X Tables
Coding And Maths

Scratch maths: shape drawing

Use Scratch projects to draw squares, triangles and polygons with repeat blocks.

Quick answer

You can draw shapes like squares, triangles, and polygons in Scratch by using the move and turn blocks along with repeat blocks to make the sprite follow a pattern.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to draw a square, triangle, and other regular polygons in Scratch using repeat loops and turn commands. Success signs:
  • You can make a sprite draw a square by using move and turn commands
  • You can use repeat blocks to make the sprite turn the same number of times as the shape's sides
  • You can change the number of sides to make different shapes
  • You can predict how many degrees to turn for each side of a shape

Why this matters

Drawing shapes in Scratch helps you learn how to plan and follow a sequence of steps. It's like giving directions to a robot or a character in a game. This skill helps you understand how to make a computer do what you want, and it connects to real maths like angles and patterns. When you learn to draw shapes in Scratch, you're also learning about how to repeat actions, which is useful in many other coding and maths problems.

How it works

To draw a shape in Scratch, you need to:
  1. Move forward a certain distance
  2. Turn right by a certain angle
  3. Repeat this process for the number of sides in your shape
The angle you turn depends on how many sides your shape has. For a square, you turn 90 degrees each time. For a triangle, you turn 120 degrees each time. For a hexagon, you turn 60 degrees each time.

Examples you can see

Let's look at how to make a square in Scratch:
  1. Move forward 100 steps
  2. Turn right 90 degrees
  3. Move forward 100 steps
  4. Turn right 90 degrees
  5. Move forward 100 steps
  6. Turn right 90 degrees
  7. Move forward 100 steps
  8. Turn right 90 degrees
But instead of writing all these steps, you can use a repeat block:
  1. Repeat 4 times:
  2. Move forward 100 steps
  3. Turn right 90 degrees
This is much easier and faster!

Try it as a mini adventure

Shape Detective Challenge Imagine you are a detective who needs to draw clues to find a hidden treasure. Your treasure map has a secret code: you must draw the shapes that will help you find the treasure.
  1. First, draw a square to mark the first clue
  2. Then, draw a triangle to mark the second clue
  3. Finally, draw a pentagon (5 sides) to mark the third clue
Each time you draw a shape, you must turn the right number of degrees. Can you work out how many degrees to turn for each shape?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Forgetting to use the repeat block
    Why it happens: The child might think they need to write each step manually
    Fix: Show how repeat blocks make it faster and easier to draw shapes
  • Mistake: Turning the wrong number of degrees
    Why it happens: Not knowing the pattern of turning for different shapes
    Fix: Use a table to show how many degrees to turn for each shape
  • Mistake: Using the wrong direction (left instead of right)
    Why it happens: Confusion between left and right turns
    Fix: Practice turning in both directions with a toy or your hand first

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Encouraging their child to try drawing different shapes
  • Using real-life examples like drawing a house with square windows and triangular roofs
  • Letting the child experiment with different numbers of sides and angles
  • Helping them understand that turning 360 degrees means going all the way around
  • Reinforcing that the angle depends on how many sides the shape has
Try this together: ask your child to draw a shape in the air first, then help them translate that into Scratch blocks.

Practice questions

  1. How many degrees do you turn to draw a square?
  2. How many degrees do you turn to draw a triangle?
  3. How many degrees do you turn to draw a pentagon?
  4. How many times do you repeat the move and turn to draw a hexagon?
  5. How many degrees do you turn to draw an octagon?
Answers:
  1. 90 degrees
  2. 120 degrees
  3. 72 degrees
  4. 6 times
  5. 45 degrees

FAQ

How do I make a triangle in Scratch?

To make a triangle, you need to repeat 3 times, move forward, and turn right 120 degrees each time.

Can I make any shape in Scratch?

Yes! You can make any regular polygon by repeating the move and turn commands the right number of times and turning the correct angle.

What happens if I turn the wrong number of degrees?

If you turn the wrong number of degrees, your shape won't look right. It might not close properly or look like the shape you're trying to make.

Why do I need to turn 360 degrees to make a complete circle?

Because 360 degrees is a full circle, which means going all the way around. If you turn 360 degrees, you'll end up facing the same direction you started.

How can I remember how many degrees to turn?

You can remember that for any shape, you turn 360 degrees divided by the number of sides. For example, a hexagon (6 sides) means turning 360 รท 6 = 60 degrees each time.