Can’t be sure if I’m alone in this dilemma or not, but I really don’t like watching hours of TV. Don’t get me wrong I like TV. It’s just that I can’t really sit down and watch The Biggest Loser for two hours and walk away feeling like it was time well spent, especially because you can’t really walk away. For the last hour the station’s been playing clips of what’s next and the news sounds like it’ll be interesting tonight.
I guess I just like having something to show for my time. If I put off work or cleaning the bathroom for three or four hours, I want it to be because I did something besides look through all 748 Facebook pictures of that kid I haven’t talked to in three years. But it can be hard to find something that’s fun with a product and doesn’t cost $10 for the plain mug and $15 for the glaze and firing.
This week though, while observing a 7th grade English class at the Center of Inquiry (Indianapolis Public School No. 2), I was introduced to Storybirds, the answer to my indoor free time predicament. This website provides for hours of engaging and creative entertainment for anyone who enjoys writing or art, or especially those who enjoy both.
It’s a site where you select an artist, and then you create a story using the work of your chosen artist to illustrate your online book—and the artwork you can choose from is good, I promise. Then when you’re satisfied with your book, you publish it, which means other Storybirders can read it and make comments on it.
You can do it with your family or your friends, too. Make a game out of it. Take turns writing each page. Or have one person select the picture and have someone else write the material.
All you do is go to storybird.com, set up an account (which by the way is free! and doesn’t require you to download so many programs that you have to delete the pictures from grandma’s birthday party), and you’re ready to go. There’s a tutorial video for those who feel a little shaky on their internet-feet, but the site is relatively easy to navigate. Did I mention it’s free? So, do yourself a favor and at least check it out. If nothing else, it’s a really good reason not to do the dishes.
Visit storybird.com here.
ByJim Walker
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