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Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in creative and child-friendly ways, and the latest example is the Splat app — an AI-powered tool that turns ordinary family photos into personalised colouring book pages kids will love. Designed to add a unique personal touch to an age-old childhood favourite, Splat combines simplicity, creativity, and technology to inspire creativity in children.
Splat is a generative AI app developed by the creators of Retro, a photo-sharing app for close friends and family. The new app’s goal is to make colouring more engaging and meaningful by turning users’ own photos — such as snapshots of family members, pets, or favourite places — into printable or on-screen colouring pages.
Using the app is straightforward: users simply take a photo or upload one from their camera roll, then choose a conversion style. Options include playful artistic influences like anime, cartoon, manga, 3D movie, and comic styles. The AI then processes the image and produces a clean, line-art colouring page that children can print and colour.
Parents can also select themed categories such as animals, space scenes, flowers, fairy tales, robots, and cars, allowing for a wide variety of fun and educational creative activities.
For many families, printed colouring pages are a staple of childhood play and learning. Traditionally, parents turn to ad-filled websites or generic books filled with ready-made line art. However, these often lack personal relevance and can feel impersonal. With Splat, colouring becomes more meaningful because the pictures feature people and subjects familiar to the child — from smiling grandparents to favourite pets and beloved holiday memories.
This personalisation can help boost engagement, creativity, and imagination among kids. Custom illustrations often make children more motivated to colour and can even spark discussions about the memories behind the image — strengthening family bonds in the process.
Splat offers a free trial generation, allowing users to test the experience before committing. After the trial, users can continue generating custom pages through a subscription model:
💡 Weekly Plan: Around $4.99 per week — allows up to 25 printable pages weekly.
📘 Annual Plan: Around $49.99 per year — permits up to 500 printable pages annually.
These plans support families that want regular access to new colouring pages, whether for ongoing creative play, classroom activities, or leisure time at home.
Recognising the importance of child safety in digital spaces, Splat includes simple parental controls. To access settings or make a purchase, the app requires authentication by entering the parent’s birth year — ensuring kids don’t accidentally make in-app purchases or change key settings without supervision.
Safety features like this have become especially essential as parents debate how and when children should interact with AI tools. While generative AI offers exciting new experiences, such as personalised creativity and learning, there’s also concern about children’s screen time and exposure to unfiltered AI systems.
The benefits of an app like Splat extend beyond fun. Educators and parents can use the tool to create custom learning materials rooted in a child’s real experiences — for example, creating colouring pages based on field trip photos or images from science activities. This personalised approach can enhance engagement and help children connect more deeply with what they’re learning.
Additionally, colouring has been shown to support fine motor skills, focus, and colour recognition, making it a valuable tool for childhood development. Combining AI technology with these developmental benefits creates a unique intersection between technology and traditional learning methods.
Splat is part of a growing trend in child-oriented AI creativity apps. Other tools like Stickerbox, which focuses on AI-generated stickers for colouring, or educational robots like Casio’s Moflin, which uses AI to develop interaction over time, show how AI is increasingly shaping kid-friendly tech experiences.
This trend reflects broader conversations about how families should introduce generative AI to children. While some parents remain cautious — pointing to concerns about motor skills or passive screen engagement — others welcome tools that encourage creativity, imagination, and personalised learning.
In a world where screens dominate much of children’s attention, Splat offers a refreshing creative outlet that blends technology with hands-on artistic expression. By allowing parents and kids to turn treasured moments into artwork they can colour together, Splat stands out among digital creativity apps — making personalised art more accessible and fun.
Whether used for weekend craft sessions, classroom projects, or quiet afternoons at home, Splat is poised to become a favourite for families looking to bring their photos to life in a new, colourful way.
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