Mothers and scientists: Guilding kids to tinker with AI

I have been thinking deeply about the profound impact of the new language of machine human interaction emerging from English that is transforming the context of web search clicks and code. More specifically in the context of Women in Science and mothers raising generation that is going to grow older in this norm.

As we move forward into leaning in into this innovation, it is evidently clear that mothers would inspire creativity in their children while they learn to drive innovation in their workplace- specifically in context to the field I am most exposed to- biosciences and bioanalysis. Last week I went into a forum discussion at AAPS women in pharmaceutical sciences forum where the topic of AI literacy and how to lean into it as mothers and scientists were discussed.

In this post, I want to recapitulate some of those ideas for a broader audience- the women in biosiences- who are also nurturing the upcoming generation which will lead the world.

I believe now, more than ever we are in the pivotal moment as a society where we must take kids as seriously as possible and give them the freedom and the opportunity to use AI responsibly.
Thus I propose a few use cases of advancing AI literacy in kids by emphasizing creative and critical thinking through hands-on activities that start on paper and are enhanced by AI.

At Home: Cultivating Creativity and Critical Thinking in Kids

Its essential to starting with paper-based exercises encourages kids to ideate freely before using AI to expand their ideas, teaching them to evaluate and refine AI outputs. The impact of being in close touch to writing or drawing on children's mind is tremendous as it slows down the output of the staggered thoughts children's minds have. It also gives them an opportunity to bond with their mothers as the time established for play has radically shifted in this society. Play, is an important topic and I will cover its epistemology in another post. However coming back to paper based exercises as a model of play can be a powerful leverage to initiate AI literacy among children.
Here are two refined use case examples with testable prompts designed to spark kids imagination and play with AI tools.

Use Case 1: Designing a Fantasy species for younglings under 10

Goal: Encourage kids to create a fantasy species as a means of drawing on paper, give them prompts to add specific. Details to the species and it's environment by building onto their creative mindset by using "yes and..." technique from the famous impromptu theatre. Engage in this activity over a course of 30 mins encouraging them to color it. This address' two points: the point of leaning into a creative mindset and learning to sit with something longer as it helps analyze a child's dopamine response alongside bring focus to an inherently jumpy mind which can help refine their quality of mental growth from being into ADHD like mindset. Then use AI to expand their ideas into a detailed narrative, fostering creative storytelling and critical evaluation. Help them see the difference in their fantasy world and how it was shaped by an AI and ask them to spot the difference and prompt it to get closer to their context of the fantasy.

Why It Works: Drawing and writing on paper tap into kids’ imagination without digital constraints, while AI enhances their ideas with rich details. Comparing their original work to AI’s output builds critical thinking as they assess what the AI adds or misses.

How to Do It:

Have your child draw a fantasy world (e.g., characters, landscapes, or magical elements) and write a short description on paper.
Use Grok or GPT to generate a story or description based on their drawing and notes.
Discuss how the AI interpreted their ideas, encouraging them to critique the AI’s output and suggest improvements.

Testable Prompt:

“my 8-year-old daughter drew a fantasy world with a glowing tree castle, a dragon cat named Star, and a river of sparkles which looks like the milky way. She wrote that Star solves a problem in the castle. Ask her three questions about her world (e.g., what’s the problem? who lives in the castle?), then create an image based on her answers. Keep it vivid but simple for her age.”

Expected Outcome:

Your child can compare the AI’s story to their drawing, sparking discussion about what the AI got right or how it could better match their vision.

Critical and Creative Thinking Benefits:

Creative Thinking: Designing the world on paper encourages originality and imagination.
Critical Thinking: Comparing their work to the AI’s output teaches kids to analyze, evaluate differences, and articulate improvements, fostering analytical skills.

Try It: Have your child draw and describe their world, then input the prompt into Grok or GPT. Discuss the AI’s story: Did it capture their vision? What would they change? This builds confidence in refining technology outputs.

Use Case 2: Inventing a Gadget : teenage ages

Goal: Guide kids to sketch and describe a futuristic gadget on paper, then use AI to refine its functionality and purpose, encouraging problem-solving and innovation.
Why It Works: Creating a gadget on paper lets kids brainstorm solutions to real-world problems, while AI helps flesh out technical details or feasibility. Critiquing the AI’s suggestions hones their ability to think logically and creatively about design.
How to Do It:

Have your child sketch an app concept inspired by biology (e.g., a plant growth tracker) and write a short description of its purpose and features (e.g., inputs for sunlight/water, outputs for growth status).

Use your biology knowledge to ensure scientific accuracy (e.g., explaining photosynthesis or nutrient needs).

Use Grok or GPT to refine the app’s features, suggest user interface ideas, and generate HTML/CSS/JavaScript code for a Replit/lovable webpage.

Help your child implement the code on Replit to create a functional webpage, then discuss how well it reflects their vision and biology concepts, encouraging tweaks for improvement.

Testable Prompt:

“my 12-year-old daughter sketched an app called ‘GrowEasy’ to help kids track plant growth. She wants it to let users input sunlight and water amounts and show how a plant grows. As a biologist, I know plants need specific conditions for photosynthesis. Ask her two questions about her app’s features (e.g., what plant types or outputs she wants), then suggest three biology-based features to make the app educational and user-friendly. Also, provide simple pseudocode for a function to calculate plant growth based on her inputs, ensuring it reflects basic photosynthesis principles.”

Expected Outcome:

Your child can assess whether these features fit their vision or solve the intended problem, encouraging them to refine the design.

Benefits:

Creative Thinking: Inventing a gadget sparks innovative problem-solving and imagination.
Critical Thinking: Evaluating the AI’s suggestions teaches kids to analyze functionality, feasibility, and alignment with their original idea, sharpening logical reasoning.
Biology Learning: Your expertise ensures the app reflects real photosynthesis principles, deepening their understanding.Further, this enhances the one on one tutoring model which is also endorsed to be the best model for learning for a neoplastic mind.
Coding Skills: Building a webpage on Replit introduces HTML/CSS/JavaScript, empowering kids to create functional tech.

Try It: Have your child sketch and describe GrowEasy then input the prompt into Grok or GPT. Copy the code to Replit/lovable, run it, and test the webpage. Discuss improvements, like adding a growth animation or more biology tips, and tweak the code together. This builds confidence in science and coding.

Why It Matters for STEM Mothers: By integrating biology expertise with AI and web development, mothers model interdisciplinary STEM skills, challenging stereotypes. Guiding kids through app creation fosters ownership and curiosity, preparing them for a tech-driven future.

Pri

https://world.hey.com/priyata