Canva alone is an amazing platform where you can essentially design anything, but it also plays well with others! You know the lyrics…’It takes two to make a thing go right. It takes two to make it outta sight,” by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, right?
Well we are about to rock right now with Canva and app smashing!
Canva has a plethora of built-in apps that can enhance your designs with even more interactivity and help manage your workflow.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the 24 best apps for app smashing with Canva. From creating custom illustrations to designing dynamic presentations, these apps will help you take your teaching to the next level.
So without further ado, let's get started!
What is App Smashing?
If you aren’t familiar with the term App Smashing, it is a term coined by history teacher Greg Kulowiec and is defined as “the process of using multiple apps in conjunction with one another to complete a final task or project.”
You can take content from any number of programs to make your masterpiece- all within just one app. The possibilities are endless with what you could create using the app smashing technique: drawings, short movies, interactive lessons, and much more! It is the peanut butter and jelly of the tech world!
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App Smashing in Canva
App Smashing with Canva can provide you and your students with new creative ways to showcase learning. With Canva, you have a wide range of tools and features at your disposal to make the process even easier.
Some of the reasons why app smashing in Canva is so beneficial for educators include:
It's easy to use – Canva is a user-friendly platform that's easy to navigate, even for those new to app smashing.
It's cost-effective – With Canva for Educators, you can get a FREE Canva Pro account by signing up with your school email. Learn more here.
It's time-saving – With Canva, you can create high-quality content in a fraction of the time it would take to do so using other traditional methods. For example, I not longer use remove.bg or a QR code generator, because Canva has it built in directly to its platform!
It's engaging – Canva's wide range of features and options make it easy to create visually appealing and engaging content for your students across multiple types of media.
So if you're looking to add new and exciting content to your repertoire, app smashing in Canva is a great place to start.
How to Appsmash in Canva?
Before diving into the best apps for app smashing in Canva, let's first go over the basics of how to app smash in Canva.
Most of the Canva app integrations are developed by third parties, so in order to use them you must connect them to your account by either creating an account with the app (i.e. Bitmoji or Google Drive) and then logging into the app within Canva’s platform.
In order to find apps that are integrated with Canva, go to the menu on the left hand side of the dashboard and scroll down until you see ‘more.’ It should bring up a search bar that says ‘search Canva apps.’ You can search for specific apps to see if they are internally integrated, or select from the ‘create something new,’ or ‘discover content from’ section. You should also see options to import your media with a list of apps that are supported.
The power of Canva seamlessly integrates in a variety of platforms that you may already be using! It seems every month another educational tool or app enables Canva integration, so continue to check back to see if any new tools have been added.
Most of these external applications require registration, and in some cases a paid account, but if you already have access you are in for a treat! Below I will cover some of the most powerful integrations, a description of the platform, and examples of how you can leverage Canva for even more powerful learning experiences for students.
Now that we've gone over how to app smash in Canva, let's look at some of the best apps for app smashing in Canva for educators.
1. Genially
Genially brings magic to your presentations. You can import your Canva designs into Genially to create interactive presentations, timelines, infographics, and more! When you use the embed feature in Canva to add a Genially template it also maintains its interactivity! You can also hyperlink the Genially template into your Canva design.
Examples of how to use Genially with Canva in your classroom
- Create interactive images or graphics
- Escape room or digital breakouts
- Drag and drop vocabulary
- Choice boards
- Interactive games/gamification
With Genially and Canva, you can make stunning presentations, e-learning materials, and other multimedia content. Another way to appsmash with Genially and Canva is to import your Canva designs into Genially to make them interactive by adding videos, or hotspots. Your students will love the added excitement that Genially brings to your presentation.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Genially
2. Microsoft Flip
Microsoft Flip is a free video discussion application from Microsoft, where students can meet in secure, small groups to share videos while building community. It has empowered classrooms and students all over the world to share their voice and learning! With Canva, teachers and students can create virtual backgrounds or frames, download them, and then add them to their Flip videos.
