to start with. You can adjust the value later
set Difficulty ▾ to 40
if the lighting and background in your room
make the game too easy or hard. Don’t run turn video on ▾
the game yet.
This activates
your webcam.

15 To use the camera to delete

the splats instead of the mouse, when I start as a clone
change the “when I start as
a clone” script like this. change SplatsOnScreen ▾ by 1

show

wait until touching mouse–pointer ▾ ?

change Score ▾ by 1 Delete this block.

The clone is removed
only after 5 motion change SplatsOnScreen ▾ by –1
detections, making it
disappear gradually. play sound pop ▾

delete this clone

repeat 5

wait until video motion ▾ on this sprite ▾ > Difficulty

change ghost▾ effect by 20

This makes the clone The script waits until

more transparent. it detects motion
over this clone.
△ How it works
The old script just waited for the mouse-pointer to touch the splat clone
before removing it. Now we wait for the webcam to detect motion in the
area touching the clone, but we do this five times, increasing the ghost
effect each time so the clone gets fainter. So as you rub the splat, it
becomes transparent and then disappears.
140 games

16 Run the game. You’ll probably get a pop-up asking if Scratch

can use your webcam. It’s OK to click “Accept”. You’ll then be
able to see yourself behind the splats. Try rubbing some splats
out with your hand. If they aren’t disappearing, put a lower
number in the “set Difficulty” block and rerun the game.

Window Cleaner
by PaintChampion (unshared)

Click here to switch

Score 42
to full screen.
Countdown 8

It’s easier to
play this game in
full-screen mode.

Hacks and tweaks

Here are some tips to tweak this game, but feel free to try
out your own ideas. Once you know how to use Scratch’s
motion-detection feature, you can create all sorts of games
that encourage players to jump about and have fun!

The “High Score”

variable only changes
when a player beats it. ◁ High score
when I receive Time’s Up! ▾ It’s easy to add a high
score to the game: just
if Score > High Score then make a new variable,
“High Score”, and add
set High Score ▾ to Score this script. You could also
show the top player’s
name (see how in the
Tunnel of Doom project).
 window cleaner 141
◁ Time’s running out...
when clicked To warn the player that their
time is nearly up, add a sound
set Countdown ▾ to 60 that plays on each tick of the
clock for the last 10 seconds.
repeat until Countdown First load the “boing” sound
< 1
from the sound library. Then
add this “if then” block inside
wait 1 secs
the countdown loop.
change Countdown ▾ by –1

stop other scripts in sprite ▾

broadcast Time’s Up! ▾

if Countdown < 10 then

play sound boing▾

▽ Difficulty slider try this

If you find you have to change the difficulty
setting a lot, you can display it on the stage as Multiplayer version
a slider. Tick the variable’s tick box to make it
Here’s a challenge to test your coding skills.
appear on the stage. Then right-click (or control/
shift-click) on it and choose “slider”.
Save a copy of your Window Cleaner game
and then try to adapt it to make a multiplayer
game in which each player has to rub out splats
of a particular colour. You’ll need to create score
Difficulty 40 variables for each player, and you’ll need to add
normal readout “if then” blocks to the clones’ script to update
the different scores depending on which
large readout costume has been rubbed out.

slider
if costume # = 1 then
hide
change Blue Score ▾ by 1

Difficulty 40
Each costume colour will need
an “if then” block like this.
Simulations
144 s i m u l at i o n s

Virtual Snow
You don’t want real snow inside your computer –
it would melt and ruin the circuits. This project
shows you how to make perfectly safe virtual
snow using Scratch. It falls from the sky and
can be made to settle on the ground or stick
to things.

How it works
Each snowflake is a clone that moves down
the stage from top to bottom, jiggling from side
to side like a real snowflake. When the snowflake
lands on something or hits the bottom, it stamps
an image of itself.
The snowflakes are clones
of a simple circle shape.

Virtual Snow △ Snowman

by Snowman001 (unshared) In this project, you can load
any sprite and make snow
stick to it. The snowman
and tree sprites work well.

Virtual Snow
by Snowman001 (unshared)

△ Hidden pictures
You can add invisible objects
that slowly reveal themselves
as the snow sticks to them. Use
a sprite from the library, draw
Snow falls from the top The snow piles your own object, or write your
and settles at the bottom. up on the sprite. name in huge letters.
 virtual snow 145
Let it snow
Start off by drawing the snowflake costume,
which is simply a white circle. Then make it snow
by creating clones – each one a tiny snowflake
falling from the top to the bottom of the stage.

Click to open the

1 Start a new project. Delete

the cat sprite and click on the
information panel.
Type “Snowflake” here.
paint symbol in the sprites
list to make a new sprite with
Snowflake
the paint editor. Before you
start painting, click on the x: -31 y: -34 direction: 90°
“i” symbol and rename rotation style:
the sprite “Snowflake”. can drag in player:
Snowflake show:

2 In the paint editor, choose

the ellipse tool and draw costume1 Clear Add Import
a small white circle in the
middle. Hold down the
shift key as you draw
the circle to make sure
it isn’t oval-shaped.

Ellipse tool

Select white.

100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector

Choose solid
colour here.
 146 s i m u l at i o n s

3 To make sure the circle is the right size, draw a box

around it with the select tool and drag one of the
box’s corners to resize the circle. Aim for a size of
50x50. Centre the costume by selecting the centre
tool and clicking in the centre of the circle. Centre tool

New costume:
costume1 Clear Add Import

costume1
50x50

The costume’s
size is shown
here.

Select tool

4 Now add a background so that you can

see the falling snow. Click on the paint 5 To make things more interesting, you can use
a blend of two colours to fill the background.
symbol in the lower left of Scratch to Choose the darkest blue in the colour palette
create a new backdrop in the paint editor. as your first stored colour. Then choose a
paler blue as your second stored colour.

You can store two selected colours at

once in the colour palette. Click here
to switch to your second selected colour.

Stage
Click here to 1 backdrop
paint a new
backdrop. New backdrop:
 virtual snow 147

6 Now select the fill tool and choose the vertical

gradient option in the lower left. Click in the
backdrop to fill it. You can use any colours you
like, but snow shows up better on dark colours.

backdrop2 Clear Add Import

Fill tool

The background
fades from dark
blue to a paler blue.

100%

Vertical gradient
Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector

Choose these
two colours.

7 Select the snowflake from the sprites list

and open the Scripts tab. Add this script
when clicked
to make clones of the snowflake. Don’t
clear The original sprite hides and
run the project yet.
only the clones fall as snow.
hide

set size to 10 %
This shrinks
forever the snowflake.

create clone of myself ▾

wait 0.03 secs

148 s i m u l at i o n s

8 Now add a script to make

the cloned snowflakes fall
when I start as a clone
from the top of the stage
to the bottom, jiggling
as they go. go to x: pick random –220 to 220 y: 170

change size by pick random 0 to 3

The snowflake starts at
the top of the stage.
show
Snowflakes aren’t
all the same size.
forever
This makes the change y by –3
snowflake fall.

change x by pick random –1 to 1

This makes it jiggle

if y position < –175 then
left and right.
delete this clone

The snowflake disappears

at the bottom.

9 Run the project. The snow should

fall down the stage before Virtual Snow
by Snowman001 (unshared)
disappearing at the bottom.
 virtual snow 149
Snowdrifts 10 First to make the snow settle at the bottom. We could just
leave the clones there, but Scratch won’t let more than 300
In really cold weather, snow clones appear on the stage at once, so you’d run out of snow.
doesn’t just vanish when it An easy fix is to stamp a copy of each clone before deleting it.
hits the ground – it piles up.
It’s simple to make your
if y position < –175 then
virtual snow settle or stick
to other things. Just follow
these steps. delete this clone

Insert a “stamp” block into

the snowflake’s “if then” block. stamp

11 Run the project and snow should

collect on the floor, but only in if y position < –175 then
a thin layer. To make it build up,
add another “if then” block to stamp
stamp copies of the clones
whenever they touch anything delete this clone
white – such as other snowflakes.

if touching colour ? then

stamp
Click here and then click on anything
delete this clone white in Scratch to set the colour.

There’s no business
12 Run the project and watch the snow
pile up. You’ll notice a problem. The
Virtual Snow
by Snowman001 (unshared) like snow business!
snowflakes are building up in beautiful
sculptures rather than settling in a
blanket, as real snow does.

Snowflakes stick to
anything white.
150 s i m u l at i o n s

13 To make the snow settle in a thick blanket, try this

change to the code. Now when a snowflake touches Add an “and” block
to check both
something white, it rolls a dice – only if it gets a 1 conditions are true.
does it stick. This makes the snow less sticky and
more likely to travel further and build a solid layer. This block is true when
Scratch rolls a 1.

if touching colour ? and then

stamp
pick random 1 to 6 = 1
delete this clone

14 Run the project to see what happens. You can

experiment with changing the 6 in the random
Virtual Snow
by Snowman001 (unshared)

block to other numbers. The bigger the number,

the flatter the settled snow.

15 Now add a sprite for the snow to fall on. Click

the sprite symbol in the sprites list and choose
something from the library, such as the snowman.
Add a new “if then” block to the script, as shown
here, to make the snow stick to your sprite.

if touching colour ? and pick random 1 to 6 = 1 then

stamp

delete this clone

if touching Snowman▾ ? and pick random 1 to 6 = 1 then

stamp

delete this clone

 virtual snow 151
expert tips
turbo Mode
If you’re impatient to see the snow Virtual Snow
building up, you can speed things by Snowman001 (unshared) Turbo Mode

up by putting Scratch in “Turbo

Mode”. Hold down shift and click
on the green flag before you run Shift-click the green
the project. Scratch then runs the flag to switch Turbo
Mode on and off.
scripts much more quickly, with
minimum time between blocks.
Your snowdrift will now pile
up much faster.

Secret pictures
It’s easy to modify this project so that the snow sticks
to an invisible object, slowly revealing it. Save your
project as a copy before you try doing this.

16 Click on the paint symbol in the sprites

list to create a new sprite. Click the blue
“i” and name it “Invisible”. Now use the
paint editor to create your hidden object.
It can be anything – a house, an animal,
or someone’s name – but make it big and
use only one colour. You can give the
sprite more than one costume if you like.

This hides the sprite

but allows snowflake
17 Add this script to the invisible
sprite to position and hide it using when clicked clones to detect it.
the ghost effect. Using a “hide”
set ghost ▾ effect to 100
block wouldn’t work because that
would stop snow sticking to it.
switch costume to pick random 1 to 3

go to x: 0 y: 0
Put the number of
costumes here.
152 s i m u l at i o n s

18 Change the clone script to look like this. Now the

snowflakes will only settle on the invisible sprite. They
just disappear if they reach the bottom of the stage.
Another snowy day!
My favourite!

when I start as a clone

go to x: pick random –220 to 220 y: 170

change size by pick random 0 to 3

show
The snow no longer
forever
settles at the bottom
change y by –3 of the stage.

change x by pick random –1 to 1

A 1 in 20 chance of
if y position < –175 then
sticking lets snow
fill the whole shape.
delete this clone

if touching Invisible▾ ? and pick random 1 to 20 = 1 then

stamp
Snow sticks to the
delete this clone ghosted sprite.

19 Next add a cool backdrop like “winter-lights” from the

library and watch your hidden shape appear in the snow.
You can remove the “wait” block from the clone-making
loop or use Turbo Mode to speed things up.
 virtual snow 153

Hacks and tweaks TRY This

starship
Falling snow or rain can make a great addition If you change the snowflake
to any project or game. Try these hacks to send a into a white or yellow dot and
snowstorm through your whole Scratch collection! remove the random “change x”
block that jiggles the falling
snow, you get a starfield
moving from the top to the
▷ Sticky snowballs bottom of the stage. Add a
Occasionally, you might see black backdrop, a spaceship,
clumps of snow just hanging and some asteroids and you’ve
in the sky. This starts when two made a simple rocket game.
snowflakes touch each other as
they fall and stamp themselves
in the sky. Once there, the clump
grows as more snowflakes stick to
it. If you follow the instructions in
this project carefully it shouldn’t
happen too often, but if it does,
try experimenting with the
numbers in the scripts. You can
change the size and speed of
the snowflakes, the amount they
jiggle, and the delay between
making each clone.

