Scratch That Programming Itch
I don’t normally get excited about programming languages, but then I found Scratch. From the project’s homepage:
Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design.
At 8 months, drool is the only language my son can program, but I have some kids in the extended family who I think might benefit from the access to the learning skills and technology available in the Scratch. The drag-n-drop scripts make building animations and games a snap, the software ships several sample projects that can be remixed as needed.
Check it out. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about Scratch in the coming year.