Example of how to use Flip with Canva in your classroom
- Mind Maps and Graphic Organizers
- Book Reports
- News Broadcasts
- About Me Videos
With Flip, you can easily create a secure video discussion group for your students. Your students will love the added excitement that Flip brings to your content.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Flip
- Customizing Flip with Canva featuring Nikki Jones
- Example of Canva Background Video in Flip
- Grammar Police: Morphemic Units Example
3. Bitmoji
Bitmoji is a great app for app smashing in Canva because it allows you to create custom avatars to add to your graphics.
Bitmoji is your personal emoji. You can create unique avatars representing your students or class with various customization options. With Bitmoji, showcasing the uniqueness of all your students can be made easier.
Bitmoji is also a great way to add some personality to your content. Adding your personal touch can make your content more relatable and allow students the opportunity to connect with you on a personal level.
Examples of how to use Bitmoji with Canva in your classroom
- Create a custom class poster with each student's Bitmoji
- Add your personal teacher Bitmoji to slideshows or presentations to add some personality
- Design custom graphic organizers using Bitmoji
- Create virtual classrooms and daily agendas
- Use your Bitmoji and comic callouts to drop in constructive feedback
So if you're looking for a way to add some personality and pizzazz to your content, Bitmoji is a great option.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Bitmoji
- Creating Virtual Classrooms in Canva w/ Alex Isaacs
- Stranger Things Virtual Classroom Canva Template
- Bitmoji Class Photo Canva Template
4. Google Maps
Google Maps is a great tool for adding geographic references into your content. You can easily insert maps into your slideshows or presentations to engage your students. Additionally, Google Maps is a great tool for visual learners.
By adding maps to your content, you can provide students with a clear and concise way to understand complex concepts. This can be helpful when you’re teaching your students about map skills or geography.
Examples of how to use Google Maps in your classroom with Canva?
- Incorporate maps into your lesson plan to engage visual learners
- Use Google Maps to create custom routes and diagrams
- Add maps to slideshows or presentations to add visual interest
- Have students create custom maps with Canva
Google Maps is a great tool for app smashing in Canva because it allows you to add visual maps and geographic content to your designs.You can even take it a step further and have students create their own maps showcasing their knowledge of geography and historical events like recreating The Trail of Tears, or the path pioneers took on the Oregon Trail.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Google Maps
5. Wakelet
Wakelet is a great app for collecting and organizing content from the web. It's perfect for curating articles, videos, and other resources for your Canva Educator content. With Wakelet, you can easily add content from around the web and organize it into collections.
Examples of how to use Wakelet with Canva in your classroom
- Collect articles, videos, and other resources on a specific topic
- Organize resources by grade level or subject area
- Share collections with colleagues or students
- Create a collection of resources for a specific unit or lesson
- Classroom newsletter
- Share lesson plans
Wakelet is a powerful tool that can help you save time and energy when creating Canva content. With Wakelet, you can quickly and easily find the content you need to make your content more easily accessible to your students.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Wakelet
- Frida Kahlo Wakelet
- Encanto Hispanic Heritage Month Template With Wakelets
- Collaborate and Add to the Canva Classroom Resource Wakelet
- Canva Templates for Librarians Wakelet by Kristina A. Holzweiss
- Example of Lesson Plan Wakelet
- Wakelet Classroom Newsletter Example
- Gothic Literature Student Showcase Wakelet
6. Book Creator
If you aren’t familiar with Book Creator, it is a tool where teachers and students can create digital books to demonstrate or deliver learning experiences. The website does a fantastic job at sharing book templates and ideas with the educator community to help with getting started. By adding Canva, they supercharged the ability to create stunning book covers and pages right inside of the Book Creator!
You simply click on the + sign when you are creating a book, then click on ‘more.’ Click on the 'Canva app' and you are ready to begin designing! When your design is finished you simply drop it into your book.
