Introduction – Real-Time Wall Clock in Scratch
If you’ve ever wondered how to make a real-time wall clock in Scratch, you’re in the right place! In this step-by-step Scratch tutorial, we’ll show you how to build a fully functional analog clock that actually keeps time — with moving hour, minute, and second hands that tick just like a real one. ⏰
This project is perfect for beginners learning Scratch programming or anyone curious about how to combine creativity with coding. You’ll discover how to use Scratch’s motion and sensing blocks, apply simple math for rotations, and create animations that bring your clock to life.
Whether you’re searching for an easy Scratch game tutorial, want to explore Scratch programming for animations, or simply wish to make a fun Scratch project, this wall clock tutorial is a great way to enhance your skills while having fun.
By the end, you’ll not only have a beautiful analog ticking clock but also a deeper understanding of how to make games and animations in Scratch using real-world logic.
🎥 Watch the complete tutorial on YouTube:
👉 How to Make a Wall Clock in Scratch | Easy Scratch Tutorial | Learn Step by Step
What You’ll Learn in This Scratch Tutorial
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- How to make a clock in Scratch that updates every second
- How to use Scratch sensing blocks to get the current time
- The math behind converting time into angles for clock hands
- How to make your clock look realistic and animated
- Enhancements like digital display, ticking sound, and smooth animation
Scratch Coding – How to Make a Real-Time Wall Clock
Scratch is a visual programming platform developed by MIT that lets you create games, animations, and interactive stories using simple drag-and-drop blocks.
It’s perfect for kids, beginners, and educators who want to learn programming logic through creativity.
Step 1: Setting Up the Scratch Project
- Open the Scratch editor.
- Delete the Cat Sprite (the default one).
- Upload or draw your Wall Clock Base sprite.
- You can draw a circle for the clock’s face.
- Adjust its size and position it at the center (
x: 0,y: 0).
✅ Tip: Use the Costume Editor to make sure the clock’s center aligns with the middle of the stage — this ensures your hands rotate correctly.
Step 2: Creating the Clock Hands
You’ll need three new sprites:
- Second Hand (Red)
- Minute Hand (Black)
- Hour Hand (Blue)
For each hand:
- Click “Paint New Sprite”.
- Draw a straight line from the center.
- Adjust thickness (use 2–10 pixels) depending on visibility.
- Rename each sprite accordingly.
Understanding the Math Behind the Clock
| Clock Hand | Time Unit | Degrees per Unit | Formula Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Hand | 60 seconds | 6° per second | seconds × 6 |
| Minute Hand | 60 minutes | 6° per minute | minutes × 6 |
| Hour Hand | 12 hours | 30° per hour | hours × 30 + minutes × 0.5 |
This simple math helps us turn real-world time into Scratch angles, creating a real-time working clock.
Step 3: Coding the Wall Clock Base
Let’s start with the Wall Clock sprite.
We’ll ensure it always stays in the background.
Code Block:
when green flag clicked
go to x: 0 y: 0
go to back layerThis keeps the clock face fixed in the background while the hands move on top.
Step 4: Coding the Second Hand
The second hand moves 6 degrees every second (since 360° / 60 = 6°).
Logic:
- 1 full circle = 360 degrees
- 60 seconds = 1 full circle
- Each second = 6 degrees rotation
Code Block:
when green flag clicked
forever
point in direction (current [second v] * 6)
wait (1) seconds
endThis makes your second hand tick every second — just like a real clock!
Step 5: Coding the Minute Hand
Similarly, the minute hand moves 6 degrees per minute.
Code Block:
when green flag clicked
forever
point in direction (current [minute v] * 6)
wait (1) seconds
endYou can also make it move smoothly by dividing the degrees and updating every second:
Enhanced Smooth Version:
when green flag clicked
forever
point in direction ((current [minute v] * 6) + (current [second v] * 0.1))
wait (1) seconds
endStep 6: Coding the Hour Hand
Each hour hand movement equals 30 degrees (360° / 12 = 30°).
