Imagine you have a really cool story to tell, but instead of using words and sentences, you use pictures, charts, and little bits of information to make it super easy to understand. That’s what an infographic is!
Infographics are like visual helpers that make information fun and simple to grasp. They can show you facts and details about something in a way that’s not boring at all. For instance, if you wanted to learn about your favorite animal, like a dinosaur, an infographic might have pictures of different types of dinosaurs, their names, how big they were, and what they liked to eat, all on one colorful page.
So, in a nutshell, infographics are like picture books for information. They help people learn and remember things by using images and little facts that are easy to see and understand. They’re like a secret weapon for learning cool stuff!
Done right, infographics can be a great way to make sense of complex data. The best infographics transform complex information and data into graphics that are both easy to grasp and visually appealing. The only problem is, infographics that look like they were simple to make are often anything but.
Here, we’ve selected our top free tools and apps for making infographics. Some of the options here are even suitable for non-designers, as templates and other features make them easy to use.
Give these free tools a try and let us know which ones you get on best with on Facebook or Twitter. And once you’ve selected the infographics tool you want, head over to our Cyber Monday deals page to grab yourself a bargain on some design kit.
01. Visme
Visme promises to help you ‘speak visually’. You can also use it to build presentations, but it’s especially geared towards creating engaging infographics. This free tool includes over 100 free fonts, millions of free images and thousands of quality icons, and there’s options to include video and audio (including the ability of record a voiceover directly in the editor – handy!). You can also animate your content to make things clearer.
02. Canva Infographic Maker
Canva is a powerful and easy-to-use online tool that’s suitable for all manner of design tasks, from brochures to presentations and much more besides. It also offers users a vast library of images, icons, fonts and features to choose from.
It features a dedicated infographic maker that you can use for free, with hundreds of free design elements and fonts at your fingertips, and many more premium elements that you can buy for up to $1. You can either use it in the browser or download the Canva iPad app to design on the move.
03. Google Charts
Google’s chart tools are powerful, simple to use, and free. You can choose from a variety of charts and configure an extensive set of options to perfectly match the look and feel of your website. By connecting your data in real time, Google Charts is the perfect infographic generator for your website.
04. Piktochart
Piktochart is an infographic and presentation tool that enables you to turn boring data into engaging infographics with just a few clicks. Piktochart’s custom editor lets you do things like modify colour schemes and fonts, insert pre-loaded graphics and upload basic shapes and images. Its grid-lined templates also make it easy to align graphical elements and resize images proportionally.
There’s a free version offering three basic themes, a Lite pricing plan for $15 per month or a Pro account that costs $29 per month.
05. Infogram
Infogram is a great free tool with a wide variety of graphs, charts and maps as well as the ability to upload pictures and videos to create cool infographics. You enter and edit the data that makes up the infographic in an Excel-style, the contents of which are reflected in your design. The software will automatically change the look of the infographic to perfectly represent your data, too.
When you’re happy with your infographic you can publish it to the Infogram website for all to enjoy, embed it into your own website, or share it via social media.
06. Venngage
Venngage is a great tool for creating and publishing infographics because it’s so simple and easy to use. You can choose from templates, themes, and hundreds of charts and icons as well as uploading your own images and backgrounds, or adapt a theme to suit your brand. You can animate them too!
07. Vizualize
It was only a matter of time before an infographic resume generator turned up. With this tool, you can visualise your CV in one click and also take a look at previous examples. The idea is to enable people to express their professional accomplishments in a simple yet compelling personal visualisation. While infographic resume’s aren’t right for every situation, for certain cases they can be a great option.
08. Easel.ly
This free web-based infographic tool offers you a range of templates to start you off, all of which are easily customisable. You get access to a library of things like arrows, shapes and connector lines, and you can customise the text with different fonts, colours, text styles and sizes. The tool also lets you upload your own graphics and position them with one touch.
The free option includes 60 images and 10 fonts, or for $3 a month you get a much wider pool of resources, plus boosted security options and – if you need it – design help.
Infographics are super useful for education for several reasons:
Visual Learning:Many people, including young learners, find it easier to understand and remember information when it’s presented visually. Infographics use pictures, charts, and diagrams to help explain complex ideas in a simple way. For example, when learning about the solar system, an infographic can show the planets, their sizes, and distances from the sun visually, making it easier to remember.