▽ Adding snow to a project

You can use the falling snow scripts from steps 1–8 to
add snow to another project – a great addition to a
project like a Christmas card. The snow doesn’t sense
other sprites so is just a special effect. You’ll need
to add a “go to front” block to the start of the clone
script to make the snowflakes fall in front of other
sprites. Change the snowflake to a dark grey raindrop
if you want to make it rain.

Add this block to the start

of the existing script.

when I start as a clone

go to front

go to x: pick random –220 to 220 y: 170

154 s i m u l at i o n s

Firework Display The rocket

You might think you’d need lots of Click this icon to
shoots upwards
sprites to create a firework display, but make the project
before each
firework explodes.
fill your screen.
Scratch’s clones feature makes it easy.
Clones are great for making explosions
Firework Display
and other moving patterns. Computer by MagicLight01 (unshared)
graphics created with this technique
are known as “particle effects”.

How it works
Click anywhere on the stage to make a
rocket shoot up to that point and explode
into a colourful firework. Each firework
consists of hundreds of clones of a single
sprite. The project uses simulated gravity
to make the clones fall as they fly outwards,
while flickering or fading.

◁ Rocket
Each firework starts off as a rocket
launched at the click of a mouse.
You can use a simple coloured line to
represent the rocket or create a more
detailed one in Scratch’s paint editor.

◁ Clones
To create the globes of coloured
“stars”, this project uses 300 clones,
the maximum number that Scratch
allows. Each clone follows a slightly
different path at a slightly different
speed to make the stars spread out
in a circle.
 f i r e w o r k d i s p l ay 155

The stage flashes

white at the moment
of detonation.

Each explosion is
made up of hundreds
of clones that spread
out from the rocket.

Find out how to add

curving trails in the
Hacks and Tweaks section.

You can create your

own backdrop for
the firework display.
156 s i m u l at i o n s

Creating the rocket 1 Start a new project and delete the cat sprite by
right-clicking on it and then selecting “delete”.
The first step in the project is to create the Click on the paint symbol in the sprites list
small rocket that shoots up into the sky to create a new sprite and open the paint editor.
and explodes in a blaze of fireworks. The Rename the sprite “Rocket”.
script will make the rocket fly to wherever
New sprite:
you click the mouse-pointer.

2 Use the line and brush tools

to paint a rocket firework. A costume1 Clear Add Import
simple red line will do the job
as the rocket will be small, but Centre tool
Brush tool
you can make it more realistic
if you like. Line tool

Fill tool

We have Select tool

ignition!

100%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector

3 When you’re happy with the firework, use the

select tool to drag a box around it. Then grab 4 Select the backdrop in
the lower left of Scratch
one of the corners and shrink the costume and open the Backdrops
until it’s no wider than 10 and no taller than tab. Change the name of
50. You can see the size in the costume list. “backdrop1” to “Flash”. This
Then centre the sprite using the centre tool. will provide a flash of light
when a firework goes off.
Click the paint symbol Stage
under the words “New 1 backdrop
backdrop” to create the
1
These numbers main backdrop and call New backdrop:
show the costume’s it “Night”.
dimensions.

Click here to select

costume1
the backdrop.
8x46
 f i r e w o r k d i s p l ay 157

5 To make the night background more

interesting, you can use two colours to Night Clear Add Import
create a gradient rather than filling it with
solid black. Select the fill tool and choose
the two darkest blues in the colour selector.
Then click the lower-left gradient tool. Use
the fill tool to paint the background so it’s
dark at the top but pale at the bottom. For
extra decoration, add black and yellow
rectangles to create a city skyline.

You can select two

colours at once.

100%

Gradient tool Bitmap Mode

Convert to vector

when clicked
The loop pauses
6 Next, select the rocket sprite and
add this script to make it shoot up
to wherever the mouse is clicked.
hide until the mouse
is clicked.
forever
The rocket starts at the
wait until mouse down? bottom, directly under
the mouse. This block makes
go to x: mouse x y: –180 the rocket move
smoothly upwards.
show

glide 1 secs to x: mouse x y: mouse y

hide

broadcast Bang ▾
Choose “new message” The stage turns white
and call it “Bang”. for an instant.

7 Run the project and try clicking on the stage. A

rocket should launch towards the mouse-pointer
when I receive Bang ▾
each time you click. Now add the next script to switch backdrop to Flash ▾
the rocket sprite to make the stage flash at the
moment the firework goes off. wait 0.1 secs

switch backdrop to Night ▾

158 s i m u l at i o n s

Exploding stars 8 Click the paint symbol in the sprites list to create a
new sprite and call it “Stars”. Before drawing it, select
Real fireworks are packed with hundreds “Convert to vector” in the bottom right of the paint
of “stars” – flammable pellets that glow editor, as using vector graphics will help keep the
with dazzling colours as they fly apart and stars circular even when they are very small.
burn. You can simulate the appearance
of firework stars by using Scratch’s clones
feature. Follow the instructions here to 1600%

create the stars and make them explode. Bitmap Mode

Convert to vector

9 Click the plus sign to zoom

in to 1600 per cent as the
New costume:
costume1 Clear Add Import
costume will be very small.
A simple green circle is all 1
Centre tool
you need to create a star.
Choose bright green in the
colour palette, select the
circle tool, and then choose costume1
the solid colour option in the 5x5

bottom left. To draw a circle, Circle tool

hold down the shift key on
the keyboard as you drag. Click here
To make sure the costume is to zoom in.
centred, select the centre tool
and click in the middle of it.

Aim for a 1600%

size of 5x5.
Vector Mode

Choose the solid Convert to bitmap

colour option.

10 Look in the costume list to check the circle’s size –

it needs to be about 5x5. If it’s too large or small, 11 Now add the following script to the
stars sprite to create 300 hidden copies
choose the select tool and click on the green that will form the explosion.
circle to make a box appear around it. Click on
one of the corners and drag it to change the size.
Re-centre the costume when you’re done.
when clicked
2
hide

repeat 300

create clone of myself ▾

This makes a
costume1
5x5 working copy
of the sprite.
 f i r e w o r k d i s p l ay 159

12 Click on Data in the blocks palette and make a new variable

called “speed”. Choose “for this sprite only” in the dialogue
New Variable
box. This allows each clone to have its own copy of the variable Variable name: speed
with its own value, which makes each star unique. Uncheck
the variable’s tick box so it doesn’t appear on the stage. For all sprites For this sprite only

13 Next, add this script to the stars sprite to

create an explosion. Every clone will run
OK Cancel
its own copy of this script.

Speed of Speed of
slowest stars fastest stars
when I receive Bang ▾

set speed ▾ to pick random 0.1 to 3

set ghost ▾ effect to 0 Each firework is a

different colour.
change colour ▾ effect by 25
The explosion begins at the
go to Rocket ▾ top of the rocket’s climb.

point in direction pick random –180 to 180

show
The stars spread out
repeat 50 in every direction.

move speed steps

14 Add this second “repeat” loop to the bottom

of the script to make the stars slow down, 15 Try running the project. When
the rocket explodes, you should
fade away, and then disappear. This block see hundreds of colourful stars
reduces the stars’ fly outwards before fading.
speed a little
repeat 50 with each repeat.
Firework Display
by MagicLight01 (unshared)

set speed ▾ to speed * 0.9

move speed steps

change ghost ▾ effect by pick random 1 to 3

The random block makes the

stars fade at different rates,
hide
making them appear to twinkle.
160 s i m u l at i o n s

Hacks and tweaks

Try some of these changes to create new types of
firework with multiple colours or trails. You can also
use clones to create many other visual effects – or
“particle effects”, as computer artists call them.

▽ Sticky stars
You might sometimes see a trail of stars in a line if you send up a rocket
straight after running the project. This happens if the stars explode
before all the clones are created. To fix the bug, add a “broadcast” block
to the bottom of the “when flag clicked” script in the stars sprite and
change the rocket’s script to run only after it receives the message.

Stars sprite Rocket sprite

when clicked when I receive Ready ▾ when clicked

hide hide
forever
repeat 300
wait until mouse down?
create a clone of myself ▾
go to x: mouse x y: –180

show

broadcast Ready ▾ glide 1 secs to x: mouse x y: mouse y

hide

broadcast Bang ▾

▽ Changing colours
Firework-makers use chemicals to create different
The colours
colours. Try this hack to the stars sprite to make change as the
the colours change as the firework explodes. firework expands.

Increase the number

when I receive Bang ▾ to see the colours
change more quickly.
repeat 100

change colour ▾ effect by 2

 f i r e w o r k d i s p l ay 161
▽ Multicoloured fireworks
Try the next hack to give each firework
stars with lots of different colours.
When the message is
received, every clone runs
its own copy of this script.

when I receive Bang ▾

set colour ▾ effect to pick random –100 to 100

▷ Gravity trails
To make the stars arc downwards when I receive Bang ▾
under the pull of gravity, leaving
set speed ▾ to pick random 0.1 to 3
colourful trails in their wake,
rebuild the script as shown here. set ghost ▾ effect to 0
Remember to delete the original
change colour ▾ effect by 25
script when you’ve finished. As
the timer increases, the stars pen up
The pen creates
fall more quickly, which is how go to Rocket ▾ the trails.
gravity really works. See if you
can figure out how to change the pen down
colour of the trails or make them point in direction pick random –180 to 180
brighten or fade out (hint: you’ll
need to use the “set pen colour” show
and “set pen shade” blocks). reset timer

repeat 50
This sets the timer to
zero. It then counts move speed steps
up in seconds.
change y by 0 – timer

The stars fall at an

ever greater speed as repeat 50
the timer counts up.
set speed ▾ to speed * 0.9

move speed steps

change y by 0 – timer

change ghost ▾ effect by pick random 1 to 3

This deletes hide

the trails. clear
162 s i m u l at i o n s

Fractal Trees
You might think that drawing a tree Click here to make the
tree fill your screen.
requires an artistic eye and a lot of
fiddly work, but this project does the
job automatically. The code creates
Fractal Trees
special shapes called fractals, simulating by SkilledGardener (unshared)
the way that trees grow in nature.

How it works
When you run the project, a tree grows in
a split second from the ground up. The tree
is a fractal – a shape made from a repeating
pattern. If you zoom in to just a part of a
fractal, it looks similar to the whole shape.
This repetition is easily generated in
a computer program by using loops.

The branches get

thinner and greener
towards the ends.

Branches are
drawn with the
Scratch pen.
This section looks
like a miniature
version of the
whole tree.
 f r ac ta l t r e e s 163

A swarm of ball clones draws

Each leaf is a clone of the tree, doubling in number
the Scratch ball sprite. after each layer of branches.

Romanesco broccoli

Lake Nasser in Egypt

Veins in the human body

△ Fractals in nature
Lots of natural objects have
fractal shapes, including
trees, river systems, clouds,
blood vessels, and even
broccoli. Natural fractals
form most often when
something keeps dividing
into branches, which is how
trees and blood vessels grow.
164 s i m u l at i o n s

How it works
In the project Dino Dance Party, we saw how the ballerina’s
dance routine is based on an algorithm – a set of simple
instructions that are followed in strict order. In this project,
the code that draws the tree is also based on an algorithm.
Try following the three steps below with a pen and paper.

1 Draw a straight line

with a thick pen. 2 At the top of each branch
draw two shorter, thinner 3 Is the tree finished? If the answer
is no, go back to step 2. Repeating
lines at an angle – one to the these simple instructions in a loop creates
left and one to the right. a complicated pattern with hundreds of
branches, just like a real tree.

Leaves and branches

Follow these steps to build a fractal tree, using Scratch’s ball sprite
for leaves and the Scratch pen to trace branches. The script creates
new clones each time a branch divides, making more and more
clones as the tree grows from a single trunk to a mass of twigs.

