Like many kids my girls love to draw.  I’ve found that drawing and art apps are a great way for the kids to be creative in another way and save paper.  For my older daughter this school year has been full of reports so some of the apps below work well to spruce up projects that can use drawings or text in combination with photos or diagrams.

Typically drawing apps can cover a range of ages with younger kids developing fundamentals and older kids developing details so I usually take the recommended ages as a guide but not a rule since each kid, regardless of age, can have a different level of skill.  I like to find apps that grow with the kid’s abilities so this month’s featured art apps are great for kids of all ages.

Art lovers who are learning to draw can get some good basic ideas on how to draw their favorite animals using iLuv Drawing Animals. A favorite at the app store this comes with 40 animals including cats, dogs, owls, horses, farm animals, jungle animals and ocean animals. The steps use basic geometry to show your budding artist the fundamentals giving them confidence as they practice. It encourages creativity, fine motor skills and knowledge about animals. Once done the drawings can be saved and put into an album. Price: $.99

Skitchis the drawing tool from Evernote.  Great for adding text or hand writing to images, maps, or blank documents.  Ideal for school projects where kids need to tell a story to their drawings or jazz up a report.

You’ll be prompted to set up a free sign in account to get started and if you already have Evernote set up you can sign in using that account. Available for iPad as well as for Android at Google Play. Price: Free

Scribble Kid is ideal for younger kids who want a super simple interface to just draw.  The images are saved to your iPad gallery or you can share them on Facebook. One idea we’ll try is drawing a birthday card for the girls Grandparents or Aunts or Uncles and sending via Facebook. Not a lot of customization of the palate or tools but great for the basics.  Good for those time when just drawing is all that’s wanted and good way to pass time while waiting in a store or doctor’s office. Price: $.99

SketchNotes is a good solid note and free hand drawing tool where you can combine text and drawing. As my kids get older they like to have easy ways to make signs and charts where they can sell lemonade or keep progress of their chores so I don’t forget to pay them. Good tool for school reports to add detail. Available for iPad as well as for Android at Google Play. Price: $2.99

Scribble My Story is a way to encourage kids to write stories using a super easy set of drawing tools.  Kids can draw their own images within six pre-loaded story themes. Time Magazine voted it as one of the 25 best apps of 2012 and many schools use it in the classroom. The app is free and offers in-app purchases from .99 to 2.99 to add custom tools,  color choices and more story themes to embellish stories as the kids get more into the story creation.  I purchased the upgrade for the colors right away.

Young kids can use this app to begin to learn how to tell a story and older kids can use the app to learn how to develop a stronger, more detailed story. I find the app great for kids who don’t like to write either because they have written output issues or aren’t strong creative writes boosting confidence. Price: Free with in app purchase available.

If you have some favorite art apps to share or have one you’d like us to review add a comment below!