German Programming Words Made Simple: Coding Projects for Young Learners
Learning to code in German combines logical thinking with language practice. Scratch Jr. offers a visual, block‑based environment where children aged 5–7 can create stories and games while mastering key German programming terms.
1. Bewegungsblöcke (Motion Blocks)
- bewege dich um … Schritte (move … steps)
- drehe dich um … Grad (turn … degrees)
- Activity: Program a character to walk 10 Schritte (steps) and turn 90 Grad (degrees) to draw a square, narrating each block in German.
2. Steuerblöcke (Control Blocks)
- wiederhole … Mal (repeat … times)
- wenn … dann (if … then)
- Activity: Use wiederhole 4 Mal to make a loop, then add wenn berührt, dann sprich … to make the sprite speak when touching an object.
3. Ausgabeblöcke (Looks & Sounds)
- zeige Bild (show image)
- spiele Ton … (play sound …)
- Activity: Switch costumes using zeige Bild and play a sound effect—kids select miauen (meow) or klatschen (clap)—practicing pronunciation.
4. Ereignisblöcke (Event Blocks)
- bei Start (when start)
- bei Tippen (when tapped)
- Activity: Trigger animations with bei Tippen so that touching the sprite starts a dance, saying “Tanze mit mir!”.
5. Abschlussprojekt (Final Project)
Have children design a mini‑game: a maze where they guide a sprite with Pfeiltasten (arrow keys) or tap controls, narrating steps in German: “Bewege dich nach links”.
Dinolingo Integration
Support each coding activity with German micro‑lessons in the Dinolingo German course interactive flashcards for coding terms, pronunciation feedback, and progress badges for mastering sequences and loops.
Final Thoughts
By pairing Scratch Jr.’s intuitive blocks with German language reinforcement, children develop computational thinking and vocabulary simultaneously. This hands‑on approach fosters confidence in both coding and speaking Deutsch.
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