Lockdowns and stay at home orders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic mean many Australians are looking for entertaining indoor activities, both for themselves and their children. Researchers in New Zealand found that colouring in for as little as 10 minutes a day can reduce stress and anxiety – so what better way to spend your lockdown than colouring? We’ve found five colouring in apps that will brighten up your day, bring a little colour to your lockdown, and keep adults and children amused.

Pigment

Adult colouring book app Pigment features over 2,200 professionally illustrated pages to colour in, with new pages added every week. Pigment features a drawing experience that simulates pencil, marker, and paintbrush strokes – as well as the option to colour manually or ‘tap to fill’ sections – and it allows you to colour in with your finger or a stylus. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.

Colorfy 

Colouring in app Colorfy boasts over 25 million users. The app features more than 1000 pictures – including mandalas, florals, animals, patterns, cats, gardens and famous paintings – and offers different brush effects, the option to create your own mandalas, and to photograph your own real-life drawings to colour in. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.

Pixel Art

For fans of digital art, colour by number app Pixel Art offers more than 10,000 free 2D and 3D artworks to colour by number. Pictures span simple cartoons to detailed images containing thousands of pixels. You can even create your own images by taking a selfie or photographing pets and loved ones. With new pictures every day – from simple cartoons to complex images with thousands of pixels – this app is sure to brighten up your lockdown. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.

Dotpict

If you’re not content to colour in pre-existing images, Dotpict offers a chance to create your own pixel art and share it with other users in the app – or via Twitter or email. Simply choose the size of your grid and your colour palette, and you’ll be creating your own pixel art masterpieces in no time. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.

Color Quest AR

Want to see what your colouring in creations would look like in the real world? The healthy eating-themed educational app Color Quest AR encourages kids to colour in characters based on healthy fruits and vegetables, as well as ‘body buddies’ like the human heart or brain. Once you’ve coloured in your character, watch them come to life in your home thanks to the app’s augmented reality technology. Download it on the App Store or Google Play.