Pick Your Scratch Project
Exploring Project Ideas: Games, Stories, Animations
Now that you’ve learned the basics and built your first project, it’s time to get creative and pick what you want to make next! Scratch isn’t just about games (though those are super fun)—you can create stories, animations, quizzes, and so much more.
Types of Projects You Can Make in Scratch:
- Games
- Make your own versions of classics (like “catch the fruit,” maze games, or platformers).
- Invent something totally new—maybe a game where a unicorn has to jump over rainbows!
- Games are fun because you can add scores, timers, and sound effects to make them exciting and challenging.
- Stories
- Tell a funny, dramatic, or inspiring story by animating sprites and changing backdrops.
- Add conversations with speech bubbles (“say” blocks) and move your sprites around to act out scenes.
- Use costume and backdrop changes for cool transitions and plot twists!
- Animations
- Create a cartoon or mini-movie where sprites dance, jump, or act out a scene.
- Try animating a rocket blasting off, a flower growing, or a superhero flying across the screen.
- Add sound effects or music to make your animation more lively.
- Quizzes & Interactive Projects
- Build a fun quiz that asks the player questions and gives feedback.
- Create an interactive card where clicking on sprites gives fun facts or surprises.
Where to Find Inspiration:
- Explore the Scratch community page (scratch.mit.edu/explore/projects/)—see what others have made and remix something you like!
- Think about your favourite games, cartoons, stories, or hobbies. How could you turn those into a Scratch project?
Tips to Pick Your Project:
- Start with something simple—a maze game, animated card, or short story.
- Think about what you enjoy. Do you like drawing characters? Telling jokes? Designing challenges?
- Don’t worry about making it perfect! The best projects start as small ideas and grow as you experiment and learn.
Challenge for You:
Pick a project type (game, story, or animation) and write down your idea in one or two sentences. For example:
“I want to make a game where a dog catches bouncing balls.”
OR
“I want to animate a sunrise over a mountain.”
This will be your starting point for your next Scratch adventure!
Selecting a Project Based on Interests
Choosing a project is more fun (and motivating!) when it’s something you actually care about or find exciting. Don’t just pick a random idea—pick one that makes you smile or that’s connected to your favorite things. Here’s how to decide:
1. What Makes You Curious or Excited?
Ask yourself:
- Do you love playing games?
- Are you a fan of cartoons, comics, or movies?
- Do you like solving puzzles or making people laugh with stories?
- Is there a hobby or topic you’re passionate about—like space, sports, pets, or food?
2. Think of Your Favorite Media
- If you enjoy a certain video game, could you make a mini version of it?
- If you love a TV show or anime, can you animate your favorite character?
- If you like reading stories, maybe try creating a digital storybook.
3. Look for Inspiration Everywhere
- Your pet chasing its tail? Make a game out of it!
- The weather outside—rain, sun, snow? Make an animation about it!
- A cool science fact you learned? Build a quiz or demo.
4. Try Remixing
Visit the Scratch website, find a project you like, and remix it. Add your own changes and creativity! Remixing is a great way to start without feeling overwhelmed.
5. Keep It Simple (at First!)
Choose a project that feels manageable—like a maze game, a dancing sprite, or a two-scene story—especially if you’re just starting out. You can always add more features later!
Mini Exercise:
Take a minute right now and jot down:
- What project would you love to build?
- What sprites or characters would you use?
- What’s one fun thing you want your project to do?
Example Answers:
- “I want to create an underwater adventure game with a fish collecting pearls.”
- “I’d love to animate my cat doing silly tricks.”
- “I want to make a quiz about dinosaurs for my friends.”
Remember, this is YOUR project—let your interests and imagination guide you!
Outlining Project Goals and Features
Now that you’ve picked a project idea that excites you, it’s time to plan what your project should achieve—and what cool features you want to include. This step helps you stay focused and gives your project a sense of direction (like a treasure map for your coding adventure!).
1. Define Your Main Goal
Ask yourself:
- What is the purpose of my project?
- Is it to entertain?
- To teach something?
- To challenge the player?
- Or just for fun?
Examples:
- For a game: “The goal is to catch as many apples as possible before the timer runs out.”
- For a story: “The goal is to make people laugh with a funny adventure about a superhero cat.”
- For a quiz: “The goal is to test knowledge of space facts and give players a score.”
2. List the Key Features You Want
Think about what will make your project interesting and fun:
- What can the player do? (e.g., move a character, answer questions, click buttons)
- Are there scores, levels, or challenges?
- Do you want to add animations, sound effects, or background music?
- What happens when the player wins or loses?
Simple Table Example:
| Feature | What Does It Do? |
|---|---|
| Player controls basket | Move left/right with arrow keys |
| Score system | Adds points when apple is caught |
| Animations | Sprites “bounce” when caught |
| Sound effects | “Pop!” sound when apple is caught |
| Game over condition | Shows message if timer reaches zero |
3. Break Down Special Effects
Special touches make your project unique!
- Will you switch costumes for animation?
- Change backdrops for new scenes or levels?
- Add sound effects when something fun happens?
4. Sketch Out a Basic Flow
You can write steps like a mini-story or flowchart:
- Show game start screen
- Control sprite to catch falling apples
- Add to score for each catch
- Show “Game Over” when time is up
Pro Tip:
Don’t try to do everything at once! Choose two or three key features to start, and add more as you get comfortable in Scratch. You can always upgrade your project later!
Mini Challenge:
Write down your project’s main goal and your top three features.
Example:
Main goal: “Make a fun game where the dog collects bones.”
Top features: “Player controls the dog, score increases for each bone, sound effect plays on catch.”
Well done—you’re now ready to start building your unique Scratch creation!
