Games and Apps from Scratch

A great introduction to game logic, layout, design, and play, play, play! Maybe the most fun and innovative camps of the summer. Perennially, our most popular camp over the past 10 years. Direct from the laboratories at MIT, with Scratch students design and compose their own world and gaming environments, and then use Scratch visual coding to create their own interactive stories, games, and animations. When complete the children can publish their creations and share them with others in the online community and download any of the hundreds of thousands of games produced by others. A truly unique visual environment that opens the doors to logic, coding and “design thought” for even the youngest learners. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century. Participants investigate the how, why and fun of computer programming in this interactive camp, all within a comfortable, non-intimidating visual environment. Students will engage in problem solving strategies and create their own unique games, animations and interactive stories using logic concepts such as Cartesian coordinates, variables, decisions, and iterative processes. No prior programming experience required – basic keyboarding ability and nothing more. Camp attendees must bring their own computer; Windows or Apple / Mac work equally well. iPads can work but there is functionality (key up, key down, other keyboard events) that will not work, and can be “glitchy” with Scratch.