Scratch is a programming platform designed to make programming accessible and engaging for people of all ages. It was developed to help individuals who hadn't previously imagined themselves as programmers to create interactive stories, games, animations, and simulations. The Scratch website has become a vibrant online community where users share, discuss, and remix each other's projects. Scratch is often referred to as "the YouTube of interactive media," with over 1,500 new projects uploaded daily. The core audience is between the ages of eight and 16, though many adults also participate. As users program and share interactive projects, they learn important mathematical and computational concepts, as well as how to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively—skills essential for the 21st century. The primary goal is not to prepare people for careers as professional programmers but to nurture a new generation of creative, systematic thinkers comfortable using programming to express their ideas. The design principles of Scratch include making it more tinkerable, more meaningful, and more social than other programming environments. Scratch is highly interactive, allowing users to experiment with new ideas incrementally and iteratively. It supports a wide range of projects, from stories and games to tutorials and simulations, and allows users to personalize their projects with photos, music, and voice recordings. Scratch is also a social platform, with a strong emphasis on sharing and collaboration. Users can remix and build upon each other's projects, leading to a rich community of creators. The Scratch website has become a vibrant online community, with people sharing, discussing, and remixing one another's projects. The platform has been used by students and educators around the world, and it has inspired a variety of projects, including games, educational simulations, and creative works. The future of Scratch includes expanding its accessibility and educational support, as well as developing new features such as a Scratch Sensor Board and versions that run on mobile devices and the web. The goal is to make Scratch even more tinkerable, meaningful, and social, while also expanding the notion of "digital fluency" to include designing and creating, not just browsing and interacting.Scratch is a programming platform designed to make programming accessible and engaging for people of all ages. It was developed to help individuals who hadn't previously imagined themselves as programmers to create interactive stories, games, animations, and simulations. The Scratch website has become a vibrant online community where users share, discuss, and remix each other's projects. Scratch is often referred to as "the YouTube of interactive media," with over 1,500 new projects uploaded daily. The core audience is between the ages of eight and 16, though many adults also participate. As users program and share interactive projects, they learn important mathematical and computational concepts, as well as how to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively—skills essential for the 21st century. The primary goal is not to prepare people for careers as professional programmers but to nurture a new generation of creative, systematic thinkers comfortable using programming to express their ideas. The design principles of Scratch include making it more tinkerable, more meaningful, and more social than other programming environments. Scratch is highly interactive, allowing users to experiment with new ideas incrementally and iteratively. It supports a wide range of projects, from stories and games to tutorials and simulations, and allows users to personalize their projects with photos, music, and voice recordings. Scratch is also a social platform, with a strong emphasis on sharing and collaboration. Users can remix and build upon each other's projects, leading to a rich community of creators. The Scratch website has become a vibrant online community, with people sharing, discussing, and remixing one another's projects. The platform has been used by students and educators around the world, and it has inspired a variety of projects, including games, educational simulations, and creative works. The future of Scratch includes expanding its accessibility and educational support, as well as developing new features such as a Scratch Sensor Board and versions that run on mobile devices and the web. The goal is to make Scratch even more tinkerable, meaningful, and social, while also expanding the notion of "digital fluency" to include designing and creating, not just browsing and interacting.