Hopscotch. Coding with visual language

Hopscotch is a  dedicated programming app designed to teach child the language of programming and  how to code and programme. Programming and coding is a huge feature in the New Curriculum 2013 for all key stages in the Computing Strand.

Free App

If you are familiar with the old favourite progamming application Scratch, then Hopscotch is a junior version of Scratch and a really good entry point into programming. I particularly like Hopscotch because its not a passive programme. Hopscotch requires the students to engage, to engage in various levels of thinking and to input data. Its not a drag and drop app.


You begin by choosing a sprite, or a creature  to manipulate, to follow the commands you programme. On the left hand side of the screen are the "blocks", the sections of commands. These you select and drop and drag onto the screen to build up the code. All blocks have text boxes for the user to add commands eg set rotation to degrees, and you add in the number of degrees. Hence the need for critical thinking. Entering random numbers is NOT going to achieve anything.
A click on the play button and the screen swaps into viewing mode and you can watch your creature follow your commands.

To extend that level of thinking the students need to add negative and positive integers to make the creature move left or right.
The students can then begin designing their own "games" or activities, as you can see from this photo.

How is this app used at TX.

I'm just beginning coding and programming with Year 6. We started by using the Bee-Bots so the children new to coding, could experience some success, especially at the higher levels. Bee-Bots required a a certain level of thinking and problemsolving. Hoscotch is a natural progression along the coding continuum.