Kid Pix
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Contents |
Overview
Kid Pix is a popular, child-friendly creative art computer program for K-8 classrooms. The latest release of the software is Kid Pix Deluxe 4 by Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. Kid Pix Deluxe 4 allows children to paint, stamp, scribble, write, as well as create slide shows and basic animation. is a Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited product.According to Riverdeep’s “Kid Pix Deluxe 4 for Schools” web page it has been designed specifically for the classroom and has had extensive input from teachers and students. In 2005, it was a finalist for the Software & Information Industry Association’s Codie Award for the Best Education Technology Solution for Productivity/Creativity.
History
The Kid Pix entry in Wikipedia states that Kid Pix was originally created by Craig Hickman and first released for Macintosh in 1989. It was then picked up in 1991 by Brøderbund. According to Riverdeep's "Company Timeline" page Riverdeep acquired Brøderbund in August 2002. For more on the history of Kid Pix, visit the Kid Pix entry in Wikipedia.
Software Details
Kid Pix allows children to paint, stamp, scribble, and write using the following tools found on the visible tool bars on the left and bottom of the Paint Zone canvas (the screen):
- basic and special drawing tools
- painting tools
- text tools
- fill bucket tool
- color picker and eye dropper
- mixer tool
- over 2000 rubber stamps
- grab and scissor tool
- eraser and Undo Guy, and
- selection tools
(For more detailed information about these tools, visit the The Kid Pix entry in Wikipedia and the Kid Pix Tools page by Jordan School District Information Systems and Curriculum Departments.)
Kid Pix's libraries provide a variety of pictures for backgrounds. JPEG and GIF images can also be imported as backgrounds or incorporated in the Paint Zone.
Since its inception, Kid Pix has become increasing more sophisticated as a drawing application. Newer releases also allow a text-to-speech function and an expanded sound library. Children can also create slide shows and basic animation. A button at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen allows users to move between the Paint Zone to the Slide Show. Pictures created in the Paint Zone can be imported into the Slide Show.
The latest version, Kid Pix Deluxe 4, also includes additional teacher tools such as Idea Machine templates broken down into curriculum areas. Teachers can create their own template and save their templates to the Idea Machine. Using Kid Pix Deluxe 4, teachers can also manage multiple users, manage library preferences, add and edit Kid Notes, enable the Small Kids Mode (disables printing, saving, and slideshow and replace editable text with talking alphabet stamps), and control the bilingual (Spanish/English) options and sound.
This latest version also has improvements in terms of its interface such as rollover text and short Help movies. In terms of tools, users can now incorporate different formatting within a text box. Slideshows can also now be exported as a Quicktime movie. Certain releases of Kid Pix can also be used with Apple applications like iMovie, iTunes, iPhotos and Garage Band and can also be exported to iPod video format.
Although previous releases were not cross-platform (only compatible with Mac computers), the latest release, Kid Pix Deluxe 4, is cross-platform compatible. For current system requirements, product demo, and pricing, visit the Riverdeep’s “Kid Pix Deluxe 4” page.
Using Kid Pix in the School Environment
Kid Pix Activities
Kid Pix has several uses within the school environment in all subject areas. For example, Kid Pix can be used to support the development of language skills by using the text tool to learn the alphabet, learn to type, and spell new words. It can also be used to draw a picture related to an event or retell an event by drawing pictures and creating a slideshow. For Science, Kid Pix can be used to create diagrams and pictures that students can label and add text to such as labeling the different types of clouds or parts of a flower. For Math, it can be used to teach number sense, shapes for geometry, as well as to create patterns. Kid Pix can also help children learn about art and create art work and animation of their own, as well as teach children early presentation skills.
Helpful links for Kid Pix Activities
1/ To find more examples of how to use Kid Pix within the school environment, The BPS Technology Integration Website's "Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Resource Page" is an excellent place to start online. It includes useful links for Kid Pix content, lesson plans, tutorials, and discussion/events.
2/ Although older (copyright 2002), another good website to visit is Harbor City Elementary School web site's Kid Pix page. It provices links to Kid Pix sample activities across the curriculum, tutorials, and planning and evaluation links.
3/ Cynthia Garland's book Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Projects for the Classroom, advertized on Vision Technology in Education web site's "Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Projects for the Classroom page”, is also a useful resource for activities using Kid Pix.
Kid Pix Tutorials
Atomic Learning's “Kid Pix Deluxe 4 MAC” page provides access to the Kid Pix Deluxe 4 tutorial series by Stacy Bender-Fayette (some tutorials are free, others are only available by subscription.
Further Questions
Can Kid Pix operate in any other languages apart from English and Spanish?
I could not find information on the Riverdeep web site regarding this. However, The Habor City Elementary School web page on Kid Pix states, "Since its first release, Kid Pix has been translated into dozens of languages, such as Hebrew, Finnish, Italian, French, German, Arabic and Korean, to name a few." The Wikipedia Kid Pix page likewise states, "[Kid Pix] continues to be a topselling creativity product for children all over the world and has been localized into dozens of foreign languages."
Are there other programs similar to Kid Pix out there?
Tux Paint is an open-source drawing program for kids. In del.icio.us, one user noted, "Free software similar to Kid Pix." Another user noted, "Kid-Pix-like open source program for Windows, OSX, and Linux." Yet another noted, "A bit like a free version of Kid Pix but without the extras. Works on a PC or Apple." A thread of message regarding Tux Paint titled "Tux Paint - Free Software" can be found on The Tech Savvy Educator web site.
I found a 2006 article titled "Life is Beautiful" that describes Beautiful Dorena, a new project by Craig Hickman, the inventor of the original Kid Pix, on the Macworld website. As described in the article, it has similarities with Kid Pix, but is also very different.
References / Resources / Related Links
"Kid Pix." Harbor City Elementary School. 2002. Harbor City Elementary School - Los Angeles Unified School District. Last accessed 27 Jul 2007 http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Harbor_City_EL/kidsPix.html.
“Kid Pix.” LT Technologies. 2005. LT Technologies, Inc. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://www.lttechno.com/links/kidpix.html#any%20subject.
“Kid Pix.” Wikipedia. 16 Jul 2007 Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Pix.
“Kid Pix® Deluxe 4 for Schools.” Riverdeep. 2007. Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007. http://www.riverdeep.net/portal/page?_pageid=353,143072,353_143073&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL.
“Kid Pix Deluxe 4 MAC.” Atomic Learning. 2007. Atomic Learning, Inc. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://www.atomiclearning.com/kidpix_deluxe4. (Provides access to Kid Pix Deluxe 4 tutorial series by Stacy Bender-Fayette)
“Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Projects for the Classroom.” Vision Technology in Education. 2006. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://www.teamvistech.com/product_info.php?products_id=275.
“Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Resource Page.” BPS Technology Integration Website. 2007. Buffalo Public Schools. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://itech.buffaloschools.org/tech-integration/district-resources/software/Kid%20Pix%20Deluxe%204/view.
“Kid Pix Deluxe 4th Edition” BigPond GameArena. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007 http://www.gamearena.com.au/shop/games/title/kid-pix-deluxe-4th-edition/index.php?cid=bp-kids-games-hp-top10-link.
“Learning Company Kid Pix Deluxe 4.” Amazon.com. 2007. Amazon.com, Inc. and affiliates. Last accessed 22 Jul 2007. http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Company-Kid-Pix-Deluxe/dp/B0006N99K8.
