Thanks to a slew of new, easy-to-use animation tools, one doesn't have to work at Pixar or DreamWorks to create a summer blockbuster. In fact, it's now a snap for young storytellers to learn the ABC's of animation. And that's bound to make learning a lot more interesting--and much more creative. At Springfield Township High School, in Erdenheim, Pennsylvania, the authors use tools like CrazyTalk and Blabberize to help kids create their own short animated films, including a tour of Civil War Gettysburg (complete with walking-talking images of generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee); a funny, instructive 42-second flick about what not to do for the prom; and a snippet in which the school's mascot, a Spartan, boogies and levitates above the library's circulation desk. These kid-created animated movies, and others like them, are perfect for spicing up a lesson, a website, or even those often monotonous morning announcements. Animation can fuel a child's imaginative explorations. And it's not just about helping students sharpen their scripting, editing, and storytelling skills. Working with animation can also enhance kids' understanding of technology, engineering, and geometrical and spatial relations. It can even lead to more empathy, an essential skill in today's increasingly complex world. Animation software developers like Reallusion (a big name in 3-D movies) and Toon Boom (a Canadian company whose clients include Disney) have started to create products for average Joes, rather than strictly for animation pros. In this article, the authors introduce their favorite animation tools, many of which are free or inexpensive.