You probably already know that Canva (reviewed here) can create stunning visuals in minutes, but what if it could also generate interactive activities without you having to learn how to code? It’s now possible with their AI code generator, Canva Code.
Canva Code makes it easy to transform your content into custom games, activities, and learning experiences with just a text prompt. You can interact with the code generator to refine and modify activities until they match your needs, then publish and share your work by following the prompts. Keep reading to learn how to use this free tool to adapt content to your curriculum, save time, and create learning experiences that work on all devices—no coding skills required!
How to Use Canva Code:
Start by creating or logging in to your Canva for Education account—it’s free for all teachers who meet eligibility guidelines and gives you access to all of the features available in Canva Pro. Find the link to Canva AI above the message box on the home page or on the home page sidebar. Click in the message box and select </> Code for me. Scroll down to find suggestions for what you can make with AI, such as an interactive flashcard game or a sorting activity for your class.
To practice using Canva Code, choose one of the suggestions (such as a vocabulary matching game), then scroll up to the message box to find the sample prompt and begin building your game. Change the subject to match a content area you teach, then click the purple arrow to watch Canva produce the code to make your activity.
After producing the code, you will see a preview of the activity and some suggestions in the chat box of changes or modifications you can make. If you want changes, type what you want in the message box and submit your reply. Once you’re satisfied with the results, choose the purple button that says Use in a design. You have four options for sharing your design: create a website or use the activity in a document, presentation, or whiteboard. If you’re making a website, follow the link to publish it and copy the URL to share the activity with students.
Classroom Use Ideas for Canva Code:
Here are some ways you can use Canva Code to create interactive activities for any subject:
- Create drag-and-drop activities for vocabulary terms, story characters, dates in history, and more. Ask Canva to make activities progressively harder. For example, help students learn fractions by creating a drag-and-drop word problem activity that specifies the number of problems and includes instructions for increasing the difficulty level as students progress. You can also ask for animated fireworks with a congratulations message for students who correctly complete eight or more problems.
- Design a daily Wordle activity to help students practice vocabulary or spelling words. Ask Canva to include words for a specific grade level and content area or add a list of words to include. Your instructions should state that your Wordle should be reset daily with a new word at a specific time, such as 7 AM ET.
- Make an interactive timeline map with specific dates and locations tied to a historical figure or ask for a map focusing on specific highlights in that person’s life.
- Incorporate thinking routines and empathy maps into interactive activities. For example, ask Canva to create an empathy map to correspond with a book students are reading, or choose a Project Zero Thinking Routine (reviewed here) from the Perspective-Taking category and make an activity that allows students to explore events from different viewpoints and perspectives.
- Create an interactive image you can share with students to explore the functions of different items, like an interactive plant cell explorer activity where students can click on various parts of a cell to learn the name of the part and its function.
Tips and Tricks for Every Classroom:
- Always preview activities before sharing them with students. Canva Code is still new, and like other generative AI tools, it may produce incorrect results.
- Be as specific as possible with your prompt. Include the subject, grade level, type of activity, number of items to include, colors, responses to use for right and wrong answers, and any other pertinent information.
- If you see mistakes in the preview, ask for changes in the message box and try again. That should correct the problem, but if you keep having issues, close that session and start again with the same prompt. Sometimes it will produce a different result!
- Change the colors used in the coded activities by including color choices or HTML color codes in the prompt.
- Sometimes, the visuals are not as appealing as you might like. Although you can’t add images to the code, you can ask to replace them with emojis as part of your prompt.
- Specify a font in your instructions if you have one that you prefer.
- Let the chat help guide your activity. Use the suggestions and questions provided to add ideas and make changes that increase engagement and extend the learning activities you create.
Check out this Wakelet collection and Canva’s Code for Me library to find examples of some of the ideas included above and to gather inspiration for other personalized, AI-generated learning activities you can bring into your classroom.
What ideas do you have for creating interactive activities with Canva Code? We would love to hear your ideas and see what you create. Share your ideas in the comments as we all learn together.