A welcome trend: a growing number of developers making arty apps for kids – Mini Monet included – are realising it’s about more than providing digital drawing and colouring tools to fill a blank screen.

Examples from the last year include Night Zookeeper Teleporting Torch with its drawing missions, Gocco Doodle and its global gallery, Drawing Together and its ability for parents and children to collaborate remotely, and Sago Mini Doodlecast with its ability to turn drawings into narrated videos.

And so to Mini Monet, an app from developer Sprite Kids that bills itself as a “creative playground for little kids”, aiming to stimulate their artistic instincts with more than just some virtual brushes.

“Children can explore various art styles with easy to use tools, capture their creative ideas on blank pages or simply get creative with coloring,” explains its App Store listing. “Connecting children through art ~ Mini Monet has an Art Club powered by the creations of little artists. Inspiring Creativity with weekly art challenges, Mini Monet keeps the little artists busy.”

So yes, there are digital brushes, pens, pencils and (oh blessed day!) a paint bucket that won’t leave your real-world walls in need of redecoration. Virtual glitter, stickers and stamps are also included, as has become the norm for this kind of app.

It’s the weekly challenges that we like the sound of most though, as a way to give children a starting point for a drawing. There’s a system of virtual coins – earned by playing rather than paying in-app purchases – which can then be exchanged for new stuff in the in-app Art Store. Meanwhile, the Art Club promises to be a way for children to share their artworks with others, albeit in a safe and moderated way.

Mini Monet costs £1.99 for iPad on Apple’s App Store.