How to embrace animation in preschool learning today

By Michael Hilkemeijer

 

 

 

Bringing ideas to life through motion

When educators discuss the importance of animation in education, they’re pointing to its unique capacity to make change, scale, and sequence visible. Many concepts are dynamic (cell division, weather systems, historical timelines), yet most classroom artefacts are static. Animation closes that gap by converting abstract relationships into time-based visual stories that students can follow, which multiple university cases credit with clearer comprehension and more memorable learning experiences. Times Higher Education (THE)

 

 

What “animation” means in a learning context

In education, animation isn’t one style—it spans short motion graphics, 2D/3D sequences, whiteboard or character pieces, and simple loops that visualise micro-steps in a process. Industry overviews aimed at schools and universities emphasise that the importance of animation in education rests on matching the visual treatment to the idea, so the motion highlights the concept rather than distracting from it. This alignment—clarity over spectacle—is repeatedly identified as the difference between “engaging” and “effective.” Alternative View StudiosTimes Higher Education (THE)

 

 

Why this medium matters for learning

A core reason behind the importance of animation in education is cognitive: learners often struggle to infer cause-and-effect from stills. Motion can reveal order, proportional change, and mechanism. In higher education practice, instructors report that carefully-paced sequences help students connect steps in complex procedures, especially where traditional diagrams fall short. That same narrative quality supports motivation, attention, and willingness to persist with challenging content. Times Higher Education (THE)

Another driver is reach. Providers working across age ranges—from early years to adult learning—note that animation travels well across contexts and backgrounds. The same storyline can be captioned, translated, or repurposed with updated voiceover, extending access without altering the conceptual core. This adaptability underlines the importance of animation in education systems that serve diverse cohorts. Alternative View Studios

 

 

The concrete advantages learners gain

The benefits of animation in education consistently cluster into five outcomes:

1. Comprehension of dynamic ideas. Learners see how and why a system changes instead of guessing between snapshots. Classroom and university accounts link this to better grasp of processes and mechanisms across disciplines. Times Higher Education (THE)

2. Sustained attention and motivation. Motion, timing, and storytelling can focus attention on the relevant feature at the right moment, which many practitioners describe as a practical engagement benefit. These attention gains are cited as a precursor to deeper learning, not a replacement for it. prayananimation.comTimes Higher Education (THE)

3. Memory and recall. The benefits of animation in education include stronger retention when ideas are anchored to visual cues and narrative arcs, a pattern frequently reported by educational studios and instructors who deliver content from primary through tertiary levels. Alternative View StudiosTimes Higher Education (THE)

4. Accessibility and inclusivity. Because animations can be captioned, slowed, paused, or dubbed, they offer multiple paths into the same concept—important in mixed-ability classes and multilingual settings. This flexibility is often highlighted in higher-education teaching case notes as a reason to choose motion over dense text. Times Higher Education (THE)

5. Consistency at scale. Once produced, an animation communicates the same explanation to every learner, every time. Providers working with schools and universities emphasise this as a quality-assurance benefit when courses run across many cohorts or sites. Alternative View Studios

 

 

Where the medium naturally excels

The importance of animation in education is most visible where concepts are hard to film or impractical to demonstrate: microscopic processes, dangerous scenarios, or ethically sensitive topics. Studios and university cases alike describe using motion to tackle these areas safely and sensitively—enabling understanding without exposure to risk or oversimplification. Alternative View StudiosTimes Higher Education (THE)

 

 

A balanced view of strengths and limits

The benefits of animation in education are not automatic. Practitioner round-ups caution that poorly targeted motion can overload learners—too much on screen, too many simultaneous movements, or narration that races ahead of the visuals. Time and budget matter too. A frank, science-oriented review of pros and cons stresses that animation is most effective when it stays tightly aligned to the learning objective and avoids decorative motion that doesn’t serve understanding. F. Learning Studio

 

 