1 Start a new project and delete the cat sprite.

Click on the sprite symbol and add the ball 2 Click on Data and make the following
variables for your project: “Angle”, “Length”,
sprite from the library. Rename it “Leaf”. Open and “ShrinkFactor”. Make sure to uncheck their
the Costumes tab and choose the green costume. tick boxes so they aren’t shown on the stage.

Make a Variable

Click here to make Angle

each variable.

Length
Leaf

ShrinkFactor
 f r ac ta l t r e e s 165

3 Add this script to the leaf sprite. You’ll need to

create the two new messages: “Draw Branch”
and “Split Branch”. Don’t run it yet.

when clicked

clear

pen up

set size to 10 %

set Angle ▾ to 30
These three variables
set Length ▾ to 90 set how the tree looks.

set ShrinkFactor ▾ to 0.75

go to x: 0 y: –170

point in direction 0 ▾ Click on the square and then click

on any brown block in Scratch to
set pen colour to make the pen colour start brown.

set pen size to 9 This draws the

tree’s trunk.
pen down
Each time the loop
broadcast Draw Branch▾ and wait runs, a new layer of
branches grows. Each layer of
repeat 8 branches is shorter
than the one before.
broadcast Split Branch▾ and wait

set Length ▾ to Length * ShrinkFactor

broadcast Draw Branch▾ and wait

4 Now add this separate script. When

it receives the “Draw Branch” message
when I receive Draw Branch▾
from the main script, it tells every
move Length steps
clone to draw a branch and then
changes the settings so the next
change pen colour by 5
branch will be greener and thinner.
change pen size by –1
166 s i m u l at i o n s

5 Add the next script to make the branches divide.

It works by cloning each ball, forming a pair, and
rotating them to face different directions. Once
this script is run, there will be two clones at the
end of every branch, each facing a different
direction – ready to draw the next two branches.
The ball rotates to form
an angle with the
previous branch.
when I receive Split Branch▾

turn Angle degrees

create clone of myself ▾ The ball rotates back twice

as much, ready to draw
turn Angle degrees the opposite branch.

turn Angle degrees

6 Run the project and you should create a beautiful

tree. To make the “leaves” disappear and show only Remember to use
the twigs, click the red stop symbol on the stage. the full-screen mode.

“Angle” sets how far

“ShrinkFactor” controls how the branches spread
much shorter each branch is than apart at each split.
the previous one (75 per cent of the
previous branch in this example).
The “Length” variable
sets the trunk’s length
in steps.
 f r ac ta l t r e e s 167

7 To make your tree stand out better,

try changing the backdrop colour.
168 s i m u l at i o n s

Hacks and tweaks

You can change the settings used in this
project to grow trees in amazingly varied
shapes. You can also add a bit of randomness
so that every tree is different.

▽ Different angles
Try experimenting with the value of “Angle” in the first orange block. You could also
add a “pick random” block to generate randomly shaped trees. If you want to keep
trees looking natural, set the minimum and maximum to 10 and 45. To make playing
with the variable easier, check its tick box to show it on screen and turn it into a
slider. You’ll need to delete the “set Angle” block from the script if you do this.

set Angle ▾ to pick random 10 to 45

Angle = 10 Angle = 20 Angle = 45 Angle = 90

▽ Ever-changing angles
If you move the “set Angle” block inside
the “repeat” loop, the angles between
branches will change as the tree grows.

repeat 8

broadcast
set Angle ▾ to pick random 10 to 45

set Length ▾ to Length * ShrinkFactor

broadcast Draw Branch▾ and wait

 f r ac ta l t r e e s 169
▽ How tall is your tree?
Try changing the values of “Length” and
“ShrinkFactor”, but be careful – it’s easy
to end up with very short trees or trees
that are too big to fit on the stage.

Angle = 30
Length = 90
ShrinkFactor = 0.5

Angle = 30, Length = 50, ShrinkFactor = 0.9

Change this number or ▽ Don’t run out of clones!

turn it into a variable set at
The number inside the “repeat” loop controls
the start of the script.
how many times the branches split to create
a new layer of branches. Eight is the maximum
to get all the tiny twigs drawn because it uses
repeat 8 255 clones and Scratch has a limit of 300 clones.
broadcast Split Branch▾ and wait

set Length ▾ to Length * ShrinkFactor

broadcast Draw Branch ▾ and wait

170 s i m u l at i o n s

Grow a forest
You can adapt this project to grow trees wherever
you click, covering the stage with a forest. Make
the following changes to the script to do this.

Fractal Trees
by SkilledGardener (unshared)

Open the menu and

create a new message
called “Kill All Clones”.

1 Add this script to stamp the leaves

onto the tree before deleting the
when I receive Kill All Clones ▾
clones for the next tree.
stamp

delete this clone

 f r ac ta l t r e e s 171

2 Change the main script

to look like this.

when clicked

clear

forever

not These two

wait until mouse down?
blocks ensure
only one tree is
wait until mouse down? drawn for each
mouse-click.
pen up

set size to 10 %
The branches are shorter
set Angle ▾ to 25
to make the trees smaller.
set Length ▾ to 30

set ShrinkFactor ▾ to 0.75 A tree grows

wherever you click.
go to mouse-pointer ▾

point in direction 0 ▾
The trunks start thinner
set pen colour to
because the trees are smaller.
set pen size to 6

pen down

broadcast Draw Branch▾ and wait

repeat 8

broadcast Split Branch▾ and wait

set Length ▾ to Length * ShrinkFactor

broadcast Draw Branch▾ and wait

This stamps the leaves

and recycles the clones.
broadcast Kill All Clones▾ and wait
172 s i m u l at i o n s

Snowflake Simulator
Snowflakes are famous for their
amazingly varied shapes – it’s said
Snowflake Simulator
that no two are the same. Even by WhiteSnow2 (unshared)
so, all snowflakes share the same
underlying structure, with six similar
sides. This pattern, known as six-fold
symmetry, makes snowflakes easy
to mimic on a computer. You can
use the same technique used in
the Fractal Trees project, but this
time every shape will be unique.

How it works
When you run this project, a snowflake
appears on the stage. Later you can make
snowflakes appear wherever you click.
Each snowflake is a bit like a fractal tree
with six trunks. By using random numbers
to set the lengths and angles of the white
lines, you can create an endless variety
of unique shapes – just like in nature.
s n o w f l a k e s i m u l at o r 173

△ Real snowflakes
Snowflakes are six-sided because
they grow from ice crystals, which
are hexagonal. As a snowflake
grows, slight changes in air
temperature affect the way ice
crystals build up. Because every
snowflake follows a different
path and experiences different
changes in temperature, every
snowflake is unique.

△ Snow-FAKE
The drawing starts with six versions
of the sprite to match the six-fold
symmetry of a real snowflake.
After that, the lines split in two
repeatedly, like the fractal tree,
but with more varied angles.
174 S i m u l at i o n S

Symmetrical branches
To see how this project uses the ideas from Fractal
Trees to make a snowflake, start by following these
steps to create a simple, non-random snowflake.

1 Start a new project and delete the cat sprite.

Click on the paint symbol in the sprites list 3 Click on Data in the blocks palette and add five
new variables to the project: “Angle”, “Length”,
to create a new blank sprite. You don’t need to “Levels”, “Symmetry”, and “SymmetryAngle”.
paint a costume because all the drawing will Uncheck their tick boxes so that they don’t
be done by the script. show on the stage.

Click here to make

each variable.

Scripts Costumes Sounds

Sprite1
Motion Events
Sensing Looks Control
Sound Sensing
Pen Operators
2 To make the snowflakes show up, paint the
backdrop black. Select the backdrop in the lower Data More Blocks
left of Scratch and click the Backdrops tab above
the blocks palette. Then click the fill tool in the
paint editor and fill the paint area with black. Make a Variable

Angle

Length

Levels

Stage Symmetry
1 backdrop Click here to select
the backdrop.
SymmetryAngle
New backdrop:

Uncheck all the tick boxes.

 s n o w f l a k e s i m u l at o r 175

4 Select the sprite in the sprites list and give

it the following two scripts. The code creates
clones pointing in different directions to make
The original sprite and the clones
a symmetrical pattern.
all run this script, each drawing
an arm in its own direction.
This number sets
how many arms Open the menu and
when clicked the snowflake has. create a new message
called “Draw Level”.
set Symmetry ▾ to 6
when I receive Draw Level ▾
clear
move Length steps
set pen colour to

set pen size to 1 Click on the square

here and then on
pen up anything white in Scratch.

go to x: 0 y: 0
This calculates the angle
between each arm.
pen down

set SymmetryAngle ▾ to 360 / Symmetry

repeat Symmetry – 1
The loop adds five
create clone of myself ▾ clones pointing in
different directions.
turn SymmetryAngle degrees

You can change the number

of arms each snowflake has
set Length ▾ to 100 to vary the pattern.

broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait

Open the menu and

create a new message
called “Draw Level”.

5 Run the project. Snowflakes

need “Symmetry” set to 6,
but try other values.

Symmetry = 6 Symmetry = 7 Symmetry = 4

176 s i m u l at i o n s

6 To fill in the rest of the snowflake, each clone will

draw a succession of branching lines, like a fractal
tree. Make the following changes to the main script,
but don’t run it yet.

when clicked

set Symmetry ▾ to 6

clear
set Levels ▾ to 4
set pen colour to

set pen size to 1

Add this new block.
pen up

go to x: 0 y: 0

pen down

set SymmetryAngle ▾ to 360 / Symmetry

repeat Symmetry – 1

create clone of myself ▾

turn SymmetryAngle degrees

Change “Length”
to 20 for now.

set Length ▾ to 20

broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait

Delete this block.

repeat Levels

set Angle ▾ to 15
Add a new loop to
create the branching broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait
pattern on each arm.
 s n o w f l a k e s i m u l at o r 177

7 Add three new blocks

to the “When I receive”
when I receive Draw Level ▾
script to create new
clones. These create a
move Length steps
new clone and make
the old and new clones
face different directions.

turn Angle degrees

create clone of myself ▾

turn 2 * Angle degrees

8 Now run the project.

You’ll see a branching
Snowflake Simulator
by WhiteSnow2 (unshared)
snowflake like this.

Use full-screen
mode to see a bigger
snowflake up close.

9 See what happens when

you change the number of
“Levels” in the “set” block at
the top of the main script.

Levels = 1 Levels = 2 Levels = 3 Levels = 4

178 s i m u l at i o n s

10 Now to make each snowflake different. Add

some “pick random” blocks to the main script.
Add these new “pick
random” blocks.
set Length ▾ to pick random 30 to 150

repeat Levels

set Angle ▾ to pick random 140 to 180

broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait

11 Run the project –

you’ll get a different
snowflake every time.

Hacks and tweaks

Experiment! There are so many numbers to play
with in this project, changing any one of them
will give very different patterns. Play with the
symmetry, levels, angles, and lengths. You can
even add colours to your creations.

▷ Oddflakes
Try this quick change set Length ▾ to pick random 30 to 150
to make odd-looking
snowflakes. It varies repeat Levels
the line lengths after
each branch point,
creating a wider range set Angle ▾ to pick random 140 to 180
of flaky weirdness.
broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait
Move the “set Length”
block into the “repeat” loop.
 s n o w f l a k e s i m u l at o r 179
▽ Click-a-flake
Snowflake Simulator
Make snowflakes wherever you click
by WhiteSnow2 (unshared)
on the stage with these modifications
to the code. There’s also a script to clear
the stage when you press the space-bar
in case things get too messy. Make sure
you keep the script from step 7.

Snowflakes appear
wherever you click.

when clicked

set Symmetry ▾ to 6

set Levels ▾ to 4

clear

set pen colour to

set pen size to 1 Add a “forever” loop to

make endless snowflakes. Add two “wait” blocks to
forever
detect a full mouse click.
wait until not mouse down?

wait until mouse down?

pen up
Replace the old “go to”
go to mouse-pointer ▾ block with this new one.

pen down

set SymmetryAngle ▾ to 360 / Symmetry

repeat Symmetry – 1
Change the numbers to
create clone of myself ▾ make the snowflakes smaller.
This script clears the
turn SymmetryAngle degrees
stage of snowflakes.

set Length ▾ to pick random 10 to 50

when space ▾ key pressed
repeat Levels clear

set Angle ▾ to pick random 140 to 180

Add this new script
broadcast Draw Level ▾ and wait to delete clones.

broadcast Kill All Clones ▾ and wait when I receive Kill All Clones ▾
Add this block so Scratch
delete this clone
won’t run out of clones.
Music and
sound
182 Music and sound

Sprites and Sounds

Do you have a younger brother or sister who’s always
trying to play on the computer? Here’s something you
can create in Scratch to keep them amused. Click on
any sprite for a unique action and sound. This project
works especially well on a touchscreen computer.

