10 Best Drawing Apps for Kids in 2026

Drawing apps can do very different things. Some give kids a clean canvas and good brushes. Some teach technique step by step. Others help children animate, paint, or turn a small idea into a larger creative project.

The best choice depends on what your child enjoys making—and how much guidance they want along the way.

TL;DR

• Taroo is our top pick for guided creative drawing, where AI supports the process without taking over.

• Procreate is the strongest choice for older kids ready for serious digital art.

• Drawing Desk is useful for children who enjoy step-by-step lessons.

• Tux Paint is simple, free, and designed for younger children.

• Sketchbook offers a clean canvas with plenty of room to grow.

• FlipaClip turns drawings into animations.

• ibisPaint X is strong for comics, manga, and detailed illustration.

• Adobe Fresco is great for digital painting and realistic brushes.

• Infinite Painter offers powerful tools on both iOS and Android.

• Krita is a capable free option for older, more patient creators.

What we looked for

We chose apps that make drawing feel inviting, give children room to make their own choices, and offer enough depth to stay interesting. We also considered ease of use, platform support, age fit, and whether an app encourages children to create rather than simply follow instructions.

1. Taroo

Most drawing apps recreate a blank sheet of paper on a screen. Taroo takes a different approach: it turns drawing into a creative challenge.

A child might begin with a curious shape, an unfinished scene, or a playful constraint. From there, the direction is theirs. They decide what the idea becomes, what belongs in it, and when it feels complete.

AI sits lightly inside the process. It can offer a starting spark, respond to the child’s work, or suggest another path when needed. When the child is moving confidently, it stays out of the way. The child remains the artist and makes the important choices.

That feels like a promising direction for creative AI: present when useful, quiet when it is not.

Best for: Kids ages 6–10 who enjoy drawing, inventing characters, and creating through playful challenges.

2. Procreate

Procreate is one of the most popular drawing apps on the iPad, and for good reason. It has excellent brushes, layers, effects, time-lapse replays, and a clean interface that leaves plenty of space for the artwork.

It is a strong choice for older children who already enjoy drawing and want tools they can keep growing into. The app can support everything from quick sketches to polished illustrations.

The main challenge is depth. Younger children may need help learning the interface, and Procreate is available only on Apple devices.

Best for: Older kids who want a serious digital art studio.

3. Drawing Desk

Drawing Desk combines a free drawing space with guided lessons. Children can follow a drawing step by step, then add their own details, colors, and personality.

It is useful for kids who enjoy learning how a picture is built from simple shapes. The guidance can make digital drawing feel less intimidating, while still leaving some room to experiment.

Children who already draw confidently may find the lessons too structured.

Best for: Kids who enjoy clear, step-by-step drawing guidance.

4. Tux Paint

Tux Paint has been built specifically for children. It uses large buttons, simple tools, playful sound effects, and a friendly mascot that guides kids through the app.

It does not try to look like professional art software. That is part of its charm. Children can begin drawing quickly without working through complex menus or settings.

Tux Paint is free, open source, and ad-free. It works across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and supported Chromebooks.

Best for: Younger children who need a simple and welcoming first drawing app.

5. Sketchbook

Sketchbook offers a clean canvas with a strong set of pencils, markers, brushes, layers, rulers, and symmetry tools. The interface stays out of the way, which makes it easy to begin with a sketch and gradually try more advanced features.

It works well for kids who do not need lessons or prompts and simply want good tools. It is available across mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.

The freedom can also be a drawback: a blank canvas will not give a child ideas about what to create.

Best for: Kids who want an open-ended digital sketchbook.

6. FlipaClip

FlipaClip lets children turn a series of drawings into an animation. They can add frames, use layers, replay their work, and include sound.

The app makes the connection between drawing and movement easy to understand. A simple character can blink, jump, speak, or become part of a short story.

Animation takes patience because each movement needs multiple drawings. The app also includes sharing features, so parents should review the settings before younger children use them independently.

Best for: Kids who want to make cartoons and animated stories.

7. ibisPaint

ibisPaint is popular with young artists who enjoy manga, comics, character design, and detailed digital illustration. It offers a large range of brushes, layers, effects, rulers, and drawing aids.

There is a lot to explore, which makes it rewarding for children who like learning new tools. It also works across iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac.

The interface can feel busy at first. ibisPaint also has online artwork and community features, so younger users may need supervision.

Best for: Kids interested in manga, comics, and detailed character art.

8. Adobe Fresco

Adobe Fresco is especially good at recreating the feel of real paint. Its watercolor and oil brushes blend and move in a way that feels more natural than many digital tools.

It also includes layers, vector brushes, symmetry, and simple animation features. The app is free and works on supported Apple devices and Windows computers.

Fresco is approachable, but it still feels like a full art tool. It is better suited to children who are ready to explore rather than those who want a very simple drawing game.

Best for: Kids who enjoy painting, color mixing, and realistic brushes.

9. Infinite Painter

Infinite Painter offers a strong balance between a simple interface and advanced tools. It includes a large brush library, layers, perspective guides, and useful editing controls.

It works on both iOS and Android, making it a good alternative for families that do not use an iPad. Children can start with basic sketching and discover more features over time.

Like Procreate, it is a tool rather than a guide. It works best for kids who already know what they want to make.

Best for: Kids who want a powerful drawing app on iOS or Android.

10. Krita

Krita is a free, open-source art program with professional-level brushes, layers, animation tools, and customization.

It is excellent value and can support a child for years. It is especially useful on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android tablets, and Chromebooks.

The tradeoff is complexity. Krita looks and feels more like desktop creative software than a children’s app, so it is best for older kids who are willing to learn.

Best for: Older kids who want advanced tools without a subscription.

So, which drawing app should you choose?

Choose Taroo when your child enjoys ideas, challenges, and feedback while still wanting the final work to feel fully their own.

Choose Procreate, Sketchbook, Infinite Painter, or Krita when they want a powerful blank canvas.

Choose Drawing Desk when they enjoy lessons.

Choose Tux Paint when simplicity matters most.

Choose FlipaClip when they want drawings to move.

Choose ibisPaint when they love characters, manga, or comics.

Choose Adobe Fresco when they want to paint rather than only sketch.

There is no single app that is right for every child. The best one is the app that helps them begin, keeps them curious, and leaves enough room for their own decisions.

The takeaway

A good drawing app gives children tools. A great one helps them make something that feels like theirs.

Some children need a blank canvas. Others enjoy a lesson, a playful challenge, or a small nudge at the right moment. The important thing is that the technology supports the child’s imagination rather than replacing it.

FAQs

What is the best drawing app for kids?

Taroo is our top choice for guided creative drawing. Procreate is better for advanced iPad artists, while Tux Paint is a strong free option for younger children.

What is the best free drawing app for kids?

Tux Paint is free, ad-free, and built specifically for children. Krita is also free, but its interface is better suited to older kids.

What is the best drawing app for an iPad?

Procreate is the strongest all-round drawing app for an iPad. Taroo is a better fit when the child wants creative prompts and feedback rather than only a blank canvas.

What is the easiest drawing app for a young child?

Tux Paint is one of the easiest places to start. Its controls are large, simple, and designed around children.

Can AI help kids draw without doing the work for them?

Yes—when it is used carefully. AI can offer ideas, feedback, or a new direction while leaving the drawing and decisions to the child. That is the approach Taroo takes.