Why these claims keep recurring across sectors

Across sectors, similar patterns emerge: educators report clearer explanations, learners report higher engagement, and institutions value consistent quality. Higher-education commentary frames this as part of a broader shift toward multimodal teaching, where animation sits alongside text, discussion, and assessment to support different routes to mastery. Meanwhile, creative-industry guides aimed at educators reiterate that the importance of animation in education comes from precision—choosing the right visual metaphor, the right pacing, and the right focus to illuminate the core idea. Times Higher Education (THE)Alternative View Studios

 

 

What the evidence implies for readers

Taken together, the benefits of animation in education point to a medium that is uniquely good at showing rather than merely telling—turning invisible steps into visible sequences and abstract relations into concrete stories. That explanatory power is the heart of the importance of animation in education: when motion is used purposefully, it doesn’t just attract attention; it allocates attention to the right idea at the right moment, making understanding more likely for more learners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Teachers and Students Bring Learning to Life with Motion

Motion as a classroom tool

The use of animation in education is increasingly visible across early childhood, primary, and higher education classrooms. Teachers apply it to explain processes, highlight relationships, and present abstract ideas in a way that students can actually see. For example, F Learning Studio notes that showing how blood circulates or how tectonic plates shift is often clearer through moving visuals than through text or still images (F Learning Studio).

 

 

What teachers do with it

For educators, the uses of animation in education span both instruction and assessment. Teachers create or select animated clips to demonstrate processes such as the water cycle, scientific experiments, or mathematical transformations. According to Educational Voice, animations are also embedded into lesson slides to maintain engagement and guide learners’ attention during explanations (Educational Voice). In many classrooms, teachers use short animations as lesson starters to spark curiosity, or as recaps to consolidate key points.

 

Animations also allow teachers to differentiate learning. With subtitles, multiple languages, or slowed playback, a single clip can serve learners with different needs. Research shows that when used carefully, animated visuals reduce cognitive overload and help learners grasp complex ideas step by step (ResearchGate).

 

 

What students do with it

The use of animation in education is not limited to teacher presentation; students themselves increasingly create and interact with animations. In early learning, this might involve sequencing images into short animated stories or experimenting with apps like Book Creator or iMovie to combine drawings and recorded narration (Times Higher Education). In primary and secondary contexts, students may develop stop-motion projects or code simple animations to demonstrate understanding of scientific, historical, or literary concepts.

 

These activities highlight how animation is used in education not just to receive knowledge but also to express it. Students who create animations demonstrate higher-order skills: planning, sequencing, problem-solving, and storytelling. They also gain experience in digital literacy and creative communication — skills that connect directly to curriculum outcomes.

 

Classroom benefits observed

The uses of animation in education across these settings reflect three consistent outcomes:

• Clarity of explanation: motion captures the “in-between” steps of processes that static diagrams miss.

• Engagement: animated content sustains attention and can transform even routine revision into an interactive experience.

• Expression: students use animation tools to communicate their own learning, supporting creativity alongside comprehension.

Together, these patterns answer the question of how is animation used in education: as a teaching tool, as a student production medium, and as a bridge between explanation and expression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Embrace Animation in Ed

A number of years ago, I decided to pursue one of my ambitions and completed a Diploma in Screen and Media (Animation). It was something that I really enjoyed as I have been creative with my own artistic talents in my younger years.

Animation was also something that I used to promote learning in my former career as an ICT teacher and while it was challenging it was all worth seeing at least some productions from students being completed.

 

Benefits

When initiating projects of digital animation in the classroom, it can boost learning in the following ways:

• Benefits visual learners to attract and engage students;
• Keep students concentrated through storytelling;
• Simplify knowledge for better understanding;
• Help store information for better remembering and recalling of knowledge.

(flearningstudio.com)

 

Digital video production can:

• Increase child engagement with the curriculum;
• Promote and develop a range of learning styles;
• Motivate and engage a wide range of children than traditional teaching methods in early childhood education, so providing greater access to the curriculum.

 

Digital animation productions in the early childhood learning environment also adds another aspect to using digital cameras. Additionally, it can offer opportunities for young children who are more comfortable and competent with the visual mode to succeed (Marsh, 2008).

