Toontastic.... {best classroom app I've seen in a long time}

Have you heard of Toontastic for the iPad? Have you used it in your classroom on?  Check out this intro video!!!  What a fun and engaging way to teach story elements while using technology {and it's FREE in the app store!}

From their website:

Toontastic inspires the artist and writer in every child while teaching key storytelling principles that help to promote Creativity at a young age.

Toontastic’s drawing tools bring kids’ wildest ideas to life alongside virtual playsets chock full of pirates, princesses, far away galaxies, and many other characters and settings to spark the imagination.  

I just heard about it a few weeks back during story time with our librarian.  She split my class into 3 groups... she took a group, I took a group, and her student teacher took a group.  Over the course of a few sessions, we developed a story arc on paper and we just created a finished product this week.  The kiddos were SO excited. Check out our first video here:


I think anytime you can find a tool that the kids are THIS excited about... it's a keeper!  The kids get to pick the setting, the characters, etc.  They can even use pictures from the camera roll as a setting and/or draw their own!  The librarian had only played around with it for a bit before trying it out on us... and I think that trial and error was actually a really good way to learn!  I am excited to let my kiddos jump in and start creating even more!

Need a planning sheet for your kiddos?  I made this... and you can download it HERE! 

Hope you all had a great Thursday... be back tomorrow with my Five for Friday post.  See y'all soon!