Draw Turtle Shapes — PlayThinker

Examples

Choose an example to load its blocks.

Drag blocks here to build your program.

Commands Cheatsheet

forward <steps> - move forward on the grid.
left <angle> / right <angle> - turn counter-clockwise or clockwise.
repeat <n> [ ... ] - run the enclosed commands n times.

How to Play

Drag blocks such as forward, left, right, and repeat from the palette into the program stack.
Edit the numbers on each block (steps, angles, loop counts) to control how far the turtle travels.
Press Run to watch the turtle trace the commands on the grid. Use Clear to start a fresh algorithm.
Load an example to reverse-engineer its logic, then remix it into your own design.

Knowledge Background

Turtle graphics illustrate key computer-science ideas: sequencing, iteration, and debugging. Learners see immediately how changing a single parameter affects the path, helping them internalize coordinate geometry, rotations measured in degrees, and the concept of state (position + heading).

Why This Helps Kids

Block-based coding lowers the barrier to entry, letting students focus on habits of thought. They practice decomposition (breaking a drawing into steps), pattern recognition (spotting when repeats help), and algorithmic communication (explaining instructions in ordered language). These habits boost confidence before they transition to typed code.

Extensions & Teacher Tips

Challenge students to draw regular polygons, letters, or their initials, and to predict the total turning angle.
Introduce debugging cards (“The turtle ended in the wrong spot—what block caused it?”) to encourage systematic fixes.
Connect with Program Turtle Shapes for text-based commands or Trace Path Shapes for guided tracing levels.
Integrate art by exporting screenshots and annotating the underlying code in student journals.