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App review by Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Education | Updated September 2015

ABCya Animate

Name: ABCya Animate
Item: ABCya Animate
Rating: 3
Author: Amanda Bindel

Easy-to-learn tool empowers beginning animators

Learning rating

Editorial review by Common Sense Education

Community rating

Based on 3 reviews

Privacy rating

by Common Sense

Grades

K–3 This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

Subjects & Skills

Arts, Creativity

Great for

Media Literacy, Creating Media

Take a look inside

5 images

Quickly create and watch original animations.

Create original backgrounds or use one from the app.

Students can choose the speed the frames change.

Creations can be exported to the camera roll.

Pros: Short video tutorial shows how to use controls and create animations.

Cons: Provides no option to add narration.

Bottom Line: Students learn how animations work and how to create their own.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Use ABCya Animate to show students how animations are created. Once students understand how animation works and how to use the tool, they can use it to create short animated movies to demonstrate their understanding in many other subject areas. After a study on insects, for example, students could create an animation of the life cycle of a butterfly. Or they could use the app to retell a short story read in language arts or bring to life an event studied in social studies. The possibilities are endless, especially in project-based learning environments. This creative tool will engage students and help them demonstrate their knowledge and solidify their understanding.

What Is It?

Editor's Note: ABCya Animate is no longer available in the U.S. app store; however, it is available in Australia.

ABCya Animate helps students easily create their own animated movies as a video tutorial shows them how to use each of the commands. Starting from a white screen, students can create their own background (from the iPad's camera roll) or use one from library of ready-made images. They then draw using four sizes of pencil and 36 colors, or add images from the categories of transportation, landscape, animals, foods, people, and fun objects. They can move and size objects, flip them, or arrange them in front of or behind other objects. To save a frame and add it to the film roll, students hit Copy Frame and then add to the next frame -- up to 99 frames. They can set the background, view the previous frame, and clear a frame easily. There's no way to record voice-overs or add custom music, though the background tune can be changed in the parent/teacher section. Movies can be played once or on a loop. Creations can only be saved to the gallery on the device or exported to the camera roll and shared from there.

Is It Good for Learning?

ABCya Animate is a blast for students who want to dip their toes into animation. The drawing interface is easy to navigate, and all the commands are visible on-screen. With 99 frames, students have plenty of room to build a short animated film, and the dozens of included images provide the versatility to incorporate lots of elements. Students can't add their own narration, which limits ABCya Animate when compared to other animation apps like Easy Studio Stop-Motion Studio and Toontastic 3D. The video tutorial is very helpful for showing students how to create animations, so consider this app a good introduction to the animation process and a way for students to successfully create some basic animations.

Learning Rating

Overall Rating

Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Commands are very kid-friendly, and students will quickly see their creations in action, rewarding their efforts and encouraging them to create more.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

Students learn how animation works through hands-on exploration. Plenty of space is available to save new animations, so students can create, watch, and improve upon their animations.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

A video tutorial shows how to use all the commands. Animations are saved in the gallery and can be exported to the camera roll for sharing beyond the app.

Common Sense reviewer

Amanda Bindel Classroom teacher

See how we rate and review

Community Rating

(See all 3 reviews) (3 reviews)

Featured review by
Melissa Z. , Classroom teacher

Classroom teacher

Liberty
Springfield, United States

Animation Made Simple

I really like this tool. I am a technology teacher so for me it is a great tool to teach slow motion movies. I recommend this program to children from K-3. You could easily have the students create a movie on the screen and than write a story about their movie. This could kick off a writing assignment or it could be a follow up from a writing assignment. You are limited to their images, but I think the gallery has a lot of stuff so the students can easily create a story off of it.

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Data Safety

How safe is this product?

Unclear whether this product supports interactions between trusted users and/or students.

Unclear whether users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.

Unclear whether profile information is shared for social interactions.

Data Rights

What rights do I have to the data?

Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.

Users can control their information through privacy settings.

Users cannot create or upload content.

Ads & Tracking

Are there advertisements or tracking?

Data are shared for third-party advertising and/or marketing.

Traditional or contextual advertisements are displayed.

Behavioral or targeted advertising is not displayed.

Continue reading about this tool's privacy practices, including data collection, sharing, and security.

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