How it works
Sprites and Sounds couldn’t be easier to play – simply ▽ Virtual circus
click the sprites or the background and you’ll hear This entertaining project is a
mix of funny sounds and moves.
a sound and see an animation or visual effect. You can add as many sprites and
sounds as you want to spice up
the show.
The project works best in full-screen
mode, which stops you from
accidentally moving the sprites.

Sprites and Sounds

by DancingDuck (unshared)

Click anywhere
on the stage for
some sound
and action.

Each sprite
performs its
own little
show when
clicked.
 SpriteS and SoundS 183
Background action Altogether
Everything in this project does something now!
interesting when it’s clicked, including the
background. Follow these steps to create
the background, and then start adding sprites.

1 Start a new project. Ignore the cat sprite for now

and click on the backdrop symbol in the lower 2 With the stage selected, open the Sounds
tab above the blocks palette and then click
left of the Scratch window to open the backdrop on the speaker symbol. Choose “fairydust”.
library. Load the “sparkling” backdrop.

2
Sprites

Stage fairydust
Sprite1 00:00.51
2 backdrops

New backdrop:

This sound is 0.51

The blue outline shows seconds long.
that the stage is selected.

3 Now build this script for the stage to create

some magic and sparkle when the backdrop 4 Drag the cat sprite to the top-left corner
of the stage and add this script.
is clicked. Check if it works by clicking on
the stage.

when this sprite clicked

when Stage clicked
set size to 120 %
play sound fairydust ▾
set colour ▾ effect to 10
repeat 10
play sound meow ▾ until done
change colour ▾ effect by 25
set size to 100 %

set colour ▾ effect to 0

The program waits here

This makes the
while the “meow”
backdrop flash.
sound plays.
184 music and sound

5 Click on the cat and see him grow,

turn yellow, and meow before
ExpErt tips
sound blocks
returning to normal.
There are two versions of the “play sound” block.
When you use the short one, the program starts
The cat grows in playing the sound but immediately moves on to
size and changes the next block. This is useful for animations, as it
its colour.
allows you to make a sprite move at the same
time as the sound is playing. The longer version
of the “play sound” block includes the words
“until done”. When you use this block, the
program waits until the sound has finished
before moving on to the next block. This is
useful for, say, a costume or size change that
should last exactly as long as the sound.

play sound meow▾

play sound meow▾ until done

Sprite extravaganza!
Now add the following sprites and their scripts. Some of the sprites have the right
sounds built in, but in other cases you’ll need to open the Sounds tab and load
the sound from Scratch’s sound library before you can select it in the script. After
building each script, position the sprite on the stage and test it.

6 when this sprite clicked The duck wobbles

and quacks 5 times.
repeat 5 QUACK!

move 10 steps
Duck
play sound duck ▾ until done
Laughing duck
move –10 steps

wait 0.1 secs

 sprites and sounds 185

7
This lights
the candles.
when this sprite clicked

switch costume to cake-a ▾

play sound birthday bells ▾

Cake Load this sound from
point in direction 75 ▾ the sound library.
Dancing cake
repeat 4

turn 30 degrees

The cake wait 1 secs

jiggles in time
to the music. turn 30 degrees
This makes
wait 1 secs the candles
go out.

point in direction 90 ▾

switch costume to cake-b ▾

8 9

Elephant This is the Dog2

elephant’s
Elephant fanfare trumpeting Barking dog
costume.

when this sprite clicked when this sprite clicked

switch costume to elephant-b ▾ switch costume to dog2-c ▾

play sound trumpet1 ▾ play sound dog1 ▾ until done

Load “trumpet1”
wait 0.3 secs and “trumpet2” play sound dog1 ▾ until done
from the library.
play sound trumpet2 ▾ switch costume to dog2-a ▾
Two sounds
wait 2.5 secs play at once.
The dog
switch costume to elephant-a ▾ barks
twice.
186 music and sound

10 when this sprite clicked

set rotation style left-right ▾

switch costume to horse1-b ▾ The horse rears

Horse1 up and whinnies.
play sound horse ▾ until done
Horsing about
Load both sounds
switch costume to horse1-a ▾ from the library.
play sound horse gallop ▾

repeat 16

repeat 6
The horse runs
back and forth. move 5 steps

turn 180 degrees

Load the
“bubbles” sound
from the library.

11 when this sprite clicked

set rotation style left-right ▾

play sound bubbles ▾

Fish 3 repeat 2
Chilling fish point in direction –90 ▾

wait 1 secs
The fish flips
left and right point in direction 90 ▾
calmly while the
bubbles make a wait 1 secs
gurgling sound.
 sprites and sounds 187

12 13 when this sprite clicked

play sound chee chee ▾

repeat 10
Lion Monkey2

change y by 10
King of the jungle Jumpy monkey
wait 0.1 secs
Changing the monkey’s change y by –10
y coordinate moves
when this sprite clicked it up or down.
wait 0.1 secs
switch costume to lion-b ▾

play sound meow2 ▾ until done

“Meow2” is not a roar,
switch costume to lion-a ▾ but it’s the nearest
thing in the library!

Cheese puffs
The last sprite is a bowl of tasty-looking cheese puffs –
when you click on the bowl, the cheese puffs will vanish.
There isn’t a suitable costume for the empty bowl, but you
can create one using Scratch’s paint editor. The following
steps show you how.

14 Add the Cheesy-Puffs sprite from the library.

Then click on the Costumes tab and right-click 15 Select the duplicated costume “cheesy-puffs2”.
In the paint editor, choose white or cream, and
(or control/shift-click) on the single costume use the ellipse tool to draw an oval over the
shown and select “duplicate”. cheese puffs. Use the eraser tool to get rid
of any leftover bits.

Use this
cheesy-puffs duplicate tool to
88x58
draw
delete an oval.

save to local file

188 music and sound

16 Click the Sounds tab above the blocks palette

and load the “chomp” sound from the library. 17 Move all your sprites around so they fit nicely on
the stage. Then test the project, but remember
Then add the sprite’s script. to click the full-screen symbol first so that the
sprites don’t accidentally move when you click
them. Test every sprite. Note that you don’t need
to click the green flag to run this project, just click
The empty
on the sprites.
when this sprite clicked bowl.

switch costume to cheesy-puffs2 ▾ Sprites and Sounds

by DancingDuck (unshared)
play sound chomp ▾ until done

wait 1 secs

switch costume to cheesy-puffs ▾

A full bowl reappears

after a 1-second wait.

Hacks and tweaks

This project is really a collection of mini-projects – one per
sprite. This makes it easy to swap in new sprites or change
animations and sounds. Have a look in Scratch’s sprite and
sound libraries for inspiration. You could also draw your
own pictures or record your own sounds.

Change the header to

trigger the script with
when c ▾ key pressed a key instead of a click.

switch costume to cheesy-puffs2 ▾

◁ Animal piano
play sound chomp ▾ until done
For younger children, you could change the scripts so that
wait 1 secs the animations and sounds are triggered by key presses
rather than mouse clicks, turning the computer keyboard
switch costume to cheesy-puffs ▾ into a kind of piano. Choose keys that are widely spread
to make the project into a game of “find the key”.
 sprites and sounds 189
▷ Record your own sounds
Scripts Costumes Sounds
If your computer has a microphone,
then you can give your project a
personal touch by recording your New sound: recording1
own sounds. First select the sprite you
want to add a sound to – perhaps the
lion, if you want to give him a better 1
roar. Click the Sounds tab and then
the microphone symbol . To start Stop recording
recording, click on the black circle.
Click the circle to start
To stop, click the square. meow2 recording – it will turn red.
00:00.59

Click here to create

2
a new sound.
Edit ▾ Effects ▾

Microphone volume:
recording1
00:00.00

Check your sound

by pressing play.

Highlight parts of the

sound you want to edit.
▷ Editing sounds
Scripts Costumes Sounds
Scratch makes it easy to edit sounds that
you’ve recorded or uploaded. Open the
Sounds tab and select the sound you New sound: recording1
want to work on. The black pattern
shows the volume of the sound as it
plays. Use your mouse to highlight 1
parts of the sound you want to delete
or move, and then use the menus
below to make changes or add effects.
meow2
00:00.59

2
Edit ▾ Effects ▾

Microphone volume:
recording1
00:00.00
190 music and sound

Drumtastic
This project turns your computer keyboard into a drum
machine. Type in anything you want and Scratch turns
the letters into repeating drum sounds using up to
18 different instruments, from cymbals and bongos
to pounding bass drums.

▽ Scratch drumkit
How it works The script turns every letter
When you run the project, the Scratch cat asks you to into a drum sound. There are
26 letters in the alphabet but
type something in the box. When you press return, the Scratch only has 18 drum
code turns each letter into a different sound and plays sounds, so some sounds
the phrase back over and over again. As the sounds are used for two letters.
play, the coloured drums on the stage flash in time,
while the Scratch cat walks to the beat.
A
Drumtastic
Snare drum
by Drummer242 (unshared)

Each drum lights tempo 60

up as it’s played.

B
Bass drum

C
Side sticks

Make Some Noise!

D
The words The drums light up
you typed as the sounds play. Cymbals
 d r u m ta s t i c 191
Dancing cat
A,B,C,D...
To make the project more fun, the cat will dance and
shout out each letter in a speech bubble as the drums
play. Follow the steps below to create a custom block
that plays the drums and animates the cat.

1 Start a new project

and keep the cat 2 Select the cat sprite, click on Data, and add these
variables to your project: “Count” and “Words”.
sprite. Set the Leave them ticked so that they show on the stage.
background to
a solid colour by
clicking the paint Click here to make
symbol in the each variable.
lower left of Scratch, Stage
picking a cool 2 backdrops
Make a Variable
colour, and using
the fill tool to New backdrop:
create a coloured Count
backdrop.
Words

3 Now create a custom block for the cat sprite.

Choose “More Blocks” in the blocks palette 4 Choose the second option
in the menu to add an input
Type the name
of the input
and make a new block called “play a drum”. window for the drum’s letter. here: “letter”.
This will trigger a script that plays a drum
and makes the cat say the drum’s letter at New Block
the same time. To keep things simple, the
first version of the script will play the same
drum sound every time. play a drum letter

Type “play a drum” ▾ Options

in here.
Add number input:
New Block
Add string input:

play a drum Add boolean input:

Add label text: text

▶ Options
Run without screen refresh
OK Cancel

OK Cancel
Click here.
Click “OK” to Choose this option.
complete the block.
192 music and sound

5 Next add this script to the “define play a drum”

header block. For now, the cat just says the letter
lingo
and the script plays only one type of drum: a Strings
snare drum. The script will get longer later so
that different drums can play. Programmers call a sequence of
words or letters a string. Think
of the letters as being strung
together like beads on a necklace.
define play a drum letter

say letter Drag the “letter”

block from the
next costume Dance, cat! header to here.

play drum 1 ▾ for 0.5 beats

6 Now add the script below to ask the user to type

something on their keyboard. This script sends
the letters one at a time to the cat using the
“play a drum” block. Anything set as an input A, B, C, D, E...
in the “play a drum” block is put in the blue
“letter” block in the define script.

when clicked

ask Type something to make a drum sequence. Then press return. and wait

set Words ▾ to answer

This contains
forever
whatever you typed.
The number of letters stored
set Count ▾ to 1 in the variable “Words”.

repeat length of Words

play a drum letter Count of Words

change Count ▾ by 1
With each loop, a different letter
is set as the input in the “play a
drum” block.
On to the
next letter.
 d r u m ta s t i c 193

