Paint Studio: eight brushes, a rainbow of colours, and no mess on the floor

Every parent knows the joy of a child painting. Every parent also knows the aftermath: water spilled, colours on the sofa, a brush mysteriously in the fridge. Real paint is wonderful and should never be replaced. But for a rainy evening, a car journey or a waiting room, a good digital paint studio is a lovely alternative.

Paint Studio, in the Create section of KidsZone, is exactly that.

What's in the toolbox

The screenshot shows how much is packed in, without feeling cluttered. On the left is a large white canvas. On the right are the tools:

• Brush, Stamp, Shape, Line and Eraser
• Eight brush types: Pencil, Crayon, Marker, Paintbrush, Chalk, Spray, Rainbow and Sparkle
• Three sizes: Thin, Medium and Thick
• Two rows of colours, from bright primaries to soft pastels and browns

Your child draws with a finger or a mouse. They can also tap two spots to draw a straight line, which is very handy for little hands that wobble.

The Rainbow and Sparkle brushes are, predictably, the crowd favourites.

Four kinds of page

The levels here aren't about difficulty. They're different kinds of paper:

• Blank page: free drawing
• Lined page: for practising letters and handwriting
• Number grid: for drawing numbers, patterns and shapes
• Scenes: a background to draw into

The lined page is a clever addition. Children who resist handwriting practice on paper will often happily trace letters on screen with a rainbow brush. It's the same skill in a more inviting form.

Colouring and Music too

The Create section also has Colouring, for children who prefer to fill in pictures rather than start from blank, and Music, for exploring sounds.

Why creative play matters

Not every learning game needs a right answer. Drawing builds fine motor control, which children need for writing. It builds confidence, because there's no wrong drawing. And it gives children a way to express things they can't yet put into words.

Ask your child to tell you about their picture afterwards. Not "what is it?", which can feel like a test, but "tell me about it". You'll often hear a whole story.

Make a gallery

Here's a small idea that children love. Once a week, ask your child to pick their favourite drawing from Paint Studio. Take a screenshot, and keep a "gallery" folder on your phone. At the end of the month, scroll through it together. Children are often amazed at how much their drawings have changed in just a few weeks, and it's a lovely record for you too. You can even print the best one and stick it on the fridge, just like a painting from school.

And please, keep the real crayons and paper around too. The digital studio is a companion to them, never a replacement.

Open Paint Studio on KidsZone.