Young movie makers will enjoy the Zimmer Twins website which provides animated clips and dialogue screens which kids can then assemble into their very own stories. It is an entertaining way to practice writing and story-telling skills.
The basic site is free, although a paid membership is available (a nice touch: they do not automatically charge your credit card when your membership period ends). Unfortunately, Zimmer Twins requires Flash, so it cannot be used on any iOS devices. When signing up, children are required to provide a parent or guardian’s email address, and they cannot use their own names for their accounts – the site takes kids’ safety seriously and begins teaching them the basics of Internet safety and courtesy.
With paid membership, you get more clips to choose from, but I actually like the existing limitations. There is still a huge selection with the free account, and the teacher in me appreciates the ways students have creatively used what’s available to tell an infinite variety of stories.
Try using Zimmer Twins to make any of these movies:
- Write a story set in the future … or the past.
- Write a sequel to someone else’s movie.
- Tell the true story of something that really happened to you.
- Tell a story backwards.
- Recreate your favorite book.
Have fun!