Engagement: Infographics are often colorful and eye-catching, which makes learning more engaging and fun. They can hold a student’s attention better than plain text. Imagine learning about famous historical figures through an infographic that includes their pictures, important dates, and key achievements.
Simplification: Infographics are excellent at breaking down complicated topics into easy-to-digest pieces. For instance, if you’re studying the water cycle, an infographic can show how water evaporates from the ocean, forms clouds, and falls as rain in a clear and simple way.
Quick Reference: Infographics provide a quick overview of a topic. They can serve as handy reference materials for students when they need to review key facts. For example, if you’re learning about the periodic table of elements, an infographic can display the elements, their symbols, and atomic numbers in a compact and memorable format.
Comparison: Infographics make it easy to compare different things. Let’s say you’re studying animals. An infographic can compare the sizes, habitats, and diets of different animals side by side, helping you understand their differences and similarities.
Data Visualization: In subjects like math or science, infographics can help illustrate data and statistics. For instance, if you’re studying weather patterns, an infographic can display temperature changes over a month with colorful graphs and icons.
Memory Aid: The combination of images and text in infographics can enhance memory retention. When you’re learning about historical events, an infographic with images and brief descriptions of each event can help you remember them more easily.
Creativity: Creating infographics can encourage creativity in students. They can design their own infographics to demonstrate their understanding of a topic, which helps reinforce what they’ve learned. For example, students can make an infographic about their favorite book, summarizing the plot, characters, and key themes.
So, whether you’re studying science, history, literature, or any other subject, infographics are a fantastic tool that makes learning more enjoyable and effective. They help students grasp information, retain it, and even have some fun along the way!
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Now, let’s explore a detailed example of how to use an infographic in a classroom setting. Imagine you’re a teacher, and you want to teach your students about a famous historical event, like the American Revolution. Here’s how you can incorporate an infographic into your lesson plan:
Objective: To help students understand the key events and figures of the American Revolution.
Materials Needed:
- A well-designed infographic about the American Revolution (you can create your own or find one online).
- A projector or whiteboard for displaying the infographic to the class.
- Printed copies of the infographic for each student (optional but recommended).
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan:
- Introduction (5 minutes):
- Begin the lesson by asking the students what they know about the American Revolution. Encourage them to share any prior knowledge.
- Introduce the Infographic (5 minutes):
- Explain to the students that they will be learning about the American Revolution using an infographic. Emphasize that infographics are visual tools that make complex information easy to understand.
- Display the Infographic (10 minutes):
- Use a projector or whiteboard to display the infographic to the entire class. Walk the students through the key elements of the infographic:
- Title: “The American Revolution: A Visual Guide”
- Timeline: A timeline showing important events from 1765 to 1783.
- Images: Pictures of key figures like George Washington and events like the Boston Tea Party.
- Captions: Brief explanations under each image or event.
- Maps: A map showing the 13 original colonies and major battle locations.
- Use a projector or whiteboard to display the infographic to the entire class. Walk the students through the key elements of the infographic:
- Discuss and Analyze (15 minutes):
- Engage the students in a discussion about the infographic. Ask questions like:
- What events led to the American Revolution?
- Who were some of the important people involved?
- Can you find any patterns or trends in the timeline?
- How did geography play a role in the revolution?
- Engage the students in a discussion about the infographic. Ask questions like:
- Group Activity (15 minutes):
- Divide the class into small groups and distribute printed copies of the infographic to each group.
- Assign each group a specific aspect of the American Revolution to analyze in more detail (e.g., causes, key battles, or important figures).
- Have each group present their findings to the class using the infographic as a visual aid.
- Class Discussion (10 minutes):
- Facilitate a class discussion where students share their insights and observations from their group activities.
- Encourage students to ask questions and seek clarification on any aspects they find confusing.
- Wrap-up (5 minutes):
- Summarize the key points learned during the lesson.
- Assign homework or a follow-up activity that requires students to create their own mini-infographic about a different aspect of the American Revolution.
By incorporating an infographic into your lesson plan, you’ve made a potentially complex topic like the American Revolution more accessible and engaging for your students. Infographics encourage active learning, discussion, and visual comprehension, enhancing the educational experience in your classroom.
Come on, let’s try infographic in class. It’s your time.
CHEERS
