About This Course
Children of this age do not need to memorise syntax. They need to discover that a computer will do exactly what they tell it to, and that debugging is a puzzle rather than a failure. Scratch teaches both by letting them drag blocks together and watch something move immediately.
Who this course is for
- Children aged 8 to 13 with no coding experience
- Kids who love games and could be building them instead of only playing them
- Students who will meet Python or C at school in a year or two and should arrive ready
- Families abroad who want screen time that produces something
What your child will be able to do by the end
- Build a working game with a score, levels and a win condition
- Use loops, conditions, variables and events, and explain what each one does
- Break a big idea into small steps, which is the actual skill being taught here
- Find out why something is not working and fix it without giving up
- Animate a story with characters, dialogue and sound
- Present a finished project and talk through how it was made
Course outline
| Week |
Topic |
What your child makes |
| 1 |
The Scratch stage, sprites and motion |
A character that moves and reacts |
| 2 |
Loops and repetition |
A drawing program with patterns |
| 3 |
Events and keyboard control |
A maze the player steers through |
| 4 |
Conditions and collisions |
A catch-the-falling-objects game |
| 5 |
Variables, score and lives |
Adding scoring and a game-over screen |
| 6 |
Sound, costumes and animation |
An animated story with dialogue |
| 7 |
Levels and putting it together |
A two level game of their own design |
| 8 |
Project showcase |
A finished project presented to the class |
What parents should know
- Classes are live with a real tutor. No videos, no unsupervised platform time.
- Groups are small, and children are grouped by age so the pace suits them
- Scratch is free and browser based, made by MIT, and widely used in schools worldwide
- You are welcome to sit in on any class, particularly the first one
- You get a short note on your child's progress and what they built, so you can see the value
- For the first two classes, please help your child join the call. After that most children manage alone.
What you need to join
- A laptop or desktop computer with a mouse. Tablets work poorly for drag-and-drop coding, and phones do not work.
- A stable internet connection
- Headphones, which help children concentrate
Common questions
Is Scratch real programming?
Yes. The blocks represent the same loops, conditions and variables used in Python or Java, minus the typing and the punctuation errors. Children learn the thinking first and pick up syntax far faster afterwards.
My child is 7. Can they join?
Sometimes, if they read comfortably and can follow instructions on a call. Book a demo class and the tutor will tell you honestly.
What comes after this?
Python. Most children are ready for it at around 12 or 13, or straight after this course if they are older.
We are in a different timezone. Can classes fit after school?
Yes. We teach families in 15+ countries, and weekend and after-school slots are the most requested ones we run.
Browse our other programming courses, or if you would prefer one tutor working with your child alone, request a tutor — finding and connecting with a tutor is free, and you pay only the lesson fee you agree.
How It Works
- All classes are conducted live online — interactive sessions, not pre-recorded videos.
- Taught by a verified eTutors Academy tutor with a structured syllabus.
- Certificate of completion awarded at the end of the course.
- After you enroll, our team contacts you on WhatsApp to confirm your schedule.
About the Instructor
eTutors Academy Computer Science Faculty
