What Would You Build?

What Is It?

This activity flips the script on how kids think about AI. Instead of “what can AI do for me?” we’re teaching them to ask “what could I build using AI as a tool?”

The key insight: the thinking happens in their brain, not in AI. They identify problems, imagine solutions, and figure out how AI could help build them. AI is the hammer - they’re the architect.

Why This Matters

Most kids encounter AI as consumers - they ask it questions, it gives answers. That’s passive. It creates dependency.

But kids who learn to think like builders see AI differently. It’s raw material. It’s a tool they can use to create things that don’t exist yet. That mindset is empowering, not dependent.

The other day, my son came up with an idea for an app that photographs food and tracks calories. Maybe he saw something similar somewhere, maybe he thought of it himself - the point is, his brain was working on “what could I build?” That’s the muscle I’m trying to develop.

How To Do It

Step 1: Problem Spotting (No AI)

Start with observation, not technology. Ask your child:

• “What’s something annoying in your daily life?”
• “What’s hard for you or your friends?”
• “What do you wish existed that doesn’t?”
• “What takes too long or is too boring?”

Let them brainstorm. Write down their ideas. No filtering yet.

Step 2: Solution Brainstorming (No AI)

Pick one problem and explore it:

• “If you could build anything to fix that, what would it be?”
• “What would it look like?”
• “How would people use it?”

This is imagination work. Their brain, not AI.

Step 3: The AI Question (Still No AI Needed)

Now connect it to AI capabilities:

• “What part of this could AI help with?”
• “What would the AI do in your solution?”
• “What would humans still need to do?”

They’re learning to see AI as a component, not the whole solution.

Step 4: Sketch It Out (No AI)

Have them draw or write their idea:

• What does the app screen look like?
• What buttons would it have?
• How does it work step by step?
• What would you call it?

This forces them to think through the details.

Step 5: Reality Check (Optional - AI Allowed)

ONLY after they’ve fully developed the idea themselves, they can optionally ask AI:

• “Does something like this exist?”
• “What would be hard about building this?”
• “What am I not thinking about?”

But honestly, this step is optional. The value is in the thinking, not the AI feedback.

Example Ideas Kids Have Come Up With

• Homework reminder that knows your schedule - “It could look at my calendar and tell me when to start homework so I finish before dinner”
• Friend finder for new schools - “It could match kids who like the same things when someone new joins”
• Lost item tracker for the house - “You tell it where you put things and it remembers for you”
• Practice test generator - “It makes tests from your notes so you can study”
• Mood playlist maker - “You tell it how you feel and it picks songs”

Notice: these are all THEIR ideas. AI didn’t generate them. Their brains did.

What You’re Really Teaching

This activity builds:

• Problem-solving mindset - Looking at the world and seeing things that could be better
• Creative confidence - Believing they can imagine solutions
• AI literacy - Understanding what AI can and can’t do
• Builder identity - Seeing themselves as creators, not just users

How Often?

This isn’t a scheduled activity - it’s a way of thinking. Encourage it whenever:

• They complain about something (“What would you build to fix that?”)
• They see interesting technology (“How do you think that works?”)
• They have idle time (“Got any new invention ideas?”)

The goal is making “What would you build?” a natural question in their mind.

Warning Signs

• They’re asking AI to generate ideas instead of thinking themselves
• They’re more interested in what AI says than their own ideas
• They’ve stopped because “AI can already do everything”

If these happen, refocus on the human creativity part. The whole point is that THEIR ideas are the valuable part.

Parent Tip

Share your own “what would you build?” ideas. When you encounter a problem, think out loud: “You know what would be useful? An app that…” Let them see that adults think this way too.

Even better - if they have a great idea, help them explore it further. Could they actually prototype it? Draw more detailed mockups? That’s how real builders think.

The Bigger Picture

I’m not trying to turn my kids into app developers. I’m trying to build a mindset where they see AI as something they control - a tool for building things they imagine - rather than something that thinks for them.

Consumer mindset: “What can AI give me?” Builder mindset: “What can I create with AI?”

That shift in perspective is worth more than any single activity.

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