7 Run the project. Type “Scratch” and

press enter. The cat will shout out
the letters of “Scratch” to a drumbeat.

s c r a t c h

From letters to drums play drum 1 ▾ for 0.25 beats

The next step is to change the code so that (1) Snare Drum a, s
each letter plays a particular drum. Scratch
has only 18 drum sounds, so some sounds (2) Bass Drum b, t
will be played by more than one letter. (3) Side Stick c, u
Spaces and punctuation will create brief
pauses in the pattern of drums. Scratch (4) Crash Cymbal d, v
Scratch’s
also ignores whether letters are capitals “play drum” (5) Open Hi-Hat e, w
block has
or not – “A” and “a” are treated the same. 18 built-in (6) Closed Hi-Hat f, x
sounds.
(7) Tambourine g, y

(8) Hand Clap h, z

8 First you need to add four new variables: “Alphabet”, which
stores the whole alphabet in order; “AlphabetCount”, which
(9) Claves i
stores a letter’s numerical position in the alphabet from
1 to 26; “NumberOfDrums”, for the number of different (10) Wood Block j
drum sounds in Scratch; and “ChosenDrum”, to hold
the number of the drum sound to be played. (11) Cowbell k

(12) Triangle l

(13) Bongo m
Alphabet
Uncheck the (14) Conga n
tick boxes so
the variables AlphabetCount (15) Cabasa o
don’t appear
on the stage. (16) Guiro p
ChosenDrum
(17) Vibraslap q
NumberOfDrums
(18) Open Cuica r
194 music and sound

9 Add three new blocks to the start of the Scratch has 18

main script to set up the “Alphabet” and different drum sounds.
“NumberOfDrums” variables. The “Draw Type the alphabet
Drums” message will trigger a script that in order here.
set NumberOfDrums ▾ to 18
draws the drums, but that code comes later. set Alphabet ▾ to abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

broadcast Draw Drums ▾ and wait

Open the menu to create

when clicked
a new message and call
it “Draw Drums”.
ask Type something to make a drum sequence. Then press return. and wait

set Words ▾ to answer

forever

set Count ▾ to 1

repeat length of Words

play a drum letter Count of Words

change Count ▾ by 1

10 Add this code to the definition of “play a drum”. It

converts each letter into a number and then uses
define play a drum letter
that to play the correct drum sound. If no match is
found, then a short pause, or “rest”, is used instead.
say letter

next costume
set ChosenDrum ▾ to 0
play drum 1 ▾ for 0.25 beats
set AlphabetCount ▾ to 1 Delete the block.
Start
at “A”. repeat length of Alphabet

This loop if letter = letter AlphabetCount of Alphabet then

scans the
alphabet for set ChosenDrum ▾ to AlphabetCount
a match in
order to if ChosenDrum > NumberOfDrums then
convert the
letter into set ChosenDrum ▾ to ChosenDrum – NumberOfDrums
a number.

play drum ChosenDrum for 0.25 beats

Is the chosen
change AlphabetCount ▾ by 1 On to the next Play the chosen
number
bigger than letter of the drum sound.
the number alphabet.
if ChosenDrum = 0 then
of drums?
Move it back rest for 0.25 beats No drum picked? Just
into range. take a short break.
 d r u m ta s t i c 195

11 Now run the project and

see if you can create
some cool drumbeats. a a a a abababab cd cd cd e e e e
Try “a a a a abababab”,
for instance. Remember
you can use spaces or
punctuation marks to
create pauses.

Light-up drums Drumtastic

by Drummer242 (unshared)
To make the project look more
interesting you can add a circle
of 18 coloured drum clones –
one for each sound. Each drum
will light up when its sound plays.

12 Click on the sprite symbol

in the sprites list and add the
Drum1 sprite from the library.

Drum1

13 Add a variable called “drumID”, making sure you

select “for this sprite only” – this lets every clone
New Variable
have its own copy of the variable. This variable Variable name: drumID
will hold a unique ID number for each drum to
help them light up at the right time. Untick this For all sprites For this sprite only
variable so it doesn’t show on the stage.
Choose this option
or the drums won’t
OK Cancel
work properly.
196 music and sound

14 Add the script below to the Drum1 sprite. When this

script receives the “Draw Drums” message, it draws
a ring of coloured drum clones on the stage, each
with a unique ID number.

when I receive Draw Drums ▾

hide

set ChosenDrum ▾ to 0

set drumID ▾ to 1

set size to 50 %

point in direction 90 ▾
Each drum is a
repeat NumberOfDrums different colour.

change colour ▾ effect by 200 / NumberOfDrums

go to x: 0 y: 0

turn 360 / NumberOfDrums degrees The drums are drawn

around a circle.
move 130 steps

create clone of myself ▾ Each clone will take the value

of “drumID” from the original
change drumID ▾ by 1 sprite when it’s created.

Next drum

when I start as a clone

Each drum runs
15 The next script makes the drums light up as
they play. Each clone waits for its unique ID
to match the “ChosenDrum” variable. When
show this script.
it matches, a brief change in colour makes
the drum appear to flash.
forever

wait until ChosenDrum = drumID

Wait for this
drum’s turn.
change colour ▾ effect by 100

wait until not ChosenDrum = drumID

change colour ▾ effect by –100

Wait for the
turn to be over.
 d r u m ta s t i c 197

16 Run the project. The drums

should light up in time to the
f g

sequence. Try the sequence

“abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz” e
to see all the drums work in a
order and to see how the
drums are reused after “r”.

Hacks and tweaks ▽ Tempo

The pace at which music plays is called its
Being able to create a sequence that tempo. The higher the tempo, the shorter
the beat and the faster the music. Scratch
controls something is very useful. has a handy tempo setting – you’ll find it in
You could adapt this idea to make the Sound section of the blocks palette. Tick
an automatic piano, singing ducks, the tempo box to display it on stage. Add these
scripts to the drum sprite so you can change
or an on-screen robot that follows a the tempo with the arrow keys. The space-bar
program in the form of letter sequences. will reset the tempo to 60 beats per minute.

Try This tempo

Word piano
If you change the “play drum” block to a “play when space ▾ key pressed
note” block, you can create a singing animal.
You’ll need to set the total number of available set tempo to 60 bpm
notes to 26 so that every letter has its own note.

when up arrow ▾ key pressed

change tempo by 2

when down arrow ▾ key pressed

change tempo by –2
Mindbenders
200 mindbenders

The Magic Spot

Run this project and stare at the cross in the middle while
the pink spots around it flash on and off. Within a few
seconds, a ghostly green spot will appear among the pink
ones, but it isn’t actually there. Scratch gets mysterious
with this amazing optical illusion.

How it works
I am
The spots take turns to disappear and reappear very quickly, number 5!
causing a gap in the circle that races round. This confuses
your brain, which fills in the missing spot with its opposite
colour, creating a magic green spot that doesn’t exist. Keep
watching and the magic green spot will erase all the pink
spots, but this is just an illusion too! △ Clones with identity
Keep your eyes fixed
Each circle is a clone. In this project,
on the cross to see you’ll see how each clone can have
This illusion works best
the illusion. its own copy of a variable – in this
in full-screen mode.
case, an ID number that’s used to
control which circle is hidden at
The Magic Spot
any moment.
by Illusionist101 (unshared)

The spots take

turns to hide.

△ Colour in your brain

This kind of illusion is called
A magic green
an afterimage. If you stare at
spot appears something for a long time
in the gap. without moving your eyes, the
colour receptors in your eyes
tire and your brain starts to tune
colours out. So when the colour
suddenly disappears, you briefly
see a negative afterimage – a
sort of “colour hole”.
 The magic spoT 201
Pink costume
A single sprite is all that’s needed to make
this illusion, but first you’ll need to draw
the pink spot and black cross as costumes.

1 Start a new project and remove the cat sprite.

Click on the paint symbol in the sprites list 2 Select the ellipse tool and then, at the bottom
of the paint editor, click on the right-hand oval
to draw a new sprite. Select the bright pink to draw filled shapes rather than outlines.
colour in the colour palette.

Select this tool.

Make sure you choose this

colour or the illusion might
not work properly.

3 Click near the middle of the paint

editor and drag the mouse while 4 Your newly drawn spot will appear in the costumes
list. The numbers under its name tell you its size.
holding the shift key on the keyboard You need a spot about 35x35 in size, but don’t
to paint a solid pink circle. Then release worry if it’s wrong – the next step shows you
the mouse button and click outside how to resize it.
the shape once to get rid of the box.

Scripts Costumes

New costume: costume1

Click once outside the shape

to get rid of this box. costume1
62x61

The numbers tell you

the costume’s size.
202 Mindbenders

5 If it’s too big or too small, click on

either the shrink tool or grow tool at 6 Click once more on the shrink or grow tool at the top to
turn it off, then select the centre tool and click in the middle
the top of the Scratch window. Click of your spot to centre it. Name this costume “Spot” at the
on the spot in the paint editor until top of the paint editor.
the costume’s size is 30–40.

Click in the middle to

centre the costume
Grow tool Shrink tool with the centre tool.

Name the costume “Cross”.

7 The next step is to create the

black cross that appears in the
New costume:
Cross Clear Add Import

middle of the illusion. Click

the paint symbol under the 1
words “New costume” to start Line tool
drawing a new costume, then
use the line tool to make
a black cross about half as big Spot
as the spot. To draw perfectly 35x35

horizontal and straight lines,

2
hold down the shift key.
Zooming in makes
Centre the costume as drawing the cross easier.
you did with the spot.
Cross
22x21

800%

Bitmap Mode
Convert to vector

Circle of clones
Now to fill in the background and create the circle
of clones. The script will give each clone a unique
identification number that will make it easy to hide. Sprites

8 To create the correct backdrop for the

illusion, click on the paint symbol in
the lower left of Scratch. Stage
1 backdrop Sprite1

New backdrop:
Click here to create
a new backdrop.
 the magic spot 203

9 Now select this grey colour. Make sure you

get the exact shade or the illusion might not
work properly. Use the fill tool to create
a grey backdrop. Just click anywhere in the
paint area.

Make sure you select

this shade of grey.

10 Click on the sprite and select the Scripts tab.

Choose Data in the blocks palette and click on
Variable name:
New Variable

id
“Make a variable”. Create a variable called “id”
Type
and select the option “For this sprite only”. This
“id” here.
is important as it allows each clone to have its For all sprites For this sprite only
own copy of the variable with its own value.
Uncheck the tick box in the blocks palette so Select this
option.
that the variable doesn’t show on the stage. OK Cancel

11 Now add the two scripts shown here to create

12 clones of the pink spot arranged in a circle.
when clicked
This sets the
centre of the circle.
When a clone is created, it gets a copy of the
original sprite’s “id” variable, which means switch costume to Spot ▾
each clone has a unique number.
go to x: 0 y: 0

The “repeat” loop runs point in direction 0 ▾

once for each spot.
set id ▾ to 0 The sprite
moves to the
repeat 12 rim of the circle.
A cloned
spot is made.
move 130 steps
This temporary script create clone of myself ▾
shows that each clone The sprite moves
has its own “id” number. back to the centre. move –130 steps

turn 30 degrees
when I start as a clone
change id ▾ by 1
say id
The clone is given
a unique number.
204 Mindbenders

12 Run the project and each clone

will say its own value of “id”. The Magic Spot
by Illusionist101 (unshared)
Each will be different, counting
0–11 around the circle.
0
11 1

10 2
The original
sprite doesn’t
run the “say”
block.
3
9

2 8 4

1 3
7
6
5

13 Now delete the smaller script as you

don’t need to see those speech
when I start as a clone
Delete this script.
bubbles during the illusion.
say id

Creating the illusion

Now to make the code hide each of the spots in turn.
You’ll need to make a new variable, called “Hidden”,
that will specify which clone should hide.

