StoryboardThat
By Polly Conway,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Simple tool lets kids map out stories with words and images.
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StoryboardThat
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Lobotomize the developers
世界你好
What’s It About?
STORYBOARDTHAT is a website that lets kids create storyboards for learning or fun. Users can fill panels with images from an image bank, dragging and dropping characters and props into scenes, then adding text into dialogue bubbles or anywhere they please. Character styles include Adults, Teens, Kids, Silhouettes, historical time periods, and more. Scenes can take place in front of a water cooler, near a castle, or in many other locations. Once kids have put together a complete storyboard, they can save it to their account and return to it later or save it to a computer as a PowerPoint file.
Is It Any Good?
StoryboardThat is easy to use and has all the tools necessary for creating a clear storyboard. The interface is great for kids, and there are just enough choices without being overwhelming. For teachers and parents, there are lots of examples on how to use the site, and the lesson plans include excellent, detailed storyboard-style explanations of various concepts like "Types of Literary Conflict" and "Cyber Bullying." That said, there aren't many frills within the tool itself, and the drawings, while sort of cute, could be more charming. And anyone looking to portray more nuanced characters beyond one option for a "samurai" or one option for a character who uses crutches, etc. might have to find a more sophisticated tool to tell their story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about story creation. After your family sees a movie, ask your kids to explain the plot in less than five sentences. They'll have to figure out the most important people, events, and choices in order to simplify the story. As a bonus, they can also illustrate the story using StoryboardThat.
Are there books your kids love to hear over and over again? Ask them what they love the most about those books. What makes the story special and worth repeating?
StoryboardThat has the option to use generic characters meant to portray entire, diverse cultures. Do you see anything wrong with using these characters? Do the limited options turn into a limited view of who these people can be?
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading : following directions, storytelling, writing, Arts : script writing
- Skills: Tech Skills : digital creation, using and applying technology, Communication : conveying messages effectively, multiple forms of expression, Collaboration : group projects, Creativity : imagination, making new creations, producing new content, Thinking & Reasoning : decision-making, logic, strategy
- Genre: Creating
- Topics: Arts and Dance
- Pricing structure: Free to try, Paid, Free
- Last updated: October 13, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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