Kiddy CAD: A Child Friendly Parametric Approach for 3D Modeling Software

D models are increasingly used to visualize objects for presentation in schools. Children are sophisticated consumers of 3D worlds and engaging creatively with ICT in the classroom is recognized as beneficial to developing multiple intelligences in children. Historically, the creation of 3D models by children has, however, been considered too difficult a process to master. This paper describes the development of a CAD tool, Church Builder, designed for use by children, which is fast, fun and easy to learn and has minimal system requirements. The tool treats the underlying data of the 3D models as a tree structure of nodes, consisting of parameterized representations of the components of the objects being modeled. The tool automatically generates graphics primitives that enable the visualization of and interaction with the object, allowing children to rapidly build sophisticated model church structures.