ColAR Mix – 3D coloring book
creative Augmented Reality app for kids

iPad, iPhone & Android kids app | ages 4-9 yrs.+ | free

As we are big AR – Augmented Reality fans, we’re really thrilled to be introducing you to this very special and awesome kids app, that works with this futuristic technique. One very special example of this already very special children’s app category is: colAR Mix – a spectacular AR-functioning coloring book for kids, which makes the pictures come to life (virtually of course).

Unlike most other coloring book apps for kids, the pictures are not colored in on the iPad, iPhone or Android tablet itself. With colAR, kids actually color the pictures in with pencils or pens on paper, which needs to be printed out first, and once the picture is finished you get to use the tablet or smartphone device to be able to use the AR function.

This is how you do it:

1. First of all, you need the coloring pages to be able to print them out, you can download them for free on the apps homepage. (Look for coloring pages in the main menu).

2. You should keep in mind, that even though you can download all the free coloring pictures, only certain motifs can be used for free with the free app. The full selection however, can be unlocked with one single in-app purchase. One of the best looking motifs out of them all is however free: the bird with the worm. (see screenshot)

3. print out the picture and color it in nice and neatly.

4. Install the app and start via “play” which will change to the camera mode.

5. With a steady hand, try to focus the camera on the possibly fully colored motif.

6. Wait for the blue markings and get amazed , as the motif is brought to life in 3D, exactly the way that the kids have colored and painted it before. This is why it is worth coloring in the whole picture and not only the main motif.

At this point, we were already pretty amazed by the app, but there’s still something better – the motifs are also animated and some even a little interactive. If you want to know how this is possible and how it looks, check out the YouTube trailer below.

ColAR Augmented Reality 3D coloring book app – trailer:

Some more Tips to the AR camera mode:

* Until the coloring page has been scanned and detected (blue box), you should keep the camera very steady and keep a larger distance to the motif.

* the AR object is relatively stable afterwards, you can then get closer to the motif and also change the angle.

* The AR objects look their nicest from the side, but the camera still needs to keep perspective on the actual coloring page.

* Try to print out the coloring page a little smaller, by placing 2 coloring pages next to each other on one A4 page. Smaller pictures are easier to scan!

* You can also zoom into the AR picture with a hidden button! By touching the display a magnifying glass appears.

ColAR Mix – 3D coloring book rating:

Anyone who is even a little bit interested in augmented reality, has to of course, try out the app colaAR. We didn’t tell the children what we’re intending to do with all the coloring pages after they’ve been colored in. When we let them discover the surprise with the iPad, the kids were overwhelmed and excited to see such amazing results.
In the following days, various versions of the motifs were colored in and they were especially neat and careful with the coloring, so that the AR mode would detect all of the details. Of course we bought the single in-app purchase for 2.99 $ seems as we are big AR fans, even if the extend of 11 templates is still quite manageable. New coloring pages have been announced already and will not be charged. We’re really looking forward to more AR coloring fun!

Top best apps for kids rating: 5 stars

kids app developer:  PUTEKO LIMITED