 

What do you need?

When using digital cameras for filming you can find a number of affordable devices that you may already be familiar with such as video recording using tablet computers such as iPads or even smartphones (note: never use personal devices), digital still image recording such as those just mentioned and stand-alone devices, webcams can also be used for recording and digital blue cameras.

 

Computers (desktops and laptops) are useful, of course, for uploading digital still images into editing software such as Adobe Premiere, iMovie, Kartouche and Windows MovieMaker.

 

Data projectors are a great way to project and display the films once they have been completed.

 

 

Examples of skills attained

In the early childhood learning environment, it is important to understand that many children will not develop the following skills and that unless there is curriculum guidance children can repeat the same experiences in the future years. As a consequence, it could lead to them failing to address particular aspects of editing. It is important that there is a developmental sequence included that can be applied to children’s work.

 

• Technical skills – these are typically obtained through actions such as controlling the mouse and using the digital camera in addition to using editing software. The knowledge, skills and understanding would include for example, move cursor to desired space; use left-hand button to select; click and drag; find appropriate button for taking photograph; use various functions appropriately (timeline, stop/replay buttons, adding sounds).

 

• Visual skills – when children learn to frame shots, they will develop skills such as positioning characters and artefacts appropriately; use close-ups, mid-shots and long-shots.

 

• Understanding of narrative – when young children create stories, they do so in three parts – beginning, middle, end; they also create stories with more than one character; they create the setting.

 

• Understanding of multimodality – young children will use different modes and, in the process, develop skills such as understanding the affordances of different modes; becoming aware of the differences in affordances of various modes; and understanding the processes involved in transduction across modes.

 

• Awareness of audience – when children create films that reflect the interests of their peers they will identify themes which will interest the audience as well as identify props and soundtracks which will attract the audience.

 

• Critical skills – reflection will be a very important part of their learning and young children think about making future changes where necessary. The skills attained will include identifying aspects of the work which need changing. For example, shots which included their own hands. Also, they will identify features where are particularly successful in meeting the audience’s needs and repeating these.

 

• Understanding of genre (animation) – the type of animation which most young children in preschool use is stopmotion animation. At the end of their production, they then should have a better understanding of the principles of stopmotion. Principles such as it is actually a series of still images portraying small changes in movement can, when placed together, create the illusion of larger movements. Additionally, they should be able to comprehend the importance of principles such as continuity.

 

These are just an example of the types of skills that young children can attain through the various actions undertaken in the production of their animation.

 

 

Ideas for using this digital media

Slow motion or stop motion animation is a great way to incorporate digital technology in early childhood education. Planning will be essential to ensure that children will learn from this context that digital media like is a tool that is designed for a specific purpose. You will be able to plan using a thematic approach or an approach which is based on the breadth and depth of the Early Years Learning Framework.

 

Here are some ideas for you to get started:

• Children could create a short stop motion animation with plasticine figures and sets using animation software;
• Watch Claymation videos like ‘Wallace and Gromit’;
• Retell a page from one of their favourite stories;
• Produce non-narrative films;
• Represent the growth of a bean as an animation.

 

 

 

 

 

Case Studies

These case studies are taken from Marilyn Fleer (2017, p. 143- 146). She discusses them from the perspectives of both the children and teacher. They highlight how animation is used in education today.

 

Case study 1 - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

 

The children and the teachers are seated in a circle on the carpet area for group time. The children are each given a musical instrument to hold and later play. Projected on to the wall is the slowmation animation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears that the children have previously created. The purpose of the group time is to re-tell the story, while looking at the projected animation, and to create a ‘digital soundtrack’ and narrative of the fairytale to record over the animation to make ‘their movie’, as explained by the teacher: ‘Have a look at the wall. Can you all see the movie on the wall? This is the story we have made of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We are going to make the music for it. You know how when you watch a movie … So we have to watch the movie whilst we make the movie.’

 

Teacher Perspective

Key points –

1. Teacher uses the term ‘movie’ to help the children conceptualise holistically the task of making a slowmation;
2. Teacher create a group context for making the animation in a way that is meaningful to the children.

