Create Your Social Story on Scratch - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Create Your Social Story on Scratch

Design and code a short interactive social story on Scratch, adding characters, dialogues, and simple animations to practice storytelling and basic programming skills.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to create your social story on Scratch

What you need

Scratch account, paper, pencil

Step 1

Pick one social situation for your story like sharing a toy making a new friend or asking for help

Step 2

Write a short script of 3 to 6 lines on your paper for the characters to say

Step 3

Open Scratch and start a new project

Step 4

Delete the default cat sprite and choose sprites for each character in your story

Step 5

Choose a background (stage) that fits the place where your story happens

Step 6

Give each sprite a clear name that matches a character from your script

Step 7

For each line in your script add a "say" block to the matching sprite and type the exact sentence

Step 8

Add simple animations to sprites using "move" "glide" or "next costume" blocks to show actions

Step 9

Use "wait" blocks or "broadcast" messages to make the dialogue happen in the right order

Step 10

Add sounds or short music by using "play sound" blocks or uploading a sound for a sprite

Step 11

Click the green flag to test your story from start to finish and watch how it plays

Step 12

Edit any text timing or animation blocks that need fixing and test again until it flows nicely

Step 13

Save your project and give it a title that matches your social story

Step 14

Share your finished creation on DIY.org

Help!?

If we can't access the Scratch website or DIY.org, what can we use instead?

Use the Scratch Offline Editor (Scratch Desktop) or ScratchJr to create and save your project locally, export the .sb3 file or record a video of the green-flag test, and upload or email that file later instead of sharing directly on DIY.org.

My characters all speak at once instead of one after another — how do I fix the timing?

Add appropriate 'wait' blocks after each sprite's 'say' block or use 'broadcast' messages so each sprite's script starts only when the previous sprite finishes, matching the instruction to use wait or broadcast for order.

How can I adapt this Scratch social story for younger or older children?

For younger kids keep the script to 3 lines, choose simple sprites and use only 'say' and 'next costume' or basic 'move' blocks, while older kids can add broadcasts, 'if' branching, custom voice recordings and more complex glides or variables for richer interactions.

How can we personalize or extend the finished story beyond the basic steps?

Personalize by uploading photos as sprites or stage backgrounds, record each character's voice with 'play sound', add branching outcomes using 'broadcast' plus 'if' blocks for alternate endings, and refine animations before saving and sharing on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to create your social story on Scratch

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A Short Story Making In Scratch | Step By Step

4 Videos

Facts about block-based coding and digital storytelling for kids

🐱 Scratch's friendly mascot is the orange Scratch Cat that appears in many starter projects.

🧩 Scratch uses colorful drag-and-drop code blocks that snap together like puzzle pieces—perfect for beginners.

🌍 The Scratch website and editor are available in dozens of languages so kids around the world can create.

🔁 Scratch encourages remixing—kids can view, copy, and improve other projects to learn by doing.

🧠 Social stories were developed to teach social skills using short scenes and simple dialogue—ideal for tiny interactive projects.

How do I create a short interactive social story on Scratch?

Start by choosing a simple social situation and the message you want to teach. Sketch characters, scenes, and short dialogue. On Scratch, create sprites and backdrops, use 'say' or 'broadcast' blocks for dialogue, and motion/looks blocks for animations. Add clickable events or broadcast messages to make interactions. Test each scene, fix timing or speech bubbles, then save and share. Keep scenes short and choices clear for easier understanding.

What materials do I need to make a social story on Scratch?

You need a computer or tablet with internet and a modern browser, and a free Scratch account (optional for saving/sharing). Have a mouse or trackpad, headphones, paper and pencil for planning scripts, and an optional microphone for recording voices. Printed images or stickers can be used for inspiration. Adult help may be needed to set up accounts and explain basic blocks.

What ages is creating a Scratch social story suitable for?

This activity suits children roughly ages 7–14. Younger children (about 5–6) can join with caregiver assistance to place sprites and record lines, enjoying drag-and-drop coding. Older kids and teens can add variables, conditionals, and branching choices to make interactive stories more advanced. Tailor complexity, session length, and adult support to each child’s reading level and attention span.

What are the benefits of designing social stories on Scratch?

Making social stories on Scratch builds storytelling, empathy, sequencing, and basic programming skills. Kids practice writing dialogue, planning cause-and-effect, and debugging when interactions fail. The project boosts confidence through visible results and sharing, supports social learning by modeling behaviors, and introduces computational thinking. Encourage discussing character choices to deepen understanding and social awareness.

Ready to create?