8 Best Scratch Coding Courses & Classes for Kids (2026)

Last updated: July 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.

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Scratch, created by the MIT Media Lab, is how a huge share of the world’s programmers wrote their first line of — well, block of — code. You snap together colourful blocks to make characters move, react, and tell stories, learning the logic of programming (loops, conditionals, events, variables) without wrestling with syntax. It is completely free, browser-based, and designed for children roughly 7 and up. That shapes our advice: because the tool and the best courses are free, we lead with those and treat paid courses as an optional structured add-on.

The best Scratch courses in 2026

1. CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Scratch — Harvard / edX (Best overall, free)

It is hard to beat a free course from Harvard. This is a gentler, Scratch-only offshoot of the famous CS50, and it teaches real computer-science thinking — functions, loops, variables, events — entirely through Scratch. You can audit the full course for free on edX (a paid certificate is optional). For most kids and beginners, this plus the free Scratch editor is all you need.

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2. Full Scratch 3.0 Programming Course: Beginner to Advanced — Udemy (Best paid)

If you prefer a single, structured video path — useful for a parent guiding a child, or a self-directed older kid — this is the pick. Rated 4.6★, it covers Scratch 3.0 (the current version) from first blocks through more advanced projects. A paid course like this buys sequencing and hand-holding, which some learners value over piecing together free material.

3. Introduction to Basic Game Development using Scratch — Coursera

A short, free-to-audit guided project that gets a learner building a simple game in Scratch within an hour or two. A good, low-commitment way to see whether Scratch clicks before investing more time.

4. Scratch 3 for Teachers: Teach Coding with Games — Udemy

Aimed at educators rather than learners, this focuses on how to teach Scratch to a class — lesson structure, projects, and keeping children engaged. Worth it for teachers and homeschooling parents building a curriculum.

Free ways to learn Scratch

Scratch is one of the few topics where the free resources are genuinely the best:

• Scratch itself (scratch.mit.edu) — the free editor, plus MIT’s own starter tutorials and a huge library of remixable community projects.
• CS50’s Scratch course (above) — free to audit from Harvard.
• Code.org — free Scratch-style courses and Hour of Code activities for classrooms and home.

What Scratch actually teaches

Scratch hides syntax, not substance. By snapping blocks together, a child learns the same concepts a professional uses every day:

• Sequencing — the order of steps matters.
• Loops — repeating actions efficiently.
• Conditionals — “if this, then that” decision-making.
• Events — making things happen in response to clicks, keys, or messages.
• Variables and simple data — scores, lives, and keeping track of state.

These transfer directly to Python, JavaScript, and every other language — which is exactly why Scratch is the world’s most common first coding language.

Scratch vs other beginner coding tools

Parents often weigh Scratch against the other big names. Scratch (MIT) is free, open-ended, and creativity-first — the best all-round starting point. Code.org is also free and more curriculum-structured, which schools like; it pairs well with Scratch. Blockly is the underlying block technology many tools are built on, not a product itself. Paid platforms like Tynker add gamified courses and hand-holding, which some families value, but they teach the same fundamentals Scratch does for free. Our take: start with free Scratch plus the CS50 course; only pay for a platform if your child needs the extra structure and motivation of a guided game.

Where to go after Scratch

Scratch is a starting point, not a destination. Once a child is comfortable with loops, conditionals, and events, the natural next step is a real text-based language. Python is the usual recommendation — readable and forgiving — while game-minded kids often jump to Roblox (Luau) or Minecraft (Java). See our best Python courses for the typical next move.

Scratch courses: frequently asked questions

What age is Scratch good for?

Scratch is designed for children roughly 7 and up, and there is a simpler ScratchJr app for ages 5–7. It is the most widely used first coding language for kids because it removes syntax and focuses on the logic of programming.

Is Scratch free?

Yes, completely. The Scratch editor is free to use in a browser or as a download from scratch.mit.edu, with no account required to start. Paid courses teach you how to use Scratch well, but the tool itself never costs anything.

Is Scratch real coding?

Yes. Scratch teaches the core concepts of programming — sequencing, loops, conditionals, events, variables, and even basic data structures — using visual blocks instead of typed syntax. The concepts transfer directly to text-based languages like Python and JavaScript.

What should my child learn after Scratch?

Once the logic clicks, move to a text-based language. Python is the most common next step because it is readable and beginner-friendly. Kids who love games often move to Roblox (Luau) or Minecraft (Java) modding, which keep the motivation high while introducing real syntax.

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