Create an Animation Clip With DIY's Yowie - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Create an Animation Clip With DIY's Yowie

Build a simple DIY Yowie character, then film a short stop-motion animation using clay, paper, or toys to learn motion and storytelling.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to Create an Animation Clip With DIY's Yowie

What you need

Modeling clay or small toys, paper and cardboard, tape or glue, scissors, colouring materials, a lamp or steady light source, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all the Materials Needed and bring them to a clear table or workspace.

Step 2

Choose whether you will make your Yowie from clay paper cutouts or use small toys.

Step 3

Build a simple Yowie character with a round body two eyes and a mouth using your chosen materials.

Step 4

Decorate your Yowie with colouring materials to give it bright colors and personality.

Step 5

Make a small background by taping paper or cardboard upright behind a flat area for your scene.

Step 6

Draw three quick storyboard frames showing what your Yowie will do at the start middle and end.

Step 7

Put the scene on a table and place a lamp nearby or use steady daylight so the light stays the same.

Step 8

Put a camera or tablet on a stable surface so it points straight at the scene and will not move.

Step 9

Place your Yowie in the starting spot and take the first photo.

Step 10

Move your Yowie a tiny bit toward the next pose then take another photo and repeat this move-and-photo step until your storyboard is finished.

Step 11

Play back the photos as a quick slideshow or in a stop-motion app to check how the motion looks.

Step 12

Edit the clip if you want to trim frames add titles or simple music then save the video file.

Step 13

Share your finished animation on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have clay for the Yowie or a lamp to light the scene?

If clay is unavailable use the paper cutouts or small toys option from step 2, and if you don't have a lamp use steady daylight near a window as suggested in step 6.

My photos are coming out blurry or the Yowie keeps falling over—what should I try?

Follow step 7 by placing your camera or tablet on a stable surface or stacked books, secure loose pieces with a bit of tape, keep the lamp or daylight steady from step 6, and make very small consistent moves during the move-and-photo step to avoid blur and toppling.

How can I adapt this activity for younger kids or make it more challenging for older kids?

For younger children simplify by building a basic Yowie together, drawing only two storyboard frames and doing larger moves between photos, while older kids can create more detailed storyboards, add layered backgrounds in step 5, and use the edit clip step to trim frames and add music.

What are simple ways to enhance or personalize our finished animation?

Enhance the project by decorating your Yowie more elaborately, building a layered cardboard background from step 5, recording sound effects to add during the edit clip step, and then share the finished animation on DIY.org as in the final step.

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Facts about stop-motion animation for kids

🎬 At 12 frames per second, a 10-second stop-motion clip needs 120 photos — plan your shots!

🧪 Plasticine, a favorite for clay animators, was invented by William Harbutt in 1897 and doesn't dry out.

🏆 Aardman Animations' clay short "The Wrong Trousers" won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short in 1993.

⏳ Stop-motion goes way back to the late 1800s — early trick films like "The Humpty Dumpty Circus" made toys seem alive.

🤏 Pro animators often move characters just 1–3 millimeters between frames to create smooth motion.

How do I create a short stop-motion animation with a DIY Yowie character?

To create a short stop-motion animation with a DIY Yowie, start by building a simple character from clay, paper, or small toys. Set a stable camera on a tripod facing the scene and arrange a plain backdrop and steady base. Move the Yowie slightly between photos—about 1–5 millimetres per frame—taking many shots. Review frames as a sequence, retake as needed, then import into an app to play at 10–12 frames per second, add sounds and export.

What materials do I need to build a DIY Yowie and film a stop-motion clip?

You'll need basic craft supplies: modelling clay or paper/card for your Yowie, small toys or armature wire for support, scissors, glue, paints and markers. For filming: a smartphone or camera, tripod or book stack to stabilize, a plain backdrop, a flat platform, good lighting (lamp or daylight), toothpicks or tweezers for fine moves, and a simple stop-motion or video-editing app to compile frames and add sound effects.

What ages is making a DIY Yowie stop-motion animation suitable for?

Suitable for ages 5 and up with adult help. Preschool children (about 3–5) can take part in modelling and story ideas with close supervision, but small parts and tools require an adult. Ages 6–9 can follow basic frame-by-frame instruction with guidance. Ages 10+ can plan longer scenes, edit on apps, and learn pacing. Adjust complexity, fine-motor tasks, and screen time to your child’s abilities.

What are the benefits and safety tips for making a DIY Yowie animation, and any simple variations?

Making a DIY Yowie animation builds storytelling, fine motor skills, patience, and basic filmmaking concepts. It encourages planning, sequencing, and creative problem-solving. For safety, supervise scissors, small parts, and hot glue; use child-safe tools and age-appropriate materials. Keep sessions short to avoid fatigue and eye strain. For variety, try different materials (clay, paper cutouts, or stop-motion with toys), change camera angles, or add simple voiceovers and music.

Ready to create?