Toontastic 3D – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Toontastic 3D

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2017

94%

WISE Score

4.1

App Store

The Pixar studio in your pocket—kids draw, animate, and narrate their own cartoons with zero fluff, zero ads, just pure creation.

Toontastic 3D

app

Everyone, 2017

94%

WISE Score

4.1

App Store

The Pixar studio in your pocket—kids draw, animate, and narrate their own cartoons with zero fluff, zero ads, just pure creation.

Jump to

Also rated on

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

This is what kids' apps should be: a complete creative tool with zero corporate nonsense. No ads, no purchases, no social comparison—just you, some characters, and a story to tell.

Toontastic 3D teaches real skills (narrative structure, voice acting, sequencing, basic animation) while feeling like pure play. The story arc templates are smart scaffolding that help kids who freeze at a blank canvas, and the 3D drawing tools mean they're not locked into someone else's aesthetic.

The main limitation is variety—you'll run through the built-in characters and settings pretty quickly if your kid gets hooked. But that's actually a feature: it pushes them to design their own stuff, which is where the real learning happens.

This is the rare app that deserves its shelf space. If your kid likes storytelling, making up characters, or just hearing their own voice come out of a pirate robot, download it and get out of the way.

Age Fit

Best for ages 5-12, when kids are building narrative skills and love creating their own worlds. Younger kids can use it with parent help; older kids might want more sophisticated animation tools, though some will keep using it for quick projects or silly videos with siblings.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Pure creative expression without any concerning content. Kids control the narrative, voice their own characters, and create stories at their own pace. The app encourages positive storytelling through structured story arcs while remaining completely open-ended. No ads, no social pressure, no toxic elements—just imagination and play.

Imaginative

This is creativity in a box. Kids design their own 3D characters, animate them by moving them around the screen, record their own voices for narration, and build complete stories from scratch. The three story arc templates (Short Story, Classic, Science Report) provide just enough structure to spark ideas without constraining creativity. The 3D drawing tools and ability to add photos mean every story can be truly unique.

Safe

Completely offline creative tool with no social features, no chat, no ads, no in-app purchases. Made by Google with strong privacy protections. Videos are stored locally on the device. Kids mode available. Zero monetization pressure. The only tiny dock is that it's a closed system—you can't accidentally stumble into anything inappropriate because there's nothing to stumble into.

Enriching

Builds genuine storytelling skills, narrative structure, voice acting, sequencing, and digital literacy. The Science Report arc specifically teaches expository structure. Kids learn basics of animation and video creation in an accessible way. Multiple award recognitions including Parents' Choice Gold and Bologna Ragazzi Digital Award validate its educational value. The limitation is that it's more about execution than deep learning—it's a tool, not a curriculum.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches actual storytelling structure (beginning, middle, end) while kids think they're just playing—the Science Report arc is sneaky-brilliant for school projects
Zero monetization garbage: no ads, no purchases, no 'watch this video to unlock.' Just a complete, free creative tool from Google
Kids hear their own voice bringing characters to life, which is genuinely magical for building confidence and narrative skills
The 3D drawing tools let kids design custom characters, so they're not stuck with generic templates—this is their world
Parents' Choice Gold and Common Sense 5-star ratings backed by actual classroom use—teachers love this thing

⚠

What to Watch For

Limited built-in characters and settings mean creative kids will hit the ceiling fast—plan on them making their own assets
Requires some patience and planning; younger kids (under 5) might need help structuring their stories
Videos export to your photo library, so you'll need to manage storage and decide what to keep vs. delete
No cloud sync or cross-device sharing built in—projects live on one device unless you manually transfer them

Conversation Starters

"What story are you telling today? Can you walk me through the beginning, middle, and end before you start?"
"Why did you choose that voice for your character? What kind of personality are you trying to show?"
"If you were going to make a Science Report about something you learned at school, what would it be?"
"Want to make a cartoon about our family or something that happened this week?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic