15 Best Storytelling Apps for Kids to Spark Imagination (2025 Guide)
Storytelling apps for kids are a fantastic way to turn screen time into something magical, creative, and educational.
As a mom of three — with a toddler, a “big kid,” and a middle schooler — I’m always looking for tools that inspire imagination across different ages. If you’re like me, you’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when kids dive into their own worlds of make-believe and narrative.
But finding the right apps to help guide that creativity? That’s a challenge I took on this summer — and these are the ones that actually stuck.
If you’re looking for storytelling apps for kids that actually keep them engaged without mindless screen time, these options are game changers.
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Best Writing and Storytelling Apps For Kids
These storytelling apps for kids encourage creativity, literacy, and independent thinking — all wrapped up in fun, colorful interfaces.
1. Toca Life World
Toca Life World was an instant hit in our house.
With its open-ended gameplay, it’s like a digital dollhouse that lets kids create their own stories, design characters, and even build entire worlds.
My 5-year-old loves it because she can play around without needing to know how to read or write, while my older kids use it to plot elaborate tales with different scenes and characters.
2. Scribblenauts Remix
We tested several storytelling apps for kids this summer, and these 15 stood out as both fun and educational across multiple age groups.
Scribblenauts Remix turns vocabulary into a game, where kids create their own solutions to puzzles by writing words. Want to cross a river? Type in “bridge” and one appears! It’s a blast for kids 6 and up who have a bit of a vocabulary and want to expand their imaginations. I’ve found it not only boosts creativity but also subtly teaches spelling and problem-solving.
Find Scribblenauts Remix for your device here to get started on the word fun!
3. Toontastic 3D
The best storytelling apps for kids make it easy for them to craft their own narratives, whether they’re just learning to speak or writing full paragraphs.
Toontastic 3D makes my 8-year-old feel like a mini movie director. Kids can design their own animated characters, write dialogue, and create a series of scenes to tell their story. With backgrounds, character options, and sound effects, it’s like their own mini Pixar studio at their fingertips. The app is a favorite for kids who want to make their stories come to life in a way that feels like real filmmaking.
4. Book Creator
My middle schooler absolutely loves Book Creator. This app lets kids write, illustrate, and even publish their own books! It’s the perfect app for kids who are ready to take their stories from idea to “finished product” without the pressure. Whether it’s a picture book, comic strip, or short story, Book Creator gives them the tools to be their own author and illustrator. We even printed out a few of their stories as keepsakes!
When choosing storytelling apps for kids, I focused on apps that combined open-ended play with some form of writing or narration.
5. Night Zookeeper
If your child thrives in a more structured environment, Night Zookeeper is a great blend of storytelling, writing, and learning. This app has a fantasy twist where kids take care of their own magical animals while completing story-driven writing challenges. The best part? There’s even feedback and encouragement from real writing tutors! My 10-year-old says it feels like a “game about stories,” which is high praise from him.
6. Puppet Pals HD
This app is especially fun for younger kids who want to create their own stories but might not be ready to write them down. With Puppet Pals HD, they choose characters and backgrounds, then act out their stories while recording their voices. My youngest, who’s always up for an impromptu “show,” loves it, and I love that it helps her build early storytelling skills.
I love that many of these storytelling apps for kids work well for siblings to use together — encouraging collaboration and imagination.
7. Storybird
Storybird is a more advanced platform that works well for older kids or middle schoolers who want to hone their storytelling craft. With a library of beautiful illustrations and prompts to inspire them, kids can build stories, poems, or even chapter books! My oldest, who’s starting to enjoy more serious writing, loves browsing artwork to inspire her own creations.
8. Imagistory
Imagistory is perfect for sparking your child’s imagination without the need for text. It’s a wordless storytelling app that lets kids make up stories by looking at illustrations and narrating their ideas. We’ve had a blast passing the tablet around, taking turns making up stories for the same pictures. Great for younger kids who aren’t yet reading but have plenty of creativity to share!
9. My Story – Book Maker for Kids
My Story is a great introductory tool for early learners who are just starting to explore storytelling. Kids can draw pictures, add stickers, and record their voices to tell their own tales.
👉 Get My Story on the App Store
10. Epic!
While Epic! is primarily known as a digital reading library, it also has a neat “Create a Story” feature that lets kids write and illustrate their own books.
👉 Explore Epic! on Amazon
👉 Or download it from the App Store
11. Story Dice – Ideas for Writers
This app offers visual prompts to jumpstart story ideas — great for building creativity through fun challenges.
👉 Download Story Dice on the App Store
12. Writing Challenge for Kids
A great choice for kids who enjoy quick prompts and fun writing sparks — ideal for building writing habits.
👉 Get Writing Challenge for Kids on the App Store
13. Comic Draw
This one’s a full-featured comic creation tool for older kids who want to dive into graphic storytelling.
👉 Download Comic Draw on the App Store
14. Bubl Draw
This creative app lets kids draw while hearing musical feedback — great for encouraging visual storytelling.
👉 Try Bubl Draw on the App Store
15. Penzu
Penzu is a secure journaling app that’s perfect for older kids and tweens who want a more private writing outlet.
👉 Explore Penzu on the Web
👉 Also available on the App Store
Bottom Line
Whether you have a kid who’s itching to write their first book or one who simply loves to daydream, these storytelling and writing apps can open up new worlds for them! I love knowing that when I hand my kids a tablet, they’re using it to build stories, not just mindlessly scrolling.