10 Tips for Hosting Scratch Day
By Saskia Leggett
This post is the second in a series aimed at getting ready for Scratch Day 2016. This year’s Scratch Day is on May 14th, but you can host a Scratch Day any day of the year!
For a look at how groups — both large and small — celebrate Scratch Day around the world, click here.
Encourage exploration
Keeping activities open goes a long way! Providing a variety of open-ended activities encourages participants to get creative, design personally meaningful projects, and learn by doing. Gently encourage participants to move out of their comfort zones to try new activities, concepts, or projects.
Create opportunities for collaboration
Help Scratchers meet and celebrate together with activities that invite collaboration. Consider pairing Scratchers together, asking advanced Scratchers to help orient new Scratchers, or designing projects where Scratchers can design and add their own sprites to a group project.
Check out the Group Activities section in the Scratch Day Activity list for more ideas.
Surface interests
It can sometimes take time for people to determine what kind of project they want to make. Create an environment that is open to many interests. Ask questions like “What do you like to do?”, and encourage Scratchers to create projects that relate to their interests.
Be flexible
More often than not, planned ideas turn out very differently than we expect them to! Just like we encourage Scratchers to be open to mistakes and failures, we encourage facilitators to go with the flow and get creative with at-hand resources. If your wifi is spotty, feel free to go analog with Scratch bingo or Scratch cat-themed crafts. If Scratchers want to do their own thing, that’s okay too!
Engage Scratchers of all kinds
The Scratch community is made up of young people with very diverse interests and abilities. From storytellers and artists, to gamers and animators, Scratchers vary across age, expertise, and interests.
If you’re organizing an event for a broad audience, try offering a variety of activity types, in addition to activities that engage different skill levels and ages. At Scratch Day @ MIT, we offer a ScratchJr workshop aimed at younger children ages 5–7, as well as an introductory Scratch session, an activity for advanced Scratchers, and a variety of other activities.
Food!
We believe food is a crucial component of any event. Providing snacks or a meal can help attract participants to your event, but more importantly, it can serve as an expression of caring, help foster a sense of community, and bring an element of joy to your Scratch Day! Consider asking local vendors or restaurants to donate food items as you plan your event.
Connect with the Scratch community
Searching for more ideas for your Scratch Day? Utilize the Scratch community! Search through the Scratch studios for more project inspiration, check out the stories, resources, and discussions from educators on ScratchEd, and connect with other facilitators around the world via Twitter or Facebook.
Spread the word
Register as a Host on the Scratch Day site to post your event. When people search for Scratch Day events in your area, your event will appear. Use social media to share more details and connect with other Scratch Day hosts.
Share with the world
Make sure to document your event with photos and video to share your day with the rest of the world! Use the hashtag #scratchday on social media to connect with Scratch Day celebrators around the globe. (If you plan to share photos online, consider asking participants to sign a media release form during the event.)
You can also organize projects made during Scratch Day into a studio for participants to access after the event.
Have fun!
Most importantly, Scratch Day is about celebrating! Join participants in celebrating Scratch, each other, and the day you spent connecting, creating, and learning together!
For additional ideas for organizing a Scratch Day, check out our Tips for Effective Facilitating.
Saskia Leggett is Outreach Manager for the Scratch Team.
