Ask Ollie
Stop-Motion Monster Movie
Here's one to try together!
Make a tiny monster come alive, one little move and one photo at a time!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- uses a grown-up's phone, which could fall or be dropped if the book stack is unstable
- popcorn is a choking risk and a possible allergen/food concern
- do not post the movie online; keep it within the family
- slideshow should be one that needs no account
What you need
- Phone, 1
- Crayons or markers, a handful
- Paper, 1 sheet
- Small waterproof toys (not for under 3s), 1 toy for the easier version (optional)
- Play dough, a fist-size lump
- Book, 4 to 6
- Popcorn, a bowl (optional)
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Have a grown-up's phone ready with the built-in camera only. Pick a table where the setup can stay untouched for about an hour. Choose a slideshow option that needs no account, and plan to keep the finished movie in the family and not post it online.
- Fold your paper into six boxes and sketch your monster's story in order.
- Shape a friendly monster from play dough or paper. Ask: What is your monster like, and what makes it friendly?
- Stack books and prop the phone so it stays very still. Ask for help if you need it
- Place your monster in its first spot and take a photo.
- Move the monster just a tiny bit, then take another photo.
- Keep going: tiny move, photo, tiny move, photo, until you have sixty photos. Ask: How fast do you think your monster will move when we play it back?
- Play your photos back by swiping fast or using the slideshow. Ask: What do you notice about how the monster moves now?
- Hold a family premiere and show your movie to everyone.
- Now make another scene! What will your monster do next? Ask: What new adventure should your monster have, and who else could star in it?
Play it again
- Monster dance: make your monster hop, spin and wiggle in place.
- Vanishing act: remove a piece of the monster in each photo until it disappears.
- Mystery guest: add a new character halfway through the movie.
Kids loved this? There are more where it came from.
Get 3 free ideas a dayTurn "I'm bored" into "let's do something together!" 3 free ideas a day, picked for your kids.