Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Brereton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nifty comic-creation tool offers positive, upbeat messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
What's It About?
MAKE BELIEFS COMIX, created by author Bill Zimmerman, who has written more than a dozen books on drawing and other topics, offers a fun comics-construction tool for kids; parenting tips; and educator resources for language instruction and special-needs and ESL students. Kids get a detailed explanation about how to use the tool, along with frequent hints and writing prompts; they can choose from predrawn characters, customize their positioning and size, and add objects, background colors, and dialogue. Each character has a few "emotions" to choose from; facial expressions and body language help create a story. Finished comics can be printed or emailed.
Is It Any Good?
Make Beliefs Comix can help kids build creative and narrative comic strips. They choose characters, objects, background colors, and other elements; the main site design is a little simplistic, but the well-explained tool is so user-friendly that even art-averse kids can use it to practice storytelling, writing, and imagination skills. Make Beliefs Comix provides a number of other valuable resources for parents and kids that stress having a positive attitude. Activities encourage kids to respect others and be confident. The Printables section features several thought-provoking exercises that can help kids identify feelings and make good decisions. Other writing activities encourage them to appreciate the world around them and learn from mistakes; site content also can introduce kids to subjects like 9/11's effect and women's rights. The comic characters are diverse, featuring people of color, animals, and a kid in a wheelchair. Though it's not as versatile as other comics creators like Pixton, Make Beliefs Comix brings something else to the table: a valuable focus on positivity, awareness, and self-acceptance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges involved in telling a story using more pictures than words. What things are easier to say with images? Are there any examples your child can think of that might be easier to say with words?
- Discuss the chronological order of a recent family outing or event. Can your child similarly identify the beginning, middle, and end of a favorite movie or comic on the site?
- Storytelling features a number of elements, such as characterization and tone. Can your child identify some ways you could show a character is sad? How could you illustrate a character being nervous?
Website Details
- Subjects: Social Studies : citizenship, history, Arts : drawing, script writing, Language & Reading : presenting to others, storytelling
- Skills: Communication : conveying messages effectively, multiple forms of expression, Emotional Development : empathy, self-awareness, Creativity : imagination, making new creations
- Genre: Creating
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: November 5, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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