Download animation templates and image assets, then create a short stop-motion or hand-drawn flipbook animation using a smartphone or tablet and simple tools.



Step-by-step guide to Download Your Animation Resources
Step 1
Open the link or resource folder your teacher or parent gave and download the animation templates and image assets to your computer or tablet.
Step 2
Look through the downloaded images and pick one short action or idea you want to animate.
Step 3
Decide whether you will make a hand-drawn flipbook or a stop-motion using cut-out pieces.
Step 4
Print the templates or place your device showing the template nearby and trace the frames onto plain paper or index cards.
Step 5
Use scissors to cut out any frames or character pieces you need for your animation.
Step 6
Colour and decorate each frame or cut-out using your colouring materials.
Step 7
Lightly number the frames on the back and stack them in the order you plan to show them.
Step 8
If you chose flipbook: clip or tape one short edge tightly so the pages stay aligned and flip easily.
Step 9
If you chose stop-motion: place your cardboard or book base on a flat table and arrange your characters for the first frame.
Step 10
Place your smartphone or tablet on a stable stand or stack of books so it will not move while you work.
Step 11
Open the camera or a stop-motion app and make sure the whole scene fits inside the frame.
Step 12
If you chose stop-motion: move your characters a tiny amount between steps to create small changes in motion.
Step 13
If you chose stop-motion: take a photo after each tiny movement and repeat moving and photographing until you have captured every frame.
Step 14
If you chose flipbook: flip the clipped edge quickly to preview the motion and ask someone to film while you flip smoothly to make a video file.
Step 15
Share your finished animation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!


Help!?
What can we do if we don't have a printer to print the templates?
If you don't have a printer, place the template on your tablet or computer screen and trace the frames directly onto plain paper or index cards as the instructions suggest.
My stop‑motion looks jumpy — how can we fix that?
If your stop‑motion jitters, make sure to place your smartphone or tablet on a stable stand or a tightly stacked set of books and check the camera framing so the whole scene stays inside the frame before taking each photo.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger kids have an adult do the cutting and phone setup while they color pre‑cut pieces and make big movements, and for older kids encourage tracing every frame, making tiny movements between photos, and creating a longer video file from the numbered frames.
What are simple ways to make our animation more creative or polished?
To enhance your animation, colour and attach decorated background panels to your cardboard base, use a stop‑motion app or camera to add music and timing, and keep frames numbered on the back so you can edit them into a smoother video file to share.
Watch videos on how to Download Your Animation Resources
Facts about animation for kids
🎞️ Many animations use 12–24 frames per second; 12 fps is popular for flipbooks and DIY stop-motion for a charming look.
🔁 Persistence of vision is the optical trick that makes a rapid sequence of still images appear as smooth motion.
🧰 Stop-motion artists often animate everyday items—paper, clay, and toys—making tiny changes between frames to bring them to life.
🕰️ The flip book was patented in 1868 as the kineograph by John Barnes Linnett.
📱 You can shoot stop-motion with a smartphone; free apps often add onion-skinning, frame capture, and simple editing.


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