Click the orange Data block in the blocks

14 palette and make a new variable. Call it
New Variable
“Hidden”. Uncheck its tick box in the blocks Variable name: Hidden
palette so that the variable doesn’t appear
on the stage. For all sprites For this sprite only

Make sure this

option is selected. OK Cancel
 the magic spot 205

15 Add the blocks shown below to

the bottom of the sprite’s script, 16 Now add this separate script to the sprite. All the
clones run this script. Only the clone whose “id”
but don’t run the project yet. number matches the “Hidden” variable will hide. As
the value of “Hidden” rises, each spot hides in turn.

when clicked
when I receive Hide Spot ▾
switch costume to Spot ▾

go to x: 0 y: 0 if id = Hidden then

point in direction 0 ▾ hide

set id ▾ to 0 else

repeat 12 show

move 130 steps

create clone of myself ▾

move –130 steps

turn 30 degrees

change id ▾ by 1

The “Cross” costume

appears in the centre.

switch costume to Cross ▾

set Hidden ▾ to 0
The “Hidden” variable
forever controls which spot hides.

change Hidden ▾ by 1

if Hidden = 12 then
The “Hidden” variable
counts up to 11 and then set Hidden ▾ to 0
jumps back to zero.

broadcast Hide Spot ▾

This number controls the wait 0.1 secs Open the menu and
speed at which the magic create a new message
spot moves around the circle. called “Hide Spot”.
206 Mindbenders

17 Run the project. You should see the gap move around the circle. Put the
stage into full-screen mode and stare at the cross. Within a few seconds,
you’ll see the magic green spot. Keep staring at the cross and the magic
spot will start to erase the pink spots. When you look away from the Stare at the cross
cross, you’ll just see the empty gap again. to see the illusion.

The Magic Spot

by Illusionist101 (unshared)

The magic spot

vanishes if you
look directly at it.

I’m seeing things!

expert tips
if then else
The “if then” block is very useful for either
running or skipping a group of blocks
depending on the answer to a question. But
what if you want to do one thing for yes (true) Does my
and another for no (false)? You could use two id = “Hidden”? Hide
“if then” blocks, but programmers face this Yes
problem so often that they created another (true)
No
solution: “if then else”. The “if then else” block (false)
has two jaws, for two sets of blocks. The top
set runs on yes, the bottom set runs on no. Show
 the magic spot 207

Hacks and tweaks

You can use Scratch to investigate this curious optical
illusion further. Would the illusion still work if you change
the colour of the spots or background or change the
speed? What if there were more spots, or more than
one spot hidden at the same time? The possibilities
are endless. Save a copy and get fiddling with the code.
Right-click on the slider
and set the minimum and
maximum to –100 and 100.

when I receive Hide Spot ▾ The Magic Spot

by Illusionist101 (unshared)
set colour ▾ effect to SpotColour
SpotColour –39
if id = Hidden then

hide

else

show

△ Colour controls
To find out which colours make the illusion strongest,
create a new variable called “SpotColour” and add a slider
to the stage. Add a “set colour effect” block to the sprite’s
script under the “when I receive” block. Run the project
and try different colours. Which ones work best? Does
the magic spot change colour too?

try this
speed it up
Try adding a new variable, called “Delay”, to
set the speed of the magic spot. You’ll need to
add these two blocks to the script – see if you set Delay▾ to 1
can figure out where to put them. Right-click
(or control/shift-click) on the variable on the
stage and choose “slider”. Does the illusion wait Delay / 100 secs
still work if you slow it right down?
208 Mindbenders

Spiral-o-tron You can use a

microphone to make
the spiral move to
It’s easy to use Scratch’s Pen feature to the music!

create amazing visual effects, such as

this multicoloured spinning spiral. If your
computer has a microphone, you can adapt
the project to make the spiral react to sound.

With each turn, the cat

How it works walks slightly further.

There are many types of spiral, but this project paints

a very simple one. Just take a step, turn 10 degrees
to your right, take two steps, turn 10 degrees to
your right, take three steps, and so on... In this spiral,
each turn is
10 degrees.
This project looks best
in full-screen mode.

Spiral-o-tron
by Hypnotic09 (unshared)

The coloured
line thickens
in response
to loud noises.

The spiral is
drawn using the
Scratch pen.
 Spiral-o-tron 209
Build the spiral
This project shows you how to use Scratch’s pen
to create fast-moving, interactive effects. Follow
the steps below to build a simple spiral first.

1 Start a new project. Delete the cat sprite and

click on the paint symbol in the sprites list. 2 Now turn the stage black to make the spiral
stand out. Click on the backdrop’s paint
You don’t need to draw a sprite as it’s just a symbol in the lower left of Scratch. Pick
guide for the pen. Call the sprite “Spiral”. black in the paint editor and use the fill
tool to create a solid black backdrop.

Use the fill

tool to colour
the backdrop.

backdrop2
Spiral 480x360

3 The project needs lots of variables.

Select the spiral sprite and create StartDirection
the following variables: “Repeats”,
“DrawLength”, “DrawLengthIncrease”, The direction the sprite
faces at the beginning
“TurnAngle”, and “StartDirection”.
Untick their check boxes so they
don't appear on the stage. DrawLength

Length of each straight

section of the spiral
Repeats

How many sections DrawLengthIncrease

to draw altogether
How much longer this straight
TurnAngle section is than the last section
How much the sprite turns

4 Now create a custom block to

draw a spiral. Select More Blocks
New Block
and then click on “Make a Block”.

draw spiral
Type “draw spiral”.
▸ Options
Click “OK” to OK Cancel
make the block.
210 Mindbenders

5 You will now see the “define draw spiral” header in the scripts
area. Add the following script to it. Read through the Scratch
blocks and think about the steps. Don’t run the project yet
as there isn’t any code to trigger the new block.

define draw spiral

point in direction StartDirection

pen up

go to x: 0 y: 0 This loop draws the

spiral using the method
explained earlier.
set DrawLength ▾ to 0

pen down

repeat Repeats

change DrawLength ▾ by DrawLengthIncrease

move DrawLength steps

turn TurnAngle degrees

pen up

6 Now add the main script to set

up the variables and trigger the when clicked
“draw spiral” block.
set Repeats ▾ to 900

set DrawLengthIncrease ▾ to 0.02

set TurnAngle ▾ to 6
These blocks set
the properties of set StartDirection ▾ to 0
our spiral.
set pen size to 5

clear

draw spiral
 spiral-o-tron 211

7 Run the project. A spiral like this

will appear. It will take around
Spiral-o-tron
by Hypnotic09 (unshared)

30 seconds to draw.

Spin the spiral

To make the spiral spin, Scratch will draw it
repeatedly, each time in a new position. To
make this happen quickly, you need to use
a special trick to run blocks faster.

8 The spiral takes a long time to draw

because Scratch redraws the whole stage 9 Now click on “Options” and the menu shown
below will appear. Tick the box labelled “Run
every time you add a new straight-line without screen refresh”.
section to the spiral. You can set the
custom block to not redraw the spiral Click here to open
until it’s finished. To do this, right-click the options menu.
on the “define” block and choose “edit”.
New Block

Right-click here. draw spiral

▾ Options
define draw spiral
Add number input:

delete Add string input:

point in direction
add comment Add boolean input:
pen up
help Add label text: text

edit Run without screen refresh

Click on “edit”. OK Cancel

Click here for

fast drawing. Click “OK” to finish.
212 mindbenders

10 Now run the project and the spiral will appear so quickly
that you won’t see it happen. The next trick is to keep
redrawing the spiral in different positions so it appears
to spin. Add a new variable called “SpinSpeed”, untick
its box, and change the main script to look like this.

when clicked

set Repeats ▾ to 900

set DrawLengthIncrease ▾ to 0.02

set TurnAngle ▾ to 6

set StartDirection ▾ to 0
set SpinSpeed ▾ to 10
set pen size to 5

forever This block turns

The loop redraws the spiral the whole spiral
clear with different start directions. by SpinSpeed
degrees each time.
draw spiral

change StartDirection ▾ by SpinSpeed

Full-screen mode

11 Run the project and watch the

spiral spin. Try switching to full- Spiral-o-tron
by Hypnotic09 (unshared)
screen mode for a hypnotic effect.
If you stare at the centre for a
while and then look away, you
might see things ripple weirdly
for a moment – an optical illusion.

The whole spiral

spins clockwise.
 spiral-o-tron 213
Add some colour
The pen colour can be controlled to create some
amazing effects. Simple changes to the scripts
create patterns like the one shown here.

12 Add another variable:

“ColourChange”. Then change
set SpinSpeed ▾ to 10 Starts the spiral
with the same
the scripts as shown here and colour each time.
run them to see the new set pen size to 5
colourful spiral.
forever set ColourChange ▾ to 3
clear
set pen colour to 0
draw spiral

change StartDirection ▾ by SpinSpeed

define draw spiral

point in direction StartDirection This block changes the colour

a little for each line section
drawn, giving a rainbow effect.
pen up

go to x: 0 y: 0

set DrawLength ▾ to 0
change pen colour by ColourChange
pen down

repeat Repeats

change DrawLength ▾ by DrawLengthIncrease

move DrawLength steps

turn TurnAngle degrees

pen up
214 mindbenders

Move to the music

If your computer has a microphone, you can make the
spiral react to sounds and music. You’ll need to use
special blocks that detect and measure sound volume.

when clicked 13 Add two new variables: “Sensitivity”

and “SoundLevel”. Change the main
script to look like this.
set Repeats ▾ to 900

set DrawLengthIncrease ▾ to 0.02

set TurnAngle ▾ to 6

set StartDirection ▾ to 0 Increase the value here

if your spiral isn’t moving
set SpinSpeed ▾ to 10 much to the sound.

set ColourChange ▾ to 3

set Sensitivity ▾ to 3
Scratch constantly measures Louder noises make
forever the sound volume and gives thicker spirals.
this block a value from 0 to100.
clear

set SoundLevel ▾ to loudness * Sensitivity

set pen size to SoundLevel / 5

set pen colour to SoundLevel * 10

draw spiral
As the volume rises,
the colour flows
change StartDirection ▾ by SpinSpeed along the spiral.

14 Run the project and play some music

or sing near your computer. Scratch will
ask you to use your microphone – it’s
OK to click “yes”. The spiral will dance
to the music!
 spiral-o-tron 215

Hacks and tweaks ▽ Sliders

If you show the control variables on the stage,
you can right-click and add sliders to them.
Don’t be afraid to change the variables These allow you to experiment with different
values while the project is running.
or other numbers in the code to see what
happens. You can also add slider controls
ColourChange 35
to experiment with the look and motion
of the spiral.
You can right-click on a slider
again to set its limits.

▽ Presets ▽ Hiders
If you use your sliders to make a spiral you really You can add scripts like these to show and
like, write down all the values and then create a hide your sliders when you hit certain keys.
“preset” to set those values at the touch of a key. That way they won’t spoil the view!

when x ▾ key pressed when h ▾ key pressed

set Repeats ▾ to 1200 hide variable ColourChange ▾

set DrawLengthIncrease ▾ to 0.01 hide variable Sensitivity ▾

set TurnAngle ▾ to 4

set SpinSpeed ▾ to 20 when s ▾ key pressed

set ColourChange ▾ to 1 show variable ColourChange ▾

show variable Sensitivity ▾

try this
sound reaction
You can have a lot of fun in other
projects making sprites react to when clicked loudness

sound. Tick the “loudness” block forever

to see the volume displayed on set size to loudness %

the stage. Try giving scripts like
set colour ▾ effect to loudness
these to some sprites or invent
your own scripts.
when loudness ▾ > 50

say Be quiet! for 2 secs

What next?
218 W H AT N E X T ?

Next steps
After working through this book, your knowledge of Scratch should
be strong enough to take you to new places. Here’s some advice
on taking your coding skills to the next level, as well as a few
suggestions on where to find inspiration for your own projects.

Exploring Scratch
The Scratch website www.scratch.mit.edu is a great place to see other
people’s work and share your own projects. Click “Explore” at the top
of the website to view projects that other Scratchers have shared.

There are millions of projects on Click the Studios tab to see

the Scratch website. Click here to projects grouped by themes
see what great stuff you can find. that Scratchers have created.

SCRATCH Create Explore Discuss Help Search Join Scratch Sign In

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I can answer your
yes-or-no questions.

