Creating a free account on several children's websites allows parents and children to upload photos and create personalized animations, printables, and playable game characters. Many of the personalized results can be saved and played again, as well as linked to and shared with family and friends.
Personalized Online Games and Printables
On SproutOnline, a PBS Kids website, children can customize several games with their own photo or drawing. The website encourages children to send their artwork and photos, which may end up featured on corresponding television programs such as The Sunny Side Up Show. On the Sunny Side Up web page, children can personalize a dancer and play The Barnyard Boogie Game. Customization is as easy as uploading a photo and fitting the child's face into an oval shape.
Also on SproutOnline, the PicMe web page provides several opportunities for creating customized content, including the following.
- an animated movie trailer
- a playable game character
- printable coloring pages and activities
- a print and color Mother's Day card (or other current holiday)
Customization of the personalized character is slightly more sophisticated than in The Barnyard Boogie Game. Beyond the basic oval shape, the child's face is mapped with points that more closely outline the forehead, cheeks, chin, and so on. The child can use his or her character to play games including a matching game, a dress up game, and a jigsaw puzzle.
Personalized Jigsaw Puzzles
Children who enjoy the basic jigsaw on PicMe, may appreciate more challenging personalized puzzles on JigZone.com. JigZone allows users to upload their own photos as well as to customize jigsaw puzzles by number of pieces and shape of pieces, including bird or lizard shapes. Users can embed and share customized puzzles on their own websites.
Personalized Videos
More sophisticated yet, Kideo creates personalized animated videos starring a child in a popular cartoon such as Barney, Dora the Explorer, Spiderman, Care Bears, and several other popular shows. Personalized episodes show the child as a character, as well as have other characters speaking the child's name. The Dora episode features the child as the subject of a surprise birthday party, making that video a special birthday gift for young fans of Dora the Explorer. Kideo offers a demo version of their personalized videos for free.
Personalizing a character with a child's photo adds a special touch to online games, printables, and videos. Kids can play dress up with an animated version of themselves, print and color images of themselves in imaginative scenes, and watch themselves participating in adventures with their favorite popular cartoon show characters. Try a demo on Kideo or register for free with Sprout Online or Jigzone to get started.
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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