Scratch Day: Different Spaces, Smiling Faces
By Saskia Leggett and My Nguyen
This post is the first 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!
Scratch Day is a global network of events that celebrates Scratch — and the young people who code and create with it. During Scratch Day, kids and adults gather to share projects and learn from one another.
Scratch Days can be large or small, for beginners or for more experienced Scratchers.
Whether you’re hosting a Scratch day with a few friends at your home, inviting your community to celebrate together at a library or a school, or organizing a larger event at a museum or university, there are many ways to arrange your space and design an agenda to meet, share, and learn together.
Here’s a look at how groups — both large and small — celebrate Scratch Day around the world:
Celebrating Scratch Day with a Small Group
Small groups can organize anywhere in any space! Ideal for Scratch newcomers, small groups can celebrate Scratch together by working on beginner projects at home, at a school, or at a community center.
Check out the small group planning agenda for ideas on how to plan out a Scratch Day, and the Intro Activities and Project Workshops on the Scratch Day Activities page for more small group inspiration.
Celebrating Scratch Day with a Small Group at a Venue
If you are a small group with access to a venue, you can gather in spaces such as museums, schools, or libraries, using multiple rooms or flexible space for breakout sessions.
Check out this agenda for ideas on how to plan out a Scratch Day at a venue, and the Scratch Day Activities page for more project inspiration.
Celebrating Scratch Day with a Large Group at a Venue
If gathering at a larger venue, you can celebrate Scratch Day with many people by organizing a fair-like event, where participants can sample many informal activities, discussions, and projects over the course of the day.
Cambridge, Massachusetts (MIT Media Lab)
Check out the large group planning agenda for ideas on how to design a Scratch Day for a bigger group, and the Scratch Day Activities page for more activity inspiration.
Educators
Educators can host Scratch Days, too! Check out the ScratchEd Meetup Guide and the Scratch for Educators agenda for information on designing spaces for educators to share resources, explore Scratch, discuss best practices, and, of course, celebrate Scratch together!
What kind of Scratch Day will you create?
Visit day.scratch.mit.edu for more tips and resources for hosting a Scratch Day in your community.
Saskia Leggett is Outreach Manager for the Scratch Team.
My Nguyen is Communications Specialist for the Scratch Foundation.