Examples of how to use Book Creator in your classroom
- Interactive stories
- Digital portfolios
- Project based learning plans
- Science reports
- Instructional manuals
- Poetry books
- Literature circles
With Canva, Book Creator is a great tool for creating engaging content for your students. Collaborating with your students, you can create digital books that are both informative and entertaining.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Book Creator
- Canva Integrations in BookCreator with Jon Smith
- Food Sagas ELA Unit in Book Creator
- Podcast Unit in Book Creator
- Literature Circle Template
- Quadrilaterals on the Loose by Carl Hooker
Student Examples:
7. Pixton
Pixton is a great app for creating comic strips. With Pixton you have a diverse selection of characters to choose from within Canva. If you have a paid Pixton account in addition to what is available in Canva, students can customize their characters to look like them.
You can easily add text, images, and audio to your student's comic strips in Canva. Students can also add video or voice narration to further share their knowledge of the content.
Examples of how to use Pixton in your classroom
- Create comic strips for your students
- Add text, images, and audio to your comic strips
- Review students' work
- Print comics in different layouts
- Add characters in the background
Pixton is a great tool for creating comicbooks and personalized characters to your Canva Designs. By creating comic strips, you can add a WOW! factor and engage your students in a fun and informative way. They even have a lesson portal you can explore to get ideas on how to incorporate this tool into your instruction.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Pixton
8. Youtube
Youtube is an excellent app for adding video to your Canva content. You can easily find and insert educational videos into your content with Youtube.
Examples of how to use Youtube with Canva in your classroom
- Embed instructional videos
- Add a book read aloud
- Create flipped lessons
- Add videos to Hyperdocs made in Canva
You can use Youtube to create and share your videos or find and insert videos into your Canva content. This creates one document where students can access video content and complete their work in one place.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Youtube
9. Pear Deck
Pear Deck is one of the quickest ways to turn presentations into classroom talks. Imagine being able to connect with every student in your class daily. Pear Deck is powerful because it lets you immediately see who is engaged and confused to adapt your instruction better.
Canva has Pear Deck templates you can search to make your presentation slides more visually appealing. You then download the slides and assess student learning in real time by incorporating formative assessment questions from their website.
Examples of how to use Pear Deck with Canva in your classroom
- Create an interactive presentation
- Add questions, polls, and quizzes to your presentation
- Track student progress and engagement
- Share your presentation with your students
Pear Deck is a great way to make your content more engaging for your students. Adding questions, polls, and quizzes can encourage your students to participate in your lesson actively.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Pear Deck
- Check out these Turn-Key Templates for Pear Deck
10. Powtoon
Powtoon appeals to students since it allows them to discover animation and produce videos with ease.. By creating animated videos, you can engage your students in a fun and informative way. It’s super easy to use, and when you combine Canva images and Powtoon you have a winning combination for your students.
Examples of how to use Powtoon with Canva in your classroom
- Create an animated video
- Explainer videos
- About the teacher graphic
- Flipped lectures
- Student created videos
Once you've created a design in Canva, you can export it to Powtoon and interactive video features. Inside the Powtoon Studio, you can use all the content available to convert your design from a static image to a professionally looking animated video.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Powtoon
11. Draw App
Canva draw app gives teachers and students the opportunity to do freehand drawing in the app! There are four drawing tools: pen, marker, highlight and glow pen. After the drawing is complete it can be resized, moved, and rotated. This feature can even be used with a Wacom tablet, but a finger, trackpad, or mouse will suffice!
**Note: Draw App is built directly within the Canva App.
Examples of how to use the Draw App with Canva in your classroom
- Math problems
- Diagramming tool
- Graphic organizers
- Graphing problems
- Labeling
- Parts of speech
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for the Draw App
12. QR Code Generator
Canva has a QR generator built directly into the app! All you have to do is copy the link you want converted into a QR code, paste it into the box, and bam! A QR code is generated and pops up on your document! This eliminates the step of creating one externally on a QR website and then importing it into the platform!