All
Ask your question
then press space.

Animations
Click on any
Art project to
open its
Games Spiralizer Firework Display Ask Gobo project page.
by SpiralAttack by MagicLight01 by FortuneTeller100
Music 924 500 27 8224 883 496 40 7727 352 285 17 4325

Firework Display 24 scripts

Stories by MagicLight01 5 sprites
See inside

Instructions
Tag: Go
Click anywhere on the stage to launch a firework.
You can only launch one firework at a time.

Use this menu to sort Notes and credits ◁ Project page

projects by Scratch’s All code in this project was written by me.
The backdrop was created by Fred Bloggs. Each project has a main page
main categories. that lets you explore and run
it. Click “See inside” to see the
Click the star to code. If you want to copy the
bookmark a project in c Shared: 2 May 2016 Modified: 19 May 2016

your favourites list. 597 812 25718 26 project and change the code,
look for an orange “remix”
Click the heart if Total views button. This links your new
you love a project. project to the original.
 next steps 219
▷ Sharing
To share one of your projects with other Scratchers, open
the project and click the “Share” button at the top of Scratch.
Anyone can find your project once you’ve shared it. You can
also see how many fellow Scratchers have tried your projects,
and people can “favourite” and “love” your project too.

Making your own projects

Scratch is a great playground for trying out your own
coding ideas. Open up a new project and see where
your computer mouse takes you.

▽ Doodling
Scratch is designed to make experimenting easy. Just when clicked
add a sprite you like and create some fun scripts like
these. Maybe turn on the pen to see what loopy forever
pattern your sprite makes. Play with variables and
add sliders so you can see their effects immediately. if touching Elephant ▾ ? then

play sound meow ▾ until down

when clicked

forever

point towards mouse-pointer ▾

move 10 steps ▽ Have fun!

Programming can be great fun. Working
with others and sharing your projects
will really help your coding develop.
▽ Learn another language Why not join or start a code club at your
Why not stretch yourself and learn another programming school or local library? Or get together
language? Python is easy to get started in, and you’ll recognize with friends who like Scratch and have
many of the techniques used in Scratch, like making decisions a coding party where you can work on
using “if then” and repeating code with loops. themed projects together.

if a = 2 then
if a == 2:
say Hello!
print(‘Hello!’)
else else:
say Goodbye! print(‘Goodbye!’)

Scratch Python
220 W H AT N E X T ?

Glossary
algorithm call event GUI
A set of step-by-step To use a function, procedure, Something a computer The GUI, or graphical user
instructions that perform or subprogram. A custom program can react to, such interface, is the name for
a task. Computer programs block in Scratch is a call to as a key being pressed or the buttons and windows
are based on algorithms. the “define” script with the the mouse being clicked. that make up the part of
same name. the program you can see
animation execute and interact with.
Changing pictures quickly clone See run
to create the illusion A fully functioning copy hack
of movement. of a sprite that can move export An ingenious change to code
and run scripts on its To send something to the that makes it do something
backpack own, separate from computer from Scratch, such new or simplifies it. (Also,
A storage area in the original sprite. as a sprite or a whole project accessing a computer
Scratch that allows saved as a computer file. without permission.)
you to copy things condition
between projects. A “true or false” statement file hardware
used to make a decision A collection of data stored The physical parts of a
bitmap graphics in a program. See also with a name. computer that you can see
Boolean expression. or touch, such as wires, the
Computer drawings
fractal keyboard, and the screen.
stored as a grid of
pixels. Compare coordinates A pattern or shape that
with vector graphics. A pair of numbers that looks the same when you header block
pinpoint an exact spot zoom in or out, such as the A Scratch block that starts
block on the stage. Usually shape of a cloud, a tree, or a script, such as the “when
written as (x, y). a cauliflower. green flag clicked” block.
An instruction in Scratch
Also known as a hat block.
that can be joined to other
blocks to build a script. costume function
The picture a sprite shows Code that carries out a import
Boolean expression on the stage. Rapidly specific task, working like a To bring something in from
changing a sprite’s program within a program. outside Scratch, such as a
A statement that is either
costume can create Also called a procedure, picture or sound clip from
true or false, leading to
an animation. subprogram, or subroutine. the computer’s files.
two possible outcomes.
Boolean blocks in Scratch
are hexagonal rather data global variable index number
than rounded. Information, such as text, A variable that can be A number given to an item
symbols, or numbers. changed and used by in a list.
branch any sprite in a project.
A point in a program debug input
where two different To look for and correct gradient (colour) Data that is entered into a
options are available, errors in a program. Moving smoothly from one computer. Keyboards, mice,
such as the “if then else” colour to another, like the sky and microphones can be
block in Scratch. directory during a beautiful sunset. used to input data.
A place to store files to
bug keep them organized. graphics integer
A coding error that makes Visual elements on a screen A whole number. An integer
a program behave in an ellipse does not contain a decimal
that are not text, such as
unexpected way. An oval point and is not written as
pictures, icons, and symbols.
a fraction.
 glossary 221
interface out, such as checking programming language sprite
See GUI whether two values are A language that is used A picture on the stage in
equal or adding two to give instructions to Scratch that a script can
library numbers together. a computer. move and change.
A collection of sprites,
costumes, or sounds output project stage
that can be used in Data that is produced by Scratch’s name for a program The screen-like area of the
Scratch programs. a computer program and and all the sprites, sounds, Scratch interface in which
viewed by the user. and backdrops that go projects run.
list with it.
A collection of items stored particle effect statement
in a numbered order. A visual effect in which Python The smallest complete
lots of small patterns A popular programming instruction a programming
local variable move in an organized language created by language can be broken
A variable that can be way to create a larger Guido van Rossum. Python down into.
changed by only one pattern. Particle effects is a great language to learn
sprite. Each copy or in Scratch usually after Scratch. string
clone of a sprite has use clones. A series of characters. Strings
its own separate version random can contain numbers, letters,
of the variable. physics A function in a or symbols.
The science of how things computer program that
loop move and affect each allows unpredictable subprogram or subroutine
A part of a program that other. Including physics outcomes. Useful when Code that carries out a specific
repeats itself, removing is often important in creating games. task, working like a program
the need to type out the simulations and games – within a program. Also called
same piece of code for example, to create run a function or procedure.
multiple times. realistic gravity. The command to make
a program start. turbo mode
memory pixel art A way of running Scratch
A computer chip inside A drawing made of giant Scratcher projects that makes the
a computer that pixels or blocks, mimicking Someone who uses Scratch. code work much faster than
stores data. the appearance of graphics normal. You can switch turbo
in early computer games. script mode on and off by holding
message A stack of instruction the shift key as you click the
pixels blocks under a header green flag.
A way to send information
between sprites. The coloured dots block that are run in order.
on a screen that tweak
network make up graphics. server A small change made to
A computer that stores files something to make it work
A group of interconnected
procedure accessible via a network. better or differently.
computers that exchange
data. The internet is a Code that carries out a
specific task, working variable
giant network. simulation
like a program within A place to store data that can
A realistic imitation of
a program. Also called a change in a program, such as
operating system (OS) something. A weather
function, subprogram, the player’s score. A variable
The program that controls simulator might re-create
or subroutine. has a name and a value.
everything on a computer, the action of wind, rain,
such as Windows, OS X, and snow. vector graphics
program
or Linux. Computer drawings stored
A set of instructions software
that a computer follows as collections of shapes,
operator Programs that run on making them easier to
in order to complete a computer and control
A Scratch block that uses change. Compare with
a task. how it works.
data to work something bitmap graphics.
222 W h at n e x t ?

Index
centre tool 73, 76, 89, 131, 146, 156, creating 187, 201–02 Fractal Trees 23, 162–71, 172, 174
158, 202 library 75 fractals 162, 220
chance 60 modifying 187 in nature 163
“change colour effect” block 26, naming 202 framing 79
Page numbers in bold refer 30, 196 Costumes tab 21, 37, 118, 136, 164 full-screen mode 20, 31, 69, 82,
to main entries. “change pen colour” block 101, countdowns 57, 138, 141 103, 166, 177, 212
103, 213 cursor tools 20 function 220
“change size” block 92 custom blocks 106–19, 191, 209 Funny Faces 70–79
“change whirl effect” block 92
A Christmas cards 153
addition 108
afterimages 200
“clear” block 31, 101, 110, 114
“clear graphic effects” block 33 D G
algorithms 15, 44, 164, 220 clones 77, 220 data 220 games consoles 15
“and” block 55, 150 adding movement to 96 Data blocks 50, 59, 63, 65, 97, 131, games projects 13, 15, 120–41
Animal Race 22, 48–59 creating symmetrical patterns 136, 159, 164, 174, 191 Tunnel of Doom 22, 122–33,
animations 182, 184, 188, 220 with 175 debug 220 140
arrow keys 32, 42, 43, 104, 197 deleting 97, 99, 101, 148, 149, 170 “define” blocks 211 Window Cleaner 22, 134–41
art projects 13, 22, 80–119 drums 195–96 “define” header block 110, 111, 112, ghost effect 33, 78, 92, 134, 139,
Birthday Card 22, 82–93 Firework Display 154–61 113, 116, 119 151, 159
Fantastic Flowers 22, 106–19 Fractal Trees 163–66 degrees, and direction 89 “glide” block 83
Spiralizer 22, 94–105 hiding 104 dice 64 global variables 220
Ask Gobo 22, 60–69 maximum number 96, 149, 154, difficulty Gobo 60–69
atmosphere 124–25 169, 179 making games harder 58 “go to” blocks 76, 105, 127, 131
Snowflake Simulator 175–77 slider 141 “go to front” block 153
special script affecting 96 Dino Dance Party 17, 22, 34–47, “go to mouse-pointer” block 28,
Spiralizer 94–97 164 127
B stamping a copy 149
unique identification number
directions 89
directory 220
gradient tool 147, 157
graphics 13, 220
backdrop 17
adding a message to 84–85 195, 196, 202, 203–04 division 108 “greater than” block 66
changing colour 167 Virtual Snow 144, 145, 147–49 Drumtastic 23, 190–97 green flag 17, 29
library 39, 51, 119, 152, 183 Window Cleaner 134, 136–39 grow tool 202
loading a new 39, 51, 62, 86 clubs, coding 8, 219 GUI (graphical user interface)
backpack 19, 21, 220
Birthday Card 22, 82–93
code 15
coding Eedit custom block 10–11, 221

