What did you do on your summer vacation? Was it a vintage year to remember full of exciting adventures and family fun?
Before the leaves begin to turn and cooler breezes blow this fall, why not keep your precious memories fresh forever by creating a “My Summer Vacation” stop motion animation project?
There are plenty of animated summer vacation videos on YouTube but, to save you some time and provide you with a little animation inspiration, you’d be hard pressed to find a better example than the adorable film, Adventure in Unst, documenting a family adventure in Scotland, UK.
To help you animate your own movie masterpieces, EdTech company HUE has created a 34-page, vacation-themed, stop motion animation activity pack, bursting with colorful illustrated backgrounds and cut-out characters, which is available to download FREE OF CHARGE for Free Homeschool Deals readers.
Designed especially for teachers, families and homeschoolers, the printable activity pack is suitable for kids aged 7+ and there is also an accompanying example video showing some of the scenes you can animate with the cut-outs.
If you haven’t heard of stop motion animation before, you will have no doubt seen it in a movie or TV show. Gumby, Wallace & Gromit and Coraline are all stop motion animated and the technique has even been used to create special effects in blockbuster films such as Star Wars!
The best thing about stop motion animation is that it is actually a deceptively simple activity that even the youngest of children can learn how to do. All you need is a camera or smartphone, some stop motion software, or an all-in-one kit such as HUE Animation Studio. Add a dash of creativity and it’s movie-making time!
If you need a little guidance to get started, HUE has a whole host of tips and tricks for making your first stop motion movie on their website for beginner animators.
You don’t need fancy puppets to make stop motion animated movies, you can use almost anything you have to hand. Paper cut-outs, LEGO® figures, toy cars, found objects and characters made out of clay can all be animated with the stop motion technique. Animating old toys provides a great way to give a second life to old forgotten birthday and Christmas gifts too.
Not only is animation a whole load of fun, it is a hands-on, creative pastime that helps children to develop a range of skills such as visual sequencing, video editing, storytelling and a whole lot more besides.
Using technology in a creative way also helps children to build a healthier balance with screen time. Rather than passively scrolling through TikTok or playing video games on their own, making an animation is a fantastic family activity where siblings of different ages can work together on a project taking on roles as the director, animator, model maker or soundtrack creator.
To find out more about stop motion animation and HUE, follow @HUEcameras on social media and subscribe to their YouTube channel or blog to hear about events, news and giveaways.
Don’t forget to share your creations on social media with #HUEAnimation for the chance to be featured on the HUE blog or YouTube channel!
For more fun animation freebies, visit HUE’s Teachers Pay Teachers store to download additional animation backgrounds, storyboard templates and activity guides.
Happy animating!
Download your Stop Motion Animation Activity Pack from HUE here!
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