**Note: QR Code Generator is built directly within the Canva App.
Examples of how to use QR Code Generator with Canva in your classroom
- QR code tutorial videos
- QR code scavenger hunt
- Flash cards
- Remediation/enrichment centers
- Word walls
- Embed videos on worksheets
- Scratch off tickets
- Student schedules
You can virtually add QR Codes to anything you need students or parents to access. You can even use Canva or Vistaprint to print out postcards or magnetic business cards with QR codes to newsletters, teacher websites, and more!
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for QR Code Generator
13. Spotify
Spotify is the new generation music app. With Spotify, you can easily find and insert music into your content. You can also use Spotify to create and share playlists. This is great for creating a PG classroom playlist, or songs that are relevant to your content. On the flipside you can also use Canva to create Spotify album covers. You will have students dancing in their seats as they get their Canva on!
Examples of how to use Spotify with Canva in your classroom
- Classroom playlists embedded in presentations
- Create spotify album covers
- Student-created playlists for novels and short stories
Spotify is great if you need to add music to Canva content and your students will appreciate the added musical element..
14. Giphy
Who doesn't love a good GIF? Especially students! Giphy is a great app for app smashing in Canva because it allows you to insert GIFs into your content easily. With Giphy, you can find the perfect GIF for any occasion! You can use GIFs for many reasons including birthday celebrations, pop culture, and engaging students in a new concept.
Giphy is a great way to add humor to your content. Using GIFs in your content can help you break complex concepts into more manageable chunks.
Examples of how to use Giphy with Canva in your classroom
- Create custom slideshows or presentations with gifs
- Add gifs to worksheets or practice sheets
- Use gifs to explain a concept or process
- Create a digital class newsletter with gifs
- Content memes
- Create daily check-ins
There are endless possibilities for using Giphy in your Canva content, so get creative and have fun! Your students will love it. If you can’t find a Gif you want to use in Giphy you can also always make your own in Canva by downloading your design as a GIF.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Giphy
15. Emoji App
The Emoji app gives you access to thousands of expressions to add to your designs. When it comes to social-emotional learning, or just providing feedback for stdents, emojis are a great option to share feedback, progress, and assess how students are feeling that day.
**Note: Emoji App is built directly within the Canva App.
Examples of how to use Emoji App with Canva in your classroom
- Emoji feedback
- Climate surveys
- Exit tickets
- Emoji glyphics
- Emoji check-in
- Progress reports
- Emoji poetry
There are endless possibilities for using Emoji in your Canva content, so get creative and have fun! Your students will love it.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for the Emoji App
16. Mote
Mote is very handy for adding audio to your content. With Mote, you can easily record and insert audio into your content. You can also use Mote to create and share your recordings.
Examples of how to use Mote with Canva in your classroom
- Record an audio lesson
- Record an audio instructions
- Share a comment with your students
- Create a virtual reading room with Mote summaries of books
- Personalize student certificates with Mote voice notes
Mote is an audio toolkit for instructors and students worldwide - making it easy to add audio content to your Canva content. Mote will enable you to quickly and easily record, upload, comment, and manage your audio content in one place.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Mote
17. EdPuzzle
The EdPuzzle app allows you to add questions and assessments to your content. With EdPuzzle, you can easily insert questions into your video content to shift students from passive to active learners. You can also use it to create and share your quizzes.
Examples of how to use EdPuzzle with Canva in your classroom
- Add interactive video assessments to assignments
- Add flipped video and assessments to Canva Designs
- Add videos in Canva to build on previous knowledge
You may use EdPuzzle to develop and distribute quizzes to your students. Complementary to Canva, this app is a great way to ensure that your students understand the material covered in your lesson.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for EdPuzzle
18. wizer.me
Wizer is a platform teachers use to create easy and fun interactive, digital worksheets. Now with the Canva integration it is easy to create beautiful interactive graphic organizers and worksheets that are automatically graded within the Wizer platform!
