AI for Kids

• AI Slop, Character.ai Risks, and Spotting AI Hype (Middle School+)

  Send us a textWhat do kids really touch when they “use AI”? We sat down with educator Tom Mullaney and early virtual economy pioneer Tim Allen to strip away the buzzwords and bring AI back to what children actually experience: predictive systems that generate words, pictures, and sounds without authorship or intent. From Second Life marketplaces to today’s chatbots, we trace how hype blurs reality, how “easy button” tools undercut learning, and why kids deserve a clear, practical map for using AI without losing creativity or judgment.We dig into a simple, striking demo: nine leading models drawing a wall clock once per minute, often getting it wrong in different ways. That moving snapshot opens a bigger lesson—if a model can’t keep a clock straight, don’t trust it where accuracy matters. Tom explains why generative AI reads as polished but painfully boring in student writing, while Tim offers pathways for young coders to use models for boilerplate and then switch to human craft for novelty and taste. Together we explore the mental health risks of parasocial chatbot bonds, the screen-addictive design of platforms, and the Harvard study that ties lifelong happiness to real relationships, not fleeting likes.Parents and teachers will find practical guardrails: ask who built the tool and who benefits, demand transparency and family controls, and push for real accountability when systems output harmful content. Kids get a north star: humans create, computers generate. Keep AI as a tool, not a crutch. Choose projects that make you think, verify results, and be proud to fail boldly as you learn. We also touch on the environmental cost of running large models and why a family-first approach to AI can help everyone stay curious, safe, and grounded.If this conversation helps you teach skepticism without fear and keep kids building in the real world, share it with a friend, subscribe for more like this, and leave a review with the one guardrail you’d add first.Support the showHelp us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids. Support our kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aidigicards/the-abcs-of-ai-activity-deck-for-kids Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”Social Media & Contact: Website: www.aidigitales.com Email: [email protected] Follow Us: Instagram, YouTube Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Other Like our content? patreon.com/AiDig...

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• Nice Try, Robot: The Truth About Chatbots for Kids (Elementary School)

  Send us a textKids are meeting chatbots everywhere, from homework helpers to pop‑ups on websites, and many of them think the robot “feels” things. We cut through the hype with a friendly, practical guide that shows how chatbots really work, why they sometimes sound brilliant and sometimes go off the rails, and what families can do to stay curious and safe at the same time.We start by breaking down the core idea: a chatbot predicts the next word using patterns, not feelings or understanding. That simple lens explains why a bot can write a funny pizza joke yet invent a name when asked about your classroom. From there, we shift into digital safety that kids can remember: treat a chatbot like a stranger, never share personal information, and pause the moment a reply feels weird or unkind. Along the way we model the “grown‑up in the loop” rule and show how to fact‑check results so confidence never replaces care.To make it hands‑on, we share a quick kitchen‑table activity that sorts “Safe Questions” and “Not Safe Questions.” On one side, creative prompts like stories, riddles, and science facts. On the other, anything that reveals names, addresses, school details, or phone numbers. We wrap with five simple takeaways that turn into everyday habits: chatbots are not people, they make mistakes, you never share private data, you stop and tell a grown‑up when something feels off, and you can still have fun within clear boundaries.If this helped your family or classroom, subscribe for more parent‑friendly AI tips, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review so more caregivers can find these tools. Your support helps more kids stay safe, curious, and creative with AI.Support the showHelp us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids. Support our kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aidigicards/the-abcs-of-ai-activity-deck-for-kids Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”Social Media & Contact: Website: www.aidigitales.com Email: [email protected] Follow Us: Instagram, YouTube Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Other Like our content? patreon.com/AiDig...

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• Why Parents Need to Be “In the Loop” About AI — And How to Start (Families)

  Send us a textWorried that “learning AI” means more screens and less connection at home? We flip