About – ScratchJr Connect

Group picture of the lab members of DevTech Research Group, 2019

Who created this site?

This site was created by members of the DevTech Research Group at Tufts University with the goal of providing a virtual space for sharing resources. Special thanks to Martina Tan, Devon Minor, Emil Polakiewicz, Matthew Fiedler, and Thomas Ribeiro, who built upon earlier work by Eddie Futterman, Hyejin Im, and others. The DevTech Research Group, directed by Prof. Marina Bers, in collaboration with Lifelong Kindergarten (directed by Mitch Resnick at the MIT Media Lab), and the Playful Invention Company, developed the free ScratchJr introductory programming language with generous support from the National Science Foundation and the Scratch Foundation.

What is ScratchJr?

ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5-7) to create their own interactive stories and games. Children can create characters in the paint editor, add their own voices and sounds, even insert photos of themselves, then bring their characters to life by snapping together the graphical programming blocks. ScratchJr is currently used by millions of children all over the world and translated in over 50 languages. It is available as a free app for both iPad and Android tablets. For more information, see scratchjr.org.

An iPad screenshot of the ScratchJr app, with a basic forest setting and characters on the canvas and a simple program assembled at the bottom of the editor.

Want to know more about this site? Please contact us with any further questions!