Animation
Animation is an art form that brings images to life through movement and storytelling. It combines creativity and technology to engage viewers of ages, making it a medium for entertainment and education.
Animation Resources
Animation activities for elementary students that are fun and engaging include simple stop-motion animation using playdough, clay, or digital tools. Other activities like creating flipbooks, or exploring free online animation platforms like ABCya Animate are fun too!
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Stop-Motion Animation: This involves taking a series of photos of a moving object (like a playdough character) and combining them to create a short animation. Tools like cardboard boxes can be used as a backdrop or stage. Playdough is a great material to use for creating characters.
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Flipbooks: A simple way to introduce animation is by drawing a series of images on paper, and then flicking through them quickly to create the illusion of movement.
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Digital Tools: Free online platforms like ABCya Animate, Brush Ninja, and Flip Anim offer easy-to-use interfaces for digital stop-motion animation, with built-in characters, backgrounds, and drawing tools.
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Claymation: Clay can be used to create figures and animate them. Students can make figures, have them interact with each other, and create stories using clay.
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Creating a thaumatrope (a simple device that creates the illusion of movement when rotated), zoetrope, or phenakistoscope, which are fun and engaging activities.
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Online resources that offer interactive experiences, spark creativity, and introduce students to basic animation principles:
With a parent or guardian's permission, these resources provide a range of options for young animators, from simple drawing and frame-by-frame animation to more advanced storytelling tools.​
ABCya! 's Animate
Easy Stop Motion Studio
Pixar in a Box (Khan Academy)
This platform allows kids to draw frames, add stickers and text, and create animations with simple tools. It's a great way to experiment with shapes and colors to tell stories.
A good introduction to digital animation, especially for kids, with opportunities for creativity.
Designed for the ages 10 and above, the unit on Pixar's animation principles is accessible and covers foundational concepts. It introduces basic animation techniques like straight-ahead and linear interpolation.
Toontastic 3D
This tool is designed for creating animated storytelling experiences, offering a user-friendly platform for kids to experiment with animation.
Animatic
A simple starting point for animation, Animatic provides a basic platform for young children to create their own animated projects.
Animoto
While geared toward video editing, Animoto also includes tools for creating slideshows and videos, including animated elements.