ABSTRACT
ScratchJr is a digital playground for coding. They spent a great amount of time working in partnership with graphic designers so the interface would convey playfulness. ScratchJr has a user's library of projects, a main project editor, and tools for selecting and drawing characters and background graphics. Many of ScratchJr's design features support problem solving by reducing unnecessary low-level cognitive burdens, freeing up mental resources for high-level processes such as troubleshooting a script that produces unexpected outcomes. These design decisions keep the challenge at an appropriate level and may help young children devote sufficient cognitive resources to the many high-level thinking processes involved in imagining and creating a program. A popular kindergarten activity with ScratchJr involves designing and creating collages with embedded animations about their favorite places, activities, or special people in their lives. Children exploring storytelling have used classic storybooks by Eric Carle, Mo Willems, and Maurice Sendak for inspiration, and then programmed their own original multi-page stories.