bitmap graphics 220 clubs 8, 219

H
“Bitmap Mode” 72 parties 219 111–13
blocks 16, 220 what is coding? 10–23 editing sounds 189
actions performed by 17 colour editor mode 96 hack 220
custom 106–19 blending 146 ellipse tool 75, 145, 187, 201 hacks and tweaks
ready-made 15, 16 changing 26, 30–31, 32, 78, “equal to” block 66 Animal Race 57–58
running faster 211 160–61, 207 eraser tool 122, 125, 126, 187 Ask Gobo 67–69
blocks palette 20, 21, 28–30, 159 gradient 147, 157, 220 Events blocks 29, 31 Birthday Card 92–93
bookmarking projects 218 optical illusion 200–07 explosions 154, 158–59 Cat Art 32–33
Boole, George 66 colour palette 72, 73, 77, 125, 146, export 220 Dino Dance Party 46–47
Boolean conditions 66 201 Drumtastic 197
Boolean expressions 220 conditions 66, 220 Fantastic Flowers 118
Boolean operator: “not” 55
boxes, drawing 85, 146, 156
Control blocks 29
control key 19 Ffaces, creating your own 70–79 Firework Display 160–61
Fractal Trees 168–69
broadcast blocks 91, 160 controls Funny Faces 78
“broadcast message” block 54 camera 134, 139–40 “fairydust” 183 The Magic Spot 207
“broadcast and wait” block 165 keyboard 42, 188 Fantastic Flowers 22, 106–19 Snowflake Simulator 178–79
brush tool 72, 73, 75, 135, 146, 156 making games harder 58 “favourite” 219 Spiral-o-tron 215
bugs 15, 220 mouse 19, 28–29, 122, 127–30, File menu 36 Spiralizer 103–05
see also hacks and tweaks 134, 138, 154, 156, 157 files 220 Sprites and Sounds 188–89
touchscreen 182 fill tool 73, 77, 79, 97, 125, 136, 147, Tunnel of Doom 132–33
“Convert to vector” 158 174, 191, 203, 209 Virtual Snow 153
Firework Display 23, 154–61
C
coordinates 74, 83, 87, 89, 105, 118, Window Cleaner 140–41
131, 220 fisheye effect 33 hand movement, controlling by
C programming language 14 copies of projects 57, 93 Font menu 85 134
C++ programming language 14 costume editor 118 “for this sprite only” variable 159 hardware 220
calculations 108 costumes 220 “forever” block 17, 29, 33, 129 header blocks 220
call 109, 110, 220 centring 146, 158 “forever” loops 42, 46, 67, 78, 137, “hide” block 151
camera control 139–40 changing 37, 43, 78, 132 179, 196, 212, 213 “Hip-Hop” dance postures 47
Cat Art 22, 26–33 checking size 201–02 fortune-telling project 60 hypnotic effect 212
 Index 223
Iice crystals 173 M offline Scratch 18
online Scratch 18
Funny Faces 22, 70–9
The Magic Spot 200–07
Mac computers 18 operating systems (OS) 14, 221 sharing 218, 219
“if then” blocks 42, 43, 66, Magic Spot, The 23, 200–07 operators 221 Snowflake Simulator 172–79
97, 110, 130, 141, 149, 150, “Make a Block” 109, 209 Operators blocks 55, 66, 108 Spiral-o-tron 208–15
194, 206, 219 “Make a variable” button 50 optical illusions 23, 200–07, 212 Spiralizer 22, 94–105
“if then else” block 206 maths 108 “or” block 55 Sprites and Sounds 182–89
information storage, variables mazes 122–23, 125–27, 132 OS X computers 18 Tunnel of Doom 22, 122–33
48, 51 menus 20 output 221 Virtual Snow 144–53
input 220 message blocks 54–55, 130 Window Cleaner 22, 134–41
input windows 111, 112, messages 48, 221 Python 15, 219, 221
113, 191 microphone 208, 214
integer 220
interactive features 15
symbol 93, 189
mindbenders 23, 198–215
P
interface, Scratch 10–11
internet 18
The Magic Spot 23, 200–07
Spiral-o-tron 23, 208–15
paint editor
Birthday Card 88 QR
Dino Dance Party 37 questions, asking 60–69
invisible objects 144, 151–52 Minecraft 15 Firework Display 156 random block 150, 159
mirror images 46 Funny Faces 72–74 random locations 137
mobile phones 15 Magic Spot 201, 202 random numbers 60, 63, 64,
Moiré patterns 100
JK More blocks 109, 191, 209
Motion blocks 28, 41, 76
Snowflake Simulator 174
Tunnel of Doom 122, 125, 131
67–69, 105, 115, 172
random orders 69
Java 15 Virtual Snow 145, 146 Raspberry Pi 18, 19
JavaScript 15 motion detection 134, 139, Window Cleaner 135 recordings 93, 188
keyboard 140 parent sprite 96 rectangle tool 75, 79
letters as sounds 190, mouse particle effect 154, 160, 221 “remix” button 218
193–95 control 28–29, 122, 127–30, parties, coding 219 repeat loops 46
and mouse control 19 134, 138, 154, 156, 157 Pen blocks 30, 31, 95 Birthday Card 92
shortcuts 103 creating scripts 16 “pen down” block 95, 100, 105, 210 Dino Dance Party 44–45
sprite control 42, 188 mouse-pointer “pen up” block 210 Drumtastic 192, 194, 196
moving sprites 26, 104 photos, adding 93 Fantastic Flowers 108, 112
right-clicking 19 physics 221 Firework Display 159

Llaptops 15 “move” block 96, 98

movement
“pick random” blocks 64, 68, 113,
115, 117, 132, 150, 168, 177
Fractal Trees 168, 169
Snowflake Simulator 176, 178
and costume change 37–39, pixel art 221 Spiral-o-tron 210
“length” block 116 43–5 pixels 221 repeat until loops 128
“less than” block 66 moving patterns 154 “play sound” block 57, 130, 184 rotation styles 41, 46
libraries 221 multicoloured effect 32 “play sound until done” block 125, “Run without screen refresh” 211
backdrop 39, 51, 119, multiplayer games 141 184 running programs 29
152, 183 multiplication 108 “point in direction” block 42, 210
costumes 75 music 13 programming see coding
sounds 40, 57, 86, 124, 130, adding 40, 124–25
Ssaving work 31, 93, 115, 132, 141, 151
programming languages 13,
141, 184–87, 188 Drumtastic 190–91 14–15, 219, 221
sprite 36, 75, 96, 188, 195 Happy Birthday 86, 87, 90–91, see also Java; Python; Scratch
line tool 75, 156, 202 93 programs 221 online and offline Scratch 18
Linux computers 18 recording your own 93, 214 algorithms 44 “say” block 47, 51, 64, 68–69, 192
lists 221 singing animals 197 Boolean conditions 66 scale 119
local variables 221 Spiral-o-tron 208, 214 Boolean operators 55 scores 50, 51, 137, 140
Looks blocks 30 stopping 130 building 16 Scratch 13, 15
loops 29, 33, 119, 219, 221 tempo 197 loops 33 downloading and installing 18
and clones 77, 96, 105, 152 “Music Loops” 124 making choices 43, 60 exploring 218
countdown 139, 141 music and sound projects 23, running 17, 29 getting Scratch 2.0 18–19
forever 42, 46, 67, 78, 137, 179, 180–97 subprograms 106, 110 how Scratch works 16–17
196, 212, 213 Drumtastic 23, 190–97 writing 12 online and offline Scratch 18
loops inside loops 45 Sprites and Sounds 23, project page 218 Scratch 1.4 19
music 40 182–89 projects 221 Scratch interface 20–21
repeat 44–45, 46, 92, 108, Animal Race 22, 48–59 a typical Scratch project 17
112, 159, 168, 192, 194, Ask Gobo 22, 60–69 versions of 19

NO
196, 210 Birthday Card 22, 82–93 website 218
repeat until 128 Cat Art 22, 26–33 Scratch pen 94, 95, 100–02, 162,
and repeating patterns 162, names, player’s 50, 51 Dino Dance Party 34–47 208–09, 219
164, 168, 176, 178 networks 221 Drumtastic 190–97 Scratchers 221
and sprite movement 38 “new message” block 54 Fantastic Flowers 22, 106–19 scripts 16, 221
“loudness” block 215 “next costume” block 37, 38 Firework Display 154–61 building 16, 28–29
“love” 218, 219 “not” block 55 Fractal Trees 162–71 changing 30
224 W h at n e x t ?

running 29 special effects 13, 26, 33, 67, 78, statements 221 Fractal Trees 164–65
timing of 83 92, 153 “stop” block 59 global 220
triggering (“calling”) 109, 110 speech bubbles 61, 191 strings 192, 221 for individual clones 97–99, 159,
working together 17 Spiral-o-tron 23, 208–15 Studios tab 218 195, 200, 203
scripts area 20, 21, 28 Spiralizer 22, 94–105 subprograms 106, 110, 221 local 221
Scripts tab 21, 38, 89, 147, 203 sprites 16, 221 subtraction 108 The Magic Spot 207
secret pictures 144, 151–52 adding accessories to 75 subtraction block 119 playing with 219
“See inside” 218 adding code 136, 137 supercomputers 15 position 59
select tool 85, 88, 156 adding more 51–53, 57, 132 symmetry and random numbers 63, 64
Sensing blocks 42 adding movement 16, 41 six-fold 172, 173 sliders to alter value of 94,
servers 221 adding sounds 182–89 values 175 97–99, 102
“Share” button 219 adding speech 47 Snowflake Simulator 174
sharing projects 218, 219 built-in sounds 184 Spiral-o-tron 209, 212, 213, 214
shift key 19, 131, 145, 151
shortcuts, keyboard 103
centre point 73, 76, 131
changing colour 16, 67 Ttabs 20, 21 Window Cleaner 136
vector graphics 158, 221
shrink tool 202 changing costumes 36, 37, 67 vertical gradient 147, 157
simulations 23, 142–79, 221 changing size 32, 62, 92, 119, templates 118 Virtual Snow 23, 144–53
Firework Display 23, 154–61 127, 128, 129, 130 tempo 197 volume 214, 215
Fractal Trees 23, 162–71, 172, 174 copying 39 text tool 85
Snowflake Simulator 23, 172–79 creating your own 16, 70–79, 88, thought bubbles 59
Virtual Snow 23, 144–53
W
151, 156, 188 touchscreen computers 182
singing animals 197 dancing 34–47 trees
six-fold symmetry 172, 173 delivering messages 16 fractal 162–71 “wait” blocks 38, 152, 179
sliders invisible 151–52 true/false statements 55, 66 “wait until” blocks 55, 196
difficulty 141 mouse control 122–23, 127–30 Tunnel of Doom 22, 122–33, 140 web browsers 14, 18
hiding 104, 215 painting new 135–36 turbo mode 151, 152, 221 webcams 134, 139–40
playing with 219 painting with 26–33 “turn” blocks 78, 89, 98, 112, 166, websites 15
and value of variables 94, 97–99, renaming 52, 74, 76, 88, 124, 127, 196 Scratch 18, 218
102, 103, 215 145, 164 “turn 180 degrees” block 46 “when green flag clicked” block
Snowflake Simulator 23, 172–79 selecting new 36, 62 tweaks 29
software 18–19, 221 setting direction of 99 see hacks and tweaks “when I receive” block 165, 166,
sound 13, 180–97 sprite library 36, 75, 96, 188, 195 two-player games, Animal Race 48 170, 177, 196
adding 93, 124, 141, 214 sprites list 20 “when space key pressed” block
Drumtastic 190–97 using photos to make 93 31, 197
editing 189
previewing 124
see also clones
Sprites and Sounds 23, 182–89 UV Window Cleaner 22, 134–41
Windows operating system 14, 18
recording your own 188, 189, 214 stage 17, 20, 221 undo 126 word processors 14
library 40, 57, 86, 124, centre of 74 unpredictability 60, 64
130, 141, 184–87, 188 clearing 31, 33, 99, 110, 115, 179 upload 93
Spiral-o-tron 208, 214
Sprites and Sounds 182–89
decorating 51
flashing 156
variables 51, 221
Animal Race 48, 50, 51 XYZ
tempo 197 position on 74 Ask Gobo 60, 63, 64, 65, 66 x coordinates 74
volume 214, 215 scripts 40 countdown 138 y coordinates 74
Sound blocks 184 see also backdrop difficulty 139, 140, 141 yes/no questions
sound effects 57, 67, 105, 132, 189 “stamp” block 26, 30, 31, 77, 106, Drumtastic 191, 193, 195 Boolean operators 55
Sounds tab 21, 40, 57, 124, 183, 108, 149–50, 170 experimenting with 168–69 if then else 206
184, 188 starfield 153 Fantastic Flowers 119 zoom 21, 158

Acknowledgments
Dorling Kindersley would like to thank Caroline Hunt for proofreading; The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind
Helen Peters for the index; Sean Ross for help with Scratch; Ira Pundeer permission to reproduce their photographs:
for editorial assistance; Nishwan Rasool for picture research assistance;
and Vishal Bhatia for pre-production assistance. (Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-centre; f-far; l-left; r-right; t-top)

Jon Woodcock would like to thank all his code clubbers over the 134 123RF.com: Jacek Chabraszewski (b); Dreamstime.com: Pavel Losevsky
years for teaching him how to think in Scratch; and Matty and Amy (b/background); 163 Corbis: Trizeps Photography / photocuisine (cra); NASA:
for all their questions. (cr); Science Photo Library: SUSUMU NISHINAGA (crb); 173 NOAA: (tr)

Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT All other images © Dorling Kindersley
Media Lab. See http://scratch.mit.edu For further information see: www.dkimages.com