Animate a Character

Cards

Bring characters to life with animation.

scratch.mit.edu Set of 8
 Animate a Character
Cards
Try these cards in any order:

• Move with Arrow Keys

• Make a Character Jump
• Switch Poses
• Glide from Point to Point
• Walking Animation
• Flying Animation
• Talking Animation
• Draw an Animation

scratch.mit.edu Set of 8 cards

Move with Arrow Keys

Use the arrow keys to move your

character around.

Animate a Character 1
Move with Arrow Keys
scratch.mit.edu

GET READY

Choose a backdrop. Soccer 2 Choose a character. Pico Walking

ADD THIS CODE

Change x Change y
Move your character side to side. Move your character up and down.

Type a minus sign to move left. Type a minus sign to move down.

TRY IT
Press the arrow keys on your keyboard to move
your character around.
Make a Character Jump

Press a key to jump up and down.

Animate a Character 2
Make a Character Jump
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GET READY

Choose a backdrop. Blue Sky Choose a character. Giga Walking

ADD THIS CODE

Giga
Type how high to jump.

Type a minus sign to go

back down.

TRY IT

Press the space key on your keyboard.

 Switch Poses

Animate a character when you press a key.

Animate a Character 3
Switch Poses
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GET READY
Choose a character with
multiple costumes, like Max.
Click the Costumes
tab to view all of your
sprite’s costumes.
Max

Scroll over sprites in the

Sprite Library to see if they
have different costumes.

ADD THIS CODE

Click the Code tab.

Max Choose a costume.

Choose a different
costume.

TRY IT
Press the space key on your keyboard.
Glide from Point to Point

Make a sprite glide from point to point.

Animate a Character 4
Glide from Point to Point
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GET READY

Choose a backdrop. Nebula Choose a character. Rocketship

ADD THIS CODE

Set the starting point.

Rocketship
Set another point to
glide to.
Set the end point.

TRY IT
Click the green flag to start.

TIP
When you drag a sprite, its
x and y positions will update
in the blocks palette.
Walking Animation

Make a character walk or run.

Animate a Character 5
Walking Animation
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GET READY

Choose a Jungle Choose a walking Unicorn Running

backdrop. or running sprite.

ADD THIS CODE

Unicorn Running

TRY IT TIP

Click the green flag If you want to slow down the

to start. animation, try adding a wait block
inside the repeat block.
 Flying Animation
Have a character flap its wings as it moves
across the stage.

Animate a Character 6
Flying Animation
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GET READY

Choose a Canyon Choose Parrot Parrot

backdrop. (or another flying sprite).

ADD THIS CODE

Glide across the screen Flap the wings

Set the starting point.

Choose one costume.

Set the end point. Choose another.

TRY IT
Click the green flag to start.
Talking Animation
Make a character talk.

Animate a Character 7
Talking Animation
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GET READY

Click the Costumes tab

Choose Penguin 2. to view the penguin’s
other costumes.

Penguin

ADD THIS CODE

Click the Code tab.

Choose one costume.

Choose another.

Type what you want

your character to say.

TRY IT
Click the green flag to start.
Draw an Animation
Edit a sprite’s costumes to create your own
animation.

Animate a Character 8
Draw an Animation
scratch.mit.edu

GET READY

Now you should have

Click the Costumes tab. two identical costumes.

Choose a
character.

Frog Right-click (on a Mac, Click a costume to select

control-click) a costume to and edit it.
duplicate it.

Click the Select a part of the costume Drag the handle to rotate an
Select tool. to squeeze or stretch it. object you’ve selected.

ADD THIS CODE TRY IT

Click the Code tab.

Use the next Click the green flag

costume block to start.
to animate your
character.