Spark & Scratch

Spark & Scratch

$509.99
Coding
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7/6/2026 - 7/10/2026 | Ages 6-8
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Spark & Scratch

Spark & Scratch: Daily Game Adventures — One Game Per Day

Parents: A beginner-friendly, creative coding camp designed to welcome kids into computer science. Each day, campers build a brand-new Scratch game that grows in complexity through gentle steps—starting with simple events and sprites and building up to variables, timers, and multi-level play. Daily reflection builds confidence and voice.

Kids: Make a new game every day! Choose your characters, design your world, and code your own rules. Share with friends and cheer each other on.

Project Model

Each day is a complete mini-project with a playable Scratch game by the end of the day. Skills stack across the week: Day 1 events → Day 2 movement and collisions → Day 3 scoring and levels → Day 4 power-ups and timers → Day 5 boss/mini-quest. Campers personalize art, sounds, and stories.

Daily Structure

  • 4 one-hour sessions per day (S1–S4)
  • Pair-optional: campers may buddy up for brainstorming, but every camper publishes their own project
  • Differentiation: “Try This First” + “Level Up” tasks each session
  • Tools: Scratch (scratch.mit.edu), headphones, drawing tablet optional

Day 1: Your First Clicker — Events, Sprites, and Sounds

Game: Sparkle Clicker — click the star to earn points and trigger fun effects.

Concepts: Events (when green flag clicked, when this sprite clicked), looks, basic sound, coordinates for positioning.

  1. S1 Choose Your Style — Pick a theme (space, ocean, fashion). Add 1–2 sprites and a simple background.
  2. S2 Make It Interactive — On click: play sound, change color, show a “+1” effect.
  3. S3 Basic Score — Use a variable “Score” and increase by 1 on click. Show score on screen.
  4. S4 Share & Celebrate — Pair-playtest for 3 minutes and share one favorite effect.

Level Up:

  • Randomly move the star to a new spot after each click.
  • Add a 5-second sparkle animation using “repeat” and “change color effect.”
  • Custom art: draw your own star or icon in the paint editor.

Day 2: Maze Runner — Movement and Collisions

Game: Garden Maze — guide your character to the flower without touching the walls.

Concepts: Arrow-key movement, if touching color, edge bouncing, simple win condition.

  1. S1 Build the Maze — Draw a maze background with high-contrast walls.
  2. S2 Smooth Movement — Arrow keys move x/y by small steps; face left/right with costumes.
  3. S3 Collision Rules — If touching wall color, go back to start; if touching goal, say “You Win!”.
  4. S4 Playtest & Tuning — Adjust speeds and wall thickness for fair challenge.

Level Up:

  • Add a checkpoint flower halfway through.
  • Timer variable: track how fast players finish.
  • Decorative animations (butterflies, bubbles) that play on win.

Day 3: Collect & Dodge — Scoring, Lives, and Levels

Game: Treasure Tide — collect shells for points while avoiding crabs.

Concepts: Clones for spawning, scoring variable, lives/hearts, level progression after score threshold.

  1. S1 Spawners — Shells clone at random positions; when collected, change score and delete clone.
  2. S2 Hazards — Crabs move across screen; touching a crab reduces lives and resets player position.
  3. S3 Level Up — When score ≥ 10, speed up shells/crabs and change background.
  4. S4 UX Polish — Show hearts for lives; “Game Over” screen when lives reach 0.

Level Up:

  • Combo bonus: +2 points if two shells are collected within 2 seconds.
  • Safe zone: a temporary bubble that blocks crabs for 3 seconds.
  • High score variable that saves during the session.

Day 4: Power-Up Platformer — Physics Feel and Timers

Game: Sky Steps — jump across platforms, grab power-ups, reach the portal before time runs out.

Concepts: Gravity using change y by, ground detection via color or platforms sprite, timers, power-up states with variables.

  1. S1 Jump & Land — Implement gravity loop; jump on space; stop fall when touching ground color.
  2. S2 Platforms & Camera — Place platforms; optional scrolling by moving platforms vs. player.
  3. S3 Power-Ups — Add speed boots or double jump with a timed variable (e.g., powerUpTimer).
  4. S4 Time Pressure — Countdown timer; win at portal before time hits 0.

Level Up:

  • Double-jump logic with a jumpsLeft variable.
  • Checkpoint flags and respawn after falls.
  • Particle-style effects using costumes when power-up is active.

Day 5: Mini-Boss Quest — States, Dialog, and Strategy

Game: Star Guardian — collect keys, unlock the gate, and defeat a friendly mini-boss with patterns.

Concepts: Game states (menu, play, boss), broadcast messages, health bars, simple enemy attack patterns, dialog sequences.

  1. S1 World Setup — Title screen → Play; keys placed around the map; gate opens after all collected.
  2. S2 Boss Patterns — Boss cycles: move → pause → launch projectiles. Player dodges and counter-attacks.
  3. S3 Health Bars — Variables and visual bars for player/boss; invincibility frames after hit.
  4. S4 Ending & Showcase — Win screen with credits; short presentation: “My favorite mechanic and how I coded it.”

Level Up:

  • Difficulty toggle that adjusts boss speed/projectile count.
  • Cutscene intro using broadcasts and timed looks/say blocks.
  • Accessibility: add color-blind friendly palettes and larger UI text.

Why Families Love This

  • For Parents: Daily wins build momentum—five finished games that progressively introduce core CS ideas with encouragement and peer support.
  • For Campers: Bring your stories and style to life—art, music, animation, and code all in your hands.

Inclusion & Confidence Builders

  • Role models: quick spotlights on people in games/tech each morning.
  • Choice-based art: every mechanic has multiple aesthetic options.
  • Brave space norms: kind feedback, celebrate bugs as learning.
  • Micro-demos: 60–90 second sharings to boost voice and agency.

Camp Essentials

  • Ages: 6 to 8 years old.
  • Dates: Monday, 7/6/2026 to Friday, 7/10/2026
  • Times:
    • Full-Day,8:30 AM–5:00 PM
    • AM, 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
    • PM, 12:30 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location: 2171 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • What to Bring: Water bottle, lunch, and one or two light snacks.
  • Video gaming: Not allowed
  • Tech Provided: Computers and robotics kits (for in‑camp use only; equipment stays with us).
  • Skill Level: Beginners welcome; no prior coding experience required
  • Dress Code: Comfortable clothes; indoor‑friendly shoes
  • Contact: camps@yblueridgeboost.com • (434) 260‑0636
  • Allergies/Medical: Share details during registration; bring any necessary meds
  • Behavior & Safety: Kindness first; follow staff directions; internet safety rules apply

Note: The camps listed as ages 6 to 12 will be divided by age into two groups.

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Enrichment and tutoring in Math and Computing for any student who wants to learn. Led by Ana Nora Evans in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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