But to make it accurate, we must also account for minutes — every minute adds 0.5° (30° / 60).
Code Block:
when green flag clicked
forever
point in direction ((current [hour v] * 30) + (current [minute v] * 0.5))
wait (60) seconds
endThis ensures the hour hand moves gradually instead of jumping every hour.
Step 7: Add a Backdrop and Digital Display
To make the clock visually appealing:
- Choose a wall backdrop (like a living room or school wall).
- Add a new text sprite that shows the digital time.
Digital Display Code:
when green flag clicked
forever
set [time v] to (join (join (current [hour v]) :) (join (current [minute v]) (join : (current [second v]))))
say (time)
wait (1) seconds
endThis will display the real-time digital clock along with your analog one.
Step 8: Add a Ticking Sound (Optional Enhancement)
You can make your Scratch clock tick every second using sound effects.
- Go to the Sounds tab and choose “Click” or “Tick”.
- Add this code to the second hand:
when green flag clicked
forever
play sound [click v]
wait (1) seconds
endNow your wall clock ticks realistically every second! 🎶
Step 9: Adding Animation and Design Enhancements
You can make your Scratch clock project even cooler with these enhancements:
Smooth Rotation Animation
Instead of jumping 6° each second, make hands rotate smoothly:
when green flag clicked
forever
repeat (6)
turn clockwise (1) degrees
wait (0.166) seconds
end
endAdd Background Transitions
Change backdrops every hour or based on time of day:
when green flag clicked
forever
if <(current [hour v]) < [12]> then
switch backdrop to [Morning v]
else
switch backdrop to [Night v]
end
wait (60) seconds
endFinal Demo – Watch the Full Tutorial!
🎥 Watch the complete tutorial here by Kodex Academy:
👉 How to Make a Wall Clock in Scratch | Easy Scratch Tutorial | Learn Step by Step
Learn from start to finish how to:
- Create and design sprites
- Understand clock rotation logic
- Add real-time updates
- Animate hands using Scratch coding
Key Takeaways
✅ You learned how to:
- Build a real-time wall clock in Scratch
- Use sensing blocks to fetch live time
- Convert time to degrees for rotation
- Add animations and sound effects
- Create a hybrid digital-analog clock
Bonus Enhancement
Make a Digital + Analog Hybrid Clock
- Combine both versions — the analog ticking hands and a digital display on the same screen.
- You can even show AM/PM format:
when green flag clicked
forever
set [hour v] to (current [hour v])
if <(hour) > [12]> then
change [hour v] by (-12)
set [period v] to [PM]
else
set [period v] to [AM]
end
say (join (join (hour) :) (join (current [minute v]) (join : (current [second v]) (join " " (period))))))
wait (1) seconds
endAdvanced Ideas to Try
Once you’ve built your clock, try these Scratch project enhancements:
- Add a Date Display: Show the current date using the
current [date]block. - Customize Themes: Add backgrounds that change based on time (morning, evening, night).
- Countdown Timer: Modify the clock to become a countdown stopwatch.
- Alarm Clock: Play a sound when a specific time is reached.
- Weather Integration (via Cloud Variables): Display real-time weather next to the clock.
Conclusion
Congratulations! 🎉 You’ve just built a real-time analog wall clock in Scratch that ticks every second — complete with moving hands for hours, minutes, and seconds. Through this fun project, you learned how to use Scratch programming blocks like Motion, Sensing, and Control to bring real-world concepts to life.
This project is more than just a clock — it’s a great example of how creative coding in Scratch can help you understand time, math, and animation in an interactive way. Whether you’re exploring Scratch programming games, animations, or beginner Scratch tutorials, this project enhances both your logic and creativity.
Keep experimenting — try adding digital displays, alarm sounds, or even weather-based backgrounds to make your clock more dynamic. The possibilities in Scratch programming are endless when you mix imagination with code!