 

Children’s Perspective

• Children work collectively to ‘re-tell the story’ through the use of musical instruments.
• This approach allows the children to feel a part of the technical process of making voiceover and contributing to the narrative;
• The collective approach allows the children to make their movie, even if this could not be easily achieved individually.

 

Case study 2 – The Three Bill Goats Gruff

Two teachers and a group of children aged 4.6–5.7 were followed over a five-week period as they used iPads and props to create an animation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The teachers initially used a storyboard approach to map with the children the different phases of the fairytale. One of the activities in the centre was the creation of bridges from scrap wood. One of the bridges made by the children was placed on the imagination table where plastic goats were provided and a troll. In addition, the teachers also role-played the fairytale with the children, digitally recording their role-play, which was then used as the ‘voiceover’ for the slowmation animation.

 

Two children (Alison and Timmy) and their teacher are positioned next to the iPad which is standing on a table and directed to the imagination table where a wooden bridge and plastic figures are available for the children’s use to re-tell the fairytale of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

 

Alison is positioned in front of the scene as Timmy says, ‘Let’s go’ to signal to her to come back to the iPad and press the camera switch. Alison responds by saying as she moves back to the camera, ‘Now … and press it, yeah … waiting’ in order to ensure that Timmy does not press the button until she is out of the scene. Timmy, who is anticipating the next part of the storytelling to be captured on the iPad, says, ‘Get the troll out … I said get the troll.’ Alison responds by positioning the troll under the bridge, but playfully signals to Timmy to wait before pressing the button on the iPad camera.

 

The two children coordinate their actions as they take photos of the props, moving them slightly, before taking another photo. The teacher holds the iPad steady as the children press the button, and she also provides support to the children by prompting them when needed. However, the children mostly coordinate their actions and direct each other to re-present the fairytale as a slowmation. A high level of intersubjectivity between the children and the technology is evident (Fleer, 2017).

 

Looking again at it from the teacher’s perspective:

• She positioned herself as a support – physically and conceptually. This is demonstrated when she physically holds the iPad to stop if from falling when the children press a button. Conceptual support is provided by being in close proximity as the children re-tell the story through moving the objects and pressing the camera button to capture the image.
• The children are prompted only it is needed which means allowing the children to do what they can do independently. This gives the children control over the creation of the slowmation.
• There is a high level of teacher intersubjectivity present when the support is given to the children as they contribute differently to the making of the slowmation.

 

In this particular case study, the children:

Coordinated their actions both conceptually and socially as they demonstrated a high level of intersubjectivity between the fairytale narrative, each other and the digital device. This is evident when Timmy controls his urge to press the button of the camera, waiting for Alison as she says ‘wait’ and always in the context of the fairytale progressing.

 

 

Conclusion

Many projects in the past have proven that very young children are able to develop digital, animated films if they are given the appropriate scaffolding and support. The level of ICT capability that can be achieved in such an activity makes it ideal for one of the best ways of integrating digital technology in early childhood education. Such skills and knowledge will be vitally important in the years given that it has implications for not just their social purposes but also for economic and political aspects that will determine how they will thrive in the workforce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From learning about animation to applying it in classrooms

Educators understand the benefits of animation in education: it makes complex ideas accessible, captures attention, and provides students with a tool to express their own learning. But the real impact comes when teachers move from awareness to action — when they bring animation into daily lessons as part of meaningful technology experiences for preschoolers and primary students alike.

 

In the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, animation is not just a teaching resource; it’s an approach to professional growth. Members gain access to lesson plans and activity frameworks that show how animation activities for students can build both subject understanding and digital capability. This dual focus is critical: children learn to communicate ideas creatively, while educators strengthen their skills in integrating technology into pedagogy.

 

 

Why animation belongs in technology-rich classrooms

Animation has been shown to support comprehension, engagement, and creative expression. In practice, this translates into:

• Preschool and kindergarten settings: children begin with exploratory play, sequencing images or creating simple movement-based stories. These early technology experiences for preschoolers link naturally to oral language and emergent literacy.

