How to connect Lego Wedo 2.0 to Scratch
Scratch is heaps of fun. Lego Wedo 2.0 is awesome. What’s even cooler is using them together to create car racing games, Wedo robot dinosaurs, and heaps more! It’s really easy to connect Lego Wedo 2.0 to Scratch, so here we’re doing a quick run-through of how to do it so you can get started too.
Install Scratch Link
Scratch Link is the add-0n that allows you to connect hardware like Wedo, microbit, Makey Makey and heaps more to Scratch. You don’t need Scratch Link in order to get the extensions for the code blocks, but you will need it when you come to pair your hardware. It’s easier to have Scratch Link before importing extensions, otherwise you get a whole bunch of error boxes and warning flags.
Hop onto the Scratch website here to download Scratch Link. We downloaded it directly, but you can go via Microsoft if you prefer. Follow the download instructions to complete the install. We recommend you put a Scratch Link shortcut somewhere accessible once it’s installed, like your desktop, a quick-start menu, or the taskbar.
Once you’ve got Scratch Link installed, double-click to open it. It’s a bit deceptive here – it doesn’t seem to do anything, but it will have activated in the background.
Get the Lego Wedo 2.0 extension from Scratch
In Scratch, click on the code menu extension button in the bottom left corner to bring up all the extensions available. The Wedo extension is down near the bottom, scroll down and select Wedo.
Click on the Wedo extension to add it to your code menu
At this point, it will try to connect to the Wedo smarthub. If you only want the Wedo extension at this stage, without connecting to the smarthub, click the cross in the top corner of the dialogue box. You’ll be able to use all the Wedo code blocks without needing the smarthub. If you want to pair the smarthub immediately, click on ‘Start Searching”.
Pair the Lego Wedo 2.0 smarthub with Scratch
If you clicked ‘Start Searching’, it will ask you to press the button on the smarthub. You might then get a dialogue box asking you to connect Scratch Link. Activate Scratch Link by double-clicking on its icon, and try again. You’ll repeat the ‘Start Searching’ process, and press the button on the smarthub again. Once Scratch has done it’s thing, the dialogue box will say ‘Connected’.
Select ‘Go to Editor’ to start your coding or test out your creation.
How to check that the smarthub is connected
It’s easy to get all the coding done without having the smarthub available, but it needs to be connected before you can test it out.
To check that the Wedo smartub is connected to Scratch, have a look at the Wedo code menu. In the top right corner there’s a circle that indicates the connection status. If it’s orange, the smarthub isn’t connected. If it’s green, you’re good to go.
To connect the smarthub when the icon is orange, click on the circle to open up the dialogue box. Select ‘Start Searching” and follow the instructions. Make sure to have the smarthub handy so you can press the button when needed.
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