LESSON 01 OF 06
How Animation Works
Draw a ball bouncing. Frame 1: Ball high. Frame 2: Ball touching ground. Frame 3: Ball squished. Frame 4: Ball bouncing up. Flip through them — it bounces!
Ace saysAnimation is a TRICK! You draw many still pictures and show them fast — your brain thinks they are moving. 24 pictures per second = smooth animation!
Lana's guideThe 12 principles of animation include: Squash & Stretch, Anticipation, Staging, Follow-through, Slow in/Slow out, Arcs, and Timing. We will use 4 of them today.
PARENT & TEACHER COACHNeed help teaching this lesson? Ask LANA.+
Help the child understand the lesson goal and make one idea they can proudly explain.
Invite the child to show you what they are making. Use short questions, give them time to think, and let their choices lead the project.
What are you making, why did you choose it, and what would you like to try next?
Break the activity into one tiny next step. Offer two choices, model one example, and praise the child's effort instead of taking over the project.
- More frames = smoother animation
- Less frames = more cartoony and bouncy
- Always draw the 'in-between' frames last
- Squash on impact, stretch on bounce
Can you see your ball bouncing when you flip the pages?
