Use scratch to invent a superhero. Activities for Kids.

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Use scratch to invent a superhero

Use Scratch to design and code an original superhero character, create costume, powers, animations, and simple controls to tell an interactive, playable story.

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Step-by-step guide to design and code an original superhero in Scratch

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How to Make a Character Designer in Scratch | Tutorial

What you need

Adult supervision required, coloring materials (markers crayons or colored pencils), paper, pencil, scratch account or scratch offline

Step 1

Open Scratch and start a new project or sign in to create a fresh project.

Step 2

Give your project a fun superhero name in the title field.

Step 3

Quickly sketch your hero on paper showing costume colors powers and a pose.

Step 4

In Scratch click the Sprite area and choose Paint to draw your superhero costume to match your sketch.

Step 5

Add at least two costumes to your sprite such as a normal pose and a power or flying pose.

Step 6

Create a backdrop that fits your hero’s world by choosing or painting a backdrop.

Step 7

Program left and right movement using "when key pressed" blocks and "change x by" blocks so arrow keys move your hero.

Step 8

Program a jump or fly using the space key with "repeat" and "change y by" blocks so the hero goes up and comes back down.

Step 9

Program a special power triggered by a key (for example the P key) that broadcasts a message switches to the power costume and plays a sound.

Step 10

Add an enemy or collectible sprite and code it to move and to respond when touching the hero using "if touching" blocks.

Step 11

Create a score variable and code it to increase when the hero collects items and to broadcast a win when the score reaches your goal.

Step 12

Play your project to test and fix one problem at a time and then save your project and click Share on Scratch.

Step 13

Share your finished superhero project on DIY.org with a short description and a picture so everyone can play your story.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share

Help!?

What can we use instead of paper and colored pencils to design the costume?

If you don't have paper or colored pencils, use the Scratch Paint editor by clicking the Sprite area and choosing Paint to draw and color your superhero and add multiple costumes there.

What should I check if the left/right keys or jump don't work in my project?

If movement or jump fails, confirm the 'when [key] key pressed' and 'change x by' or 'repeat'+'change y by' blocks are inside your hero sprite (not the backdrop), that 'change x by' has a visible value and the jump script has both up and matching down changes so the hero returns to the ground.

How can this activity be adjusted for younger or older kids?

For younger kids use ScratchJr or limit to one costume with simple left/right key scripts and a single space-key jump, while older kids can add the special power broadcast, enemy AI, the score variable, win broadcast, and multiple backdrops for levels.

How can we make the superhero project more impressive before sharing on DIY.org?

Enhance the project by adding animated running and power costumes in the Sprite area, have the P-key broadcast trigger costume switch plus a custom sound and enemy-freeze script, create multiple backdrops as levels, and set a clear score goal before saving and sharing on DIY.org with a screenshot.

Watch videos on how to design and code an original superhero in Scratch

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Introduction to Coding with Scratch | Beginner's Guide to Scratch Programming

4 Videos

Facts about Scratch programming and game design

🎨 Costume colors send quick signals—red reads as energetic, blue as trustworthy, and black as mysterious, so pick colors that match your hero's vibe.

🖼️ In Scratch, sprite animations swap between 'costumes'—about 12 frames per second (or fewer) usually looks smooth enough for playable stories.

🧩 Scratch projects commonly use dozens to hundreds of coding blocks; organizing actions into small scripts makes big games easier to build.

🦸‍♂️ Superman, who debuted in 1938, is often credited as the first modern superhero and set many genre tropes like secret identities and iconic costumes.

🧑‍💻 Scratch was created at the MIT Media Lab in 2007 and its online community hosts millions of shared projects.

How do I use Scratch to design and code an original superhero for an interactive story?

To invent a superhero in Scratch, start by sketching your hero’s look, powers, and story. Open Scratch, create a new sprite or use the Paint Editor to draw costumes and multiple costumes for animations. Add backdrops for scenes. Code movement (arrow keys) with event and motion blocks, use broadcast messages to trigger powers and animations, create variables for health or score, add sound, and test play. Iterate based on playtesting and add simple controls for an interactive, playable story.

What materials do I need to create a superhero project in Scratch?

You'll need a computer or tablet with internet access and a modern browser, or the Scratch offline editor installed. A free Scratch account makes saving and sharing easy. A mouse or touch input, headphones (optional) for sounds, and a microphone if you want voice effects. Paper and pencils help plan costume and story ideas. Printable storyboard or timer are optional. No expensive supplies required—most work is digital.

What ages is creating a Scratch superhero suitable for?

Scratch is great for kids roughly aged 6–16. Younger children (6–8) can design sprites and try simple block scripts with adult help. Ages 8–12 can independently build characters, costumes, animations and simple controls. Teens can add variables, clones, and more complex game logic. Tailor challenges: simplify for beginners or introduce debugging and planning for older kids. Supervision is recommended for online sharing.

What are the benefits of making a superhero in Scratch and are there any safety tips?

Designing and coding a superhero builds creativity, storytelling, computational thinking, and basic programming skills. Kids practice problem solving, sequencing, and art design while learning to test and debug. For safety, use a child account and adjust privacy settings before sharing projects, avoid personal information in stories, and supervise younger users when chatting online. Encourage positive themes and set screen-time limits. Try variations like team-based heroes or challenge modes to

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