You simply go to the Wizer website, login, and select ‘create worksheet.’ Next, you select ‘import Canva design’ and Canva will open up. You can select from one of the 36 templates, use as is, customize it, or create your own! Hit ‘publish’ and then it will take you back to Wizer. You can add multiple choice, fill in the blank, draw, short answer, or any of the other options!
While Wizer does have a freemium, you can upgrade for $35.99 (as of January 2023) for the whole year!
Examples of how to use wizer.me with Canva in your classroom
- Science diagrams
- Worksheet headers
- Self Reflection
- Peer Reviews
- Math factors
- Story Elements
- Book Reviews
Online worksheets are a great way to engage your students in a fun and interactive way. Your students will love the added excitement that wizer.me brings to your worksheet.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for wizer.me
Before making a Wizer.me self-graded worksheet we recommend checking out all the options they have to inform future Canva designs! Here are some examples in Canva.
19. Jamboard
Created by Google, Jamboard can be used as a digital interactive whiteboard. Jamboard is great for adding collaboration to your content. With Jamboard, you can easily create and share your digital whiteboards. Similar to Flipgrid, you can also find Jamboard templates in Canva. If you search you will find 95 ready to use templates in all subject areas! Create awesome exit tickets, brainstorm templates, grammar Jamboards, graphic organizers, and even Battleship!
Examples of how to use Jamboard with Canva in your classroom
- Graphic organizers
- Brainstorming
- Design thinking ideation
- Exit tickets/bell ringers
- Battleship
- Peer review/feedback
Jamboard is a great way to add collaboration to your content. By creating digital whiteboards, you can engage your students in a fun and interactive way. Your students will love the added excitement that Jamboard and Canva bring to your content.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Jamboard
I used this with my students during virtual learning for our Food Saga unit (mentioned in the Book Creator section). Students brainstormed what food they were going to anthropomorphize and turn into a story and gave an elevator pitch for their plot. Other students provided sticky note feedback. I also used it as a substitution for a Gallery Walk for our gothic literature unit. Students posted their one pager designs in a Jamboard and gave feedback to peers virtually!
20. Seesaw
Seesaw is a great app for adding interactivity to your content. With Seesaw, you can easily insert images, videos, and text into your content. You can also use Seesaw to have students create and share digital portfolios with parents. You can search for Seesaw templates within Canva! There are currently 31 and the list is growing daily. They have a variety of templates to fit your Seesaw classroom needs.
Examples of how to use Seesaw with Canva in your classroom
- Digital Portfolios-students can curate their work
- Class announcements
- Interactive assignments
- Graphic organizers
- Weather reports
- Book reviews
With multimodal learning tools, you may deliver more meaningful education to your students and engage their families at the same time.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Seesaw
Simply create your design or assignment in Canva, download it, and upload it into Seesaw. Take it to the next level and have students design graphics they upload into Seesaw. They can annotate, add voice, or video to their designs.
21. ThingLink
ThingLink is a great app for adding interactivity to your images made with Canva. You can easily add links, videos, and text to your images. You can also use ThingLink to create and share your image maps or create interactive school tours.
Examples of how to use ThingLink with Canva in your classroom
- Thinglink backgrounds for interactive experiences
- Create buttons you can make interactive.
- Add your Bitmoji
- Interactive choice boards
- Virtual school tours
- Have emerging readers add audio/video to books
- Art Analysis Activity
ThingLink was honored with the UNESCO ICT in Education Award in 2018. This app is a great way to add interactivity to your images and engage your students in fun and interaction. You can embed Thinkglink experiences into Canva templates by posting the weblink to add more interactivity to your Canva design.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for ThingLink
- Virtual School Tour Template made by ICS Budapest
- Beginner Reading Example
- Art Analysis Activity: Soul of Soulless City
22. Google Classroom
You probably aren’t a stranger to Google Classroom, as it is one of the most used learning management systems in education. But did you know Canva integrates directly in Google Classroom so you can post your designs as assignments directly to students? Additionally, it works with other LMS’ like Microsoft Teams, Canvas, Schoology, and more!
