Easy Stop Motion studio

Have you ever tried to make a stop motion animation? It takes materials (like clay in claymation) that can be manipulated, a camera and a video editing program. Stop motion can be an incredible, creative experience for both kids and adults, but is not a simple undertaking. Until now!

One of our favorite developers, Edoki Academy, has created a stop motion, animation app designed specifically for kids. The app does it all:

• Introduces kids, step by step, on how to construct their video in a specific easy mode.
• Sparks creativity with in-app animation videos.
• Provides tons of shapes and tools for making your own animations in a do-it-yourself expert mode.
• Shares tips and tricks in an informative info page (start there parents!).

In terms of educational value, stop motion animations might not be as high on your list as learning to read or math apps. Yet, the process of designing, planning, problem-solving and persisting through the task to be rewarded with their own movie are extremely important life skills for children to experience.

We’ve spent more time talking about Easy Studio and all it’s learning potential since it launched than our traditional language learning apps. We highly encourage you to challenge yourself and your kids with Easy Studio!

Activity: Storyboards

One of the strategies I used as an adult playing Easy Studio was to create a storyboard before making my animation. While I enjoyed a few rounds of playing with the Easy Studio tools, I wanted to create something more sophisticated. I found it helpful to do some planning by sketching out the big pieces of the design. Since planning is a skill your child will need for life. We recommend storyboards as a useful tool for kids.

A storyboard is a series of pictures that tell a story. Like a comic strip!

Storyboards for younger kids:

For your child new to planning, start with a few boxes on a piece of paper. Choose something that your child is familiar with, like how to make a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich or the sequence of a favorite story. You are really are working on the sequence of beginning, middle and end. Draw or take pictures to represent each step in the sequence. Have your child put the pictures in the correct order and share the story of what is happening in order.

Storyboards for older kids:

If you have a child who is already as strong sequencer you can start tapping into their creativity! On a storyboard template, encourage them to organize the sequence of what they want to happen in the next Easy Studio stop motion they create. Your child might enjoy getting out the camera and creating a stop motion movie. The storyboard can be used to help your child plan a story they want to write or a meal they want to make for the family.