About this list
One way to protect the privacy of young students is to have them limit the amount of personal information they share about themselves online. Creating an avatar is not only fun, but gives them an image to upload instead of an actual personal photo. The tools in this list can be used to create cartoon character likenesses to use in online profiles.
Used to not be compatible with Macs, but seems to work in FIrefox or Chrome (not Safari) and works in Internet Explorer on Windows. If you are asked to install a toolbar, just be sure to "uncheck" things you don't want.
The CartoonYou app is what you want to use.
Quick and easy way to create an avatar - can alter facial features, colors, accessories, and clothing and download result as a png file to use as your avatar.
Check out these avatar creator links in a blog post by Mike Alfred, middle school teacher
Check out her list of suggested avatar creators.