Scratch is a free program that allows children to create interactive stories, games, and animations through drag-and-drop blocks. The document encourages parents to have their children download Scratch at home to continue projects they have started in school and further develop their creativity and problem-solving skills. Scratch comes from MIT and is safe to download, though children can optionally join a moderated online community to share and comment on projects.

1. imagine • program • share
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Your child has been learning to program a computer using software which is free to download from
the Internet, called Scratch. Your child has expressed an interest in continuing their projects at
home.
What is Scratch?
Scratch is a downloadable program for your PC or Mac, that makes it easy for you to program your
own interactive stories, games and animations, through colourful drag-and-drop blocks. It comes
with some background images, characters and sounds ready to use, but you can also add your
own images and sounds, making it even more fun.
Why should they download it?
Programming in Scratch is an ideal way to encourage creativity and problem solving skills, while
also helping them to become more confident with ICT skills that could help them in many future
careers.
Is it safe?
The software comes from trusted and respected Education institute, MIT, and is safe to download.
Will my child have to sign up for anything?
Your child doesn't need to sign up for anything, but there is a free online moderated community
that your child can join where they can share their projects with others. There is a huge benefit in
sharing projects and receiving and giving constructive comments. For further information see
http://scratch.mit.edu.
Is it free? Where can my child download it?
Yes, completely free. You can download Scratch at http://scratch.mit.edu for the PC or Mac.