daily activities
Comics Crash Course
Secrets of Great Stories
What is your favorite story? Chances are, it has great characters in it. Heroes, villains, friends, allies. But characters alone don't make a story. To thrill your readers, you need your characters to do interesting things. Perhaps they pursue a dream against long odds. Or solve a mystery. Or find a cure for a mysterious disease that has brought the entire world to a halt (just hypothetically). Today, you will learn the secrets to composing your own stories.
FOR PARENTS
Ask About Today
How are movies and comics related? What can you learn about one from the other?
Dinner Discussion
Sometimes comics become movies. But movies could become comics, too. Which movie would you love to see in comic form? Why?
Skip the Ads
Unfortunately, online videos often start with short advertisements. Remind your campers to click the "Skip" button as soon as they can to move ahead to the video.
explore
30-45 minutes
01
Three Keys to a Great Story
02
Bringing New Faces to Comics
You might recognize Amandla Stenberg from movies like The Hunger Games and The Hate U Give, but did you know she’s also a comic book author? Amandla introduces her graphic novel and talks about why it matters to have fantasy comics starring Black girls.
03
Advice from a Comic Mastermind
Stan Lee was the legendary comic book author who created some of the world's most beloved superheroes, including Spiderman, the X-Men, Iron Man, and the Hulk. Watch this video to hear his advice to young comic book writers and other authors about storytelling and character creation.
Remember: Online videos often start with advertisements. (Annoying, we agree!) Click the "Skip" button as soon as you can to move ahead to the video.
04
Creating Black Superheroes
For a long time, the faces of most comic-book superheroes were those of white men, like Superman, the Flash, and Thor. In this interview, author Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about what it was like to write the new Black Panther series.
05
Advice from an Illustrator
You’ve already met Shannon Wright, who has illustrated picture books, book covers, and now her very own graphic novel. Today she’s got some words of wisdom for crafting your story.
create
30-45 minutes
01
Character Maker
Use this Character Maker activity sheet to create your own character. It can be anything you dream up - not just a person but an object, animal, or plant, for instance. Practice drawing your character in different backgrounds, using different expressions. Decide which expression best defines your character. Which one would be on the cover of your book? (Use your list of emotions from Tuesday if you need some ideas!).
Share your work! We'd love to see it. Ask a parent to email a photo to us or share it on Instagram or Twitter by tagging @CampKinda.
move
15-30 minutes
01
Workout with the Avengers
Ready to move like an Avenger? This workout will show you how.