As a software engineer, I wanted to introduce my children to computer programming concepts in a way that was fun. Scratch fit that quest. Scratch is a free graphical, drag and drop style, programming language for elementary & middle school age kids written by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). It is a wonderful way to introduce your child to the concepts of computer programming! Not only did I use it with my own kids, who loved it, but I also piloted a summer fun programming series with 4th and 5th grade students at a local elementary school. Over the summer, I emailed the kids detailed instructions each week and, of course, answered any questions via email. At the end of the programming series, the children had learned enough about Scratch to head off on their own. They also had a very cool program, which they wrote themselves, to show off to their family, friends and teachers. Most all of the students reported back that they loved it! Many went on to create some neat projects of their own.
