Toontastic 3D
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Chromebook
- Free
- Education
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Toontastic 3D has all the fun features of the original, but the developer has partnered with Google, and this updated version has new scenes and 3D characters. Kids choose a scene and characters -- or design their own -- and are then given some basic guidance on constructing their own animated stories. Each scene can record up to 60 seconds of voice narration and movement. Note that it's not compatible with older devices, so review the list of compatible devices before downloading. To access all the creative options, parents need to allow the app access to the camera roll and microphone. To get inspired, kids can watch storytelling tips and see examples of what others have created in the app or on the partner website. Read the tips section of the Toontastic 3D website for a general overview of how your information is collected and shared or look through Google's general privacy policy for more details.
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Billy gets grounded
What's it about?
TOONTASTIC 3D is a creative platform for storytelling. Choose from three story options: short story, classic story, and science report. Each comes with a basic story outline -- set, conflict, challenge, climax, and resolution -- and a brief overview of what each plot point means. For each plot point, kids can use the included sets and 3D characters or design their own with simple drawing tools. Tap record to start moving characters and props around, explore the set, and narrate the story. Last step: Add an appropriate musical score. Once finished, story pieces are put together in a single video.
Is it any good?
Kids are in the director's seat and have free reign to let their creative side shine with this flexible and easy-to-use storytelling platform. There are quite a few ways to customize sets, characters, and story arcs, as well as a number of ways to animate movement. Though it may take some experimentation to get the hang of all the features in Toontastic 3D, it's super easy to tap and drag to move characters around the screen and animate a story. Not everyone will like the look of the updated characters and scenes, but kids can always create their own. The simple guidance on the fundamentals of storytelling offers great scaffolding to help kids turn ideas into legitimate stories. The addition of the "science report" story option is a great idea to get kids familiar with the scientific process. But, since this concept is a bit more complicated than simply using your imagination to create a story, it could use some extra support. Just as in the original, Toontasic 3D has the wonderful feature where kids can influence the mood of their stories by adding music with differing degrees of intensity. When everything is put together, kids get a story that they made, that looks and sounds great, and that is truly something they can be proud of!
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the stories kids make with Toontastic 3D. Help walk kids through the story tutorials and guide them in creating story sections that satisfy each plot point.
Explore other works of literature, or attend a puppet show or theater performance and analyze how the plot follows the basic story arc (setup through to resolution).
Have a family theater night. Everyone in the family can create one or more stories, then grab some popcorn and settle on the couch to watch everyone's grand premiere!
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Chromebook
- Subjects: Language & Reading: storytelling
- Skills: Creativity: imagination, making new creations, producing new content
Tech Skills: using and applying technology - Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: January 11, 2017
- Category: Education
- Size: 253.00 MB
- Publisher: Google Inc
- Version: 1.0.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.0 or later; Android 5.0 and up
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
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