• Early and middle primary classrooms: students create digital stories, illustrate science processes, or retell narratives using stop-motion or digital animation apps. Here, animation activities for students extend learning across subjects while fostering higher-order skills like planning and problem-solving.

• Upper primary (Years 5–6): learners take ownership of projects, using animation to model abstract concepts in maths, present findings in science, or create persuasive media in literacy. At this level, students are not only consuming animated content but designing it as evidence of understanding.

Through membership, these activities are aligned with EYLF outcomes for early learning and ACARA expectations across primary subjects, ensuring educators can link digital creativity directly to curriculum goals.

 

 

Examples of classroom-ready ideas

To align with what teachers often search for, here are some animation activities for students that are supported and extended inside the Academy’s lesson plan library:

• Nature stop-motion: children collect leaves, rocks, or small objects and use tablets to create animated sequences showing seasonal change or life cycles.

• Shape transformations: students animate 2D shapes morphing into real-world objects (house, car, tree), combining maths concepts with creative design.

• Storyboarding with toys: preschoolers use familiar toys as characters in simple stop-motion stories, building oral language and sequencing skills.

• Science in motion: older students animate water cycles, plant growth, or planetary orbits — projects that connect directly to curriculum outcomes.

• Digital art animation: learners create abstract art using drawing programs, then animate brushstrokes or patterns to explore colour, rhythm, and emotion.

• QR-linked storytelling: blending physical and digital play, students record short animations about their discoveries during outdoor learning (e.g., a bug hunt) and share them via QR codes.

These ideas draw inspiration from resources such as Learning by Inquiry, Twinkl, and Medium’s project list, but in the membership they are fully contextualised: mapped to outcomes, embedded with observation tools, and supported with professional reflection prompts.

 

 

How this supports professional growth

What makes these lesson plans powerful is that they don’t stop at “activity ideas.” Members are guided to:

• Plan activities with clear learning intentions and curriculum links.

• Differentiate for varying abilities, ensuring inclusive access to technology experiences for preschoolers through Year 6.

• Use observation and assessment strategies to capture ICT capability development.

• Reflect on their own integration of digital tools, building confidence in pedagogy.

This transforms animation from a novelty into a pathway for teacher growth. Each project becomes a step along the membership’s Technology Integrator’s Success Path, ensuring educators not only teach with animation but also develop as professionals who can embed it purposefully across learning areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why stop at an idea when you can grow with support?

We’ve explored the importance and uses of animation in education, how it transforms classrooms, and the kinds of activities that bring learning to life. But the real question is: why just download an activity idea when you could be part of a membership that helps you apply it, reflect on it, and grow professionally with every step?

Here’s how the key benefits of animation in education connect directly to what you gain as a member:

• Clearer explanations for students → Our animation-based lesson plans (e.g., Bee-Bot art, digital storytelling, shape transformations) show you how to simplify complex concepts with guided instructions and curriculum links.

• Engaged and motivated learners → The membership offers technology experiences for preschoolers right through to Year 6, with hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and sustain focus.

• Creativity and student expression → You don’t just get activity ideas; you get frameworks for animation activities for students that include observation tools, reflection prompts, and pathways for extension.

• Inclusive access for all abilities → Lesson plans come with levels of differentiation, ensuring you can adapt each animation activity to your learners — from preschool to upper primary.

• Time saved in planning → Instead of searching for random ideas, you gain instant access to a curated library of ICT-integrated lesson plans, ready to implement and mapped to curriculum outcomes.

• Your professional growth supported → Every activity links to the Success Path, guiding you from simply using ICT in lessons to transforming how you integrate technology — with the backing of a supportive community and expert-led resources.

Don’t just take an idea and figure it out alone — join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy and experience the difference of teaching with support, reflection, and a professional community.

👉 Start today for just $20 AUD per month to trial the membership. Then, switch to the annual plan to save instantly and enjoy a full year of resources, community, and transformation.