In our study, we aimed to compare the impact of simulations, sequences of printed simulation frames and conventional static diagrams on the understanding of students with regard to the one-dimensional kinematics. Our student sample consisted of three classes of middle years students (N = 63; mostly 15 year-olds). These three classes served as comparison groups in our pre-post quasi-experiment, whereby each of them was assigned to one of the experimental treatments, i.e. media types. The results of the ANCOVA showed that students who learned from simulations or from printed sequences of simulation frames significantly outperformed their peers who had learned one-dimensional kinematics from conventional static diagrams. Thereby, we have found that learning from sequences of simulation frames seems to be particularly effective for girls. The use of simulations or printed simulation frames has also proved to be associated with more positive attitudes of students towards kinematics instruction.