Get your hardware ready
Get your hardware ready
You'll need some desktop computers, laptops, or Raspberry Pis for your club — but don't worry, the hardware doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.
Tracy Gardner, content writer for Raspberry Pi and leader of a Code Club, explains what you need for your club.
Essentials to get started
One computer per attendee is ideal, but pairing young people up can work well too.
You can complete the majority of the Code Club projects using just a computer with a web browser, so it is really easy to get started.
Computers
Laptops/desktop PCs
Most Code Clubs start with Scratch — don't worry if you don't know what this is, we'll be looking at it in detail in the next step. To use Scratch, you will need laptop or desktop computers (Windows/Mac/Linux operating systems are all fine).
Chromebooks
Chromebooks work well for clubs too - but you'll need to use Scratch online, so make sure you have a reliable internet connection.
Raspberry Pi computers
If you don't have laptop or desktop computers, you could also run a Code Club with just Raspberry Pi computers and accessories — you can complete all the regular projects using such a setup.
The Raspberry Pi is a low-cost credit-card sized computer that plugs into a computer monitor or TV, and uses a standard keyboard and mouse.
Headphones and speakers
Headphones and speakers are not essential, but some Code Club projects use sound, so if you want to complete these projects you will need them.
Speakers are often built into laptop and desktop computers, but it may get noisy if all your club members are working on projects with sound at the same time. Headphones can be useful to allow them to focus on their own projects and not be distracted by sounds coming from other computers.
A note about tablets
The latest version of Scratch, which is called Scratch 3, was released at the beginning of January 2019. This version is suitable for use on tablet devices.
The previous version, Scratch 2, does not run on tablets.
The key thing to remember is that the Code Club resources are flexible, so you can use the hardware that you already have to hand to set up your sessions in a way that suits your club.