Animation Studio · With Krea
How to make a monster
This course teaches your kid how to draw a monster and turn it into a movie plan. Krea hosts four short films: one big shape and one thing that's way too big, what the monster wants, a three-beat story, and three storyboard boxes on paper. Plan about 4 minutes of films and 30–45 minutes of drawing.
How to make a monster is part of Kubrio Learn: short courses that inspire kids to make things. Learn more
Watch all 4 lessons in the appWhat your kid makes
Your kid ends with a monster drawing with a name, its want and its funny problem written next to it, and a three-box storyboard on paper. That's a movie plan. In Animation Studio, a short movie has three scenes, so the three boxes can become one later.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 4 minutes, then 30–45 minutes of drawing
- You need
- Paper, pencil, crayons or markers
- Host
- Krea
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. Shape and one big thing
A monster starts with one big shape and one thing that's way too big.
- Draw one big shape: round, tall, or wiggly
- Add one thing that's way too big
- Give your monster a name
Where: Paper
Lesson 2. What does it want?
A monster wants something small and clear, and its big thing gets in the way.
- Next to your monster, write what it wants
- Think of a funny problem that comes from its big thing
- Write the problem down
Where: Paper
In the app
Lesson 3. Three beats
A tiny story has three beats: the want, the problem, and the fix.
- Beat one: what your monster wants
- Beat two: the funny problem
- Beat three: a fix that's funny or surprising, said out loud
Where: Paper
In the app
Lesson 4. Three boxes
Three storyboard boxes, one for each beat, make the plan for the movie.
- Fold a page in three, or draw three big boxes
- Draw your monster in every box, same shape and same big thing
- Write one short line under each box
Where: Paper
In the app
Lesson 1 transcript: Shape and one big thing
Today you invent a monster, and plan its very own movie!
Not a scary monster. A funny one that nobody has ever seen.
Start with one big shape. Round like a ball. Tall like a bean. Or wiggly like a worm.
This one is round. Add two little eyes. And two tiny feet.
Now the secret. Give it one thing that's way too big!
A giant mouth? Super long arms? This one gets a huge nose!
Every monster needs a name. Meet Gub!
Your turn. Draw one big shape. Add one thing that's way too big. Give your monster a name. Then press Next.
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
Will the monster be scary?
No. The course asks for a funny monster from the first film, with a small want and a silly problem. Nothing in it is meant to scare, and it works any time of year.
How long does it take?
The four films take about 4 minutes. Drawing the monster and the three boxes takes about 30–45 minutes.
Does my kid make the actual movie in this course?
The course ends with the plan: the monster, its story, and three storyboard boxes on paper. In Animation Studio, a short movie has three scenes, so the plan is ready when your kid wants to make the film.