Have you ever wondered how to make an animation? We have made several animations as part of our homeschooling. It is very easy, and doesn’t need lots of expensive equipment – just a digital camera.

1. Set up the camera pointing at your background and models. You can use clay, Lego or Playmobil figures, or even characters drawn and cut out of paper.
2. Take a photo.
3. Move your models slightly and take another picture. The smaller the increments, the smoother the movie – my children were too impatient to do this well but they were still pleased with the results.
4. When you have finished, load your pictures onto the PC and string them together using a free copy of Irfanview.
5. Make a slide show, setting the automatic slide advancement to 0.002 seconds. This gives a smooth transition through the pictures – and turns your photos into an animation.

This is a great way to bring a history or nature project to life!

For more information on this idea, and many others, visit Julie at Homeschooling-ideas.com

Melissa & Doug Shape, Model and Mold