Examples of how to use Google Classroom with Canva in your classroom
- Assign whole group exit tickets/bellringers by sharing an “edit” link with the whole class.
- Assign each student a copy of a Canva design by posting a template link.
- Post lectures and videos created in Canva as materials in Google Classroom.
When you are in a Canva design you can go to ‘share’ and ‘more’ and type in Google Classroom as a destination to post your design.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Google Classroom
The type of link you share will determine if a copy is made for each student or if it’s a collaborative design. Canva and Google Classroom together help streamline your workflow and collect assignments from students.
23. MailChimp
MailChimp is a great app add-on in Canva and helps you create stunning graphics and newsletters to share with your faculty, students, and parents. With MailChimp and Canva, you can easily insert rich multimedia elements into your emails.
Examples of how to use MailChimp with Canva in your classroom
- School or Class Newsletter
- Weekly updates and upcoming projects
- Parent newsletters and notifications
- Event invites and school happenings
Make your emails fun and interactive by adding images, videos, and text. Your students will love the added excitement that Mailchimp brings to your content.
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for MailChimp
Simply create a newsletter or template in Canva and publish it to Mailchimp. You will need to connect your Mailchimp account and search for your Canva Design under ‘my files’ to add it to your newsletter.
24. FlipBooks (Heyzine or Publuu)
There are multiple Flipbook apps that connect in Canva, so you are getting a two-for-one in this section! Heyzine and Publuu are the two more popular ones and allow you to transform your PDF files or presentations into a beautiful flip style book! You can capture emails, password protect them, and also embed video files and hyperlinks to include additional resources. They both have freemiums, and also paid subscriptions to get access to more robust features!
Example of how to use Flipbooks with Canva in your classroom
- Interactive Textbooks
- Collaborative classroom books/projects
- Digital yearbooks with Heyzine and Canva.
With Heyzine and Publuu you can create real page-turning effects with sound effects with ease. Try using it to create your next interactive STEM unit, or showcase student work!
TeacherGoals tips and tricks for Flipbooks
App Smash Away!
There you have it – 24 best apps for app smashing in Canva for educators. I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. If you know of other great apps for app smashing in Canva, please share them with us!
Amazing Canva Resources
The Canva Classroom: This book is packed with hands-on tools that allow you to put Canva's features to use. You'll have access to visually appealing templates that can be easily customized to fit your needs and pro tips to help you make the most of the platform.
Additionally, you will learn methods for seamlessly incorporating these templates into your existing technology ecosystems. This book also includes pedagogical foundations that ensure every design starts with the end in mind and is inclusive of all learners.
The Canva Classroom: Leverage the power of Canva to make teaching and learning even more powerful through technology!
Using Canva in the Math Classroom: Go beyond the standards commonly focused on in math and delves into the standards of mathematical processes which increase important life skills such as critical thinking and perseverance. Utilize Canva templates that can be remixed to fit your students’ needs while amping up their excitement about math.
Using Canva in the Social Studies Classroom: Learn to use Canva to engage students as active consumers and creators of content in Social Studies, in concert with English Language Arts common core literacy standards. Motivate students to read, write, listen, and speak about Social Studies content through media-rich templates made with today’s learner in mind.
Want to learn more about bringing our experts to your school or district? Click on the button below:
Cavna Facebook Groups
Check out these great Facebook groups lead by our awesome TeacherGoal's authors. These groups are a great place to ask all your Canva questions, get inspiration and share your favorite template ideas.
The Canva Classroom Facebook Group: Learn from the expertise of Heather Brown and myself in our Canva Facebook group, where educators can come together to share amazing Canva lessons/activities. Get feedback on your designs as you collaborate with colleagues for a truly inspirational experience!
Canva Librarians Facebook Group: Learn about Canva from librarians far and wide! Join this group by TeacherGoal's author, Kristina Holzweiss to discover amazing resources for your signage, programming lessons & curriculum. Share those creative Canva ideas or templates that you love so much with other like-minded library professionals today!
Thanks for reading!