Looking for a fun Hour of Code tutorial to try for your class, after school with a group of children, or even at home by yourself? We've got you covered with a ton of simple and fun ways to explore computer science.
Up first, we'll guide you through making a unique animated character in Scratch as a fun coding tutorial. Then, we'll share 10 beginner-friendly tutorials. From coding with The Grinch, to saving an ocean with Artificial Intelligence, you're sure to find something you'll enjoy!
Follow this Hour of Code tutorial step by step
Let's get started creating your own Scratch coding sprite and animating it, as an interesting Hour of Code tutorial! At the end, we'll reveal a fun twist that allows you to use any image you want. We'll also show you how to upload it to your account so you can save it and easily share it with friends.
1. Go to the Scratch website
Open the page on Scratch at MIT. Next, click on the “create” button to make a new project. You should have a screen that looks like this:
2. Create your image
Select the paint brush from the Scratch sprite menu. Draw whatever you want!
3. Copy it
Right click or control click and select duplicate. Make four copies of the original sprite.
4. Make each new sprite unique
On the second and fourth copy regroup one section of the Sprite. On the second copy use the handle to move the selection in one direction and on the fourth copy in a different direction. Maybe try doing two or three changes to each image this time!
5. Code it and test it
Use this code and then click the green flag to test your animation!
For a fun twist, use any existing image you already love as your sprite character. Go to a free image site like Unsplash or Pixabay, and download the image you like.
Select upload from the Sprite Menu and navigate to your photo (probably on Downloads or Desktop).
Use the eraser tool to remove the background. Make the eraser larger if you want to remove more area quickly, smaller if you want to erase more detailed sections. You can also try a tool that removes the background, before you upload the image.
Make four copies of the original sprite and again make some changes based on what you’d like your animation to look like. Use the same code as before to test it out, and just like magic you've got a cool animated sprite!
For live expert guidance creating cool games join our Scratch coding class, designed by professionals from Google, Stanford, and MIT:
10 Fun Hour of Code Tutorials
Discover some of the best beginner Hour of Code tutorials. From a space adventure to a Star Wars galaxy, and even Disney's Frozen, there's a something fun to try for everyone as you explore coding for kids!
1. Space adventure
Grades: 2+
Write real code to help the monkey astronaut catch bananas in space! This game consists of over 17 levels, and students will learn CoffeeScript, a programming language that is easy and functional. Start here.
2. AI for oceans
Grades: 3+
Learn about machine learning and ethical use of AI, as you clean up the ocean and complete other fun activities. Garbage dumped in the water affects marine life. In your first activity, train AI to identify fish or trash. Get started cleaning up the ocean!
3. Shark attack game
Grades: 2+
Learn the basics of coding your own game with MakeCode Arcade. First, you'll create a main character that shoots some projectiles. Maybe that's a duck that shoots bubbles, or a monkey throwing bananas, or a cat that spits hairballs--it's up to you. Then, you'll advance to completing the challenging shark game. Start here.
4. Star Wars
Grades: 2+
Build a galaxy with code. Learn to program droids, and create your own Star Wars game in a galaxy far, far away. Start with getting scrap metal and progress to your whole world. Start here.
5. Boat race
Grades: 2+
Learn how to make a boat racing game. The player uses the mouse to navigate a boat to a desert island without bumping into obstacles. Begin here.
6. The Grinch
Grades: 2+
Learn to program drones and a high tech sleigh with coding magic to capture presents and navigate down the mountain to return Christmas to Whoville. Find the tutorial here.
7. Code with Anna and Elsa
Grades: 2+
Use code to join Anna and Elsa as they explore the magic and beauty of ice. In this fun activity, you will create snowflakes and patterns as you ice-skate and make a winter wonderland that you can then share with your friends! Start here.
8. Cookie clicker
Grades: 2+
Find out how to make the cookie clicker game with Scratch! It was first created by the French programmer Julien “Orteil” Thiennot in 2013. In fact, the first version was coded in just one night. In order to play the game, the user clicks on a big cookie to earn a point per click.
9. Minecraft village
Grades: 2+
Join a fun 1-hour free class to find out how to setup Minecraft Education, and then get started on a self-guided tutorial that teaches basics of block coding and some key concepts. Code a series of steps to prevent the spread of fire, save a village, and bring life back into a cool forest with the help of artificial intelligence!
10. Kahoot! challenge
Join us for a fun-filled hour to play a set of Kahoot! games and review coding Scratch coding concepts. We will play 3 levels - starting from level 1, all the way to Level 3. Everyone is welcome to join. Or if you enjoy self-paced learning, make a Kahoot! game with this tutorial.
Find even more fun Hour of Code tutorial ideas for beginners on Code.org.
What does Hour of Code teach you?
Hour of Code teaches you computer science. It helps to show that coding isn't scary and that anyone can learn the basics. The goal of the hour and all the activities is to broaden participation in the field of computer science.
What is the Hour of Code tutorial?
The Hour of Code tutorial is a way to try coding for an hour, even if you're a beginner! Choose from hundreds of one-hour tutorials designed for all ages in over 45 languages on Code.org.
Enjoy your favorite Hour of Code tutorial
We hope you find a tutorial you enjoy, that helps unlock a love of STEM learning! We're here to help you continue your computer science journey, and learn 30+ different subjects from robotics to Python, Roblox coding, and even AI. Sign up for free coding classes for kids to begin your adventure today.
If you're a teacher or parent looking to lead an Hour of Code session, please get in touch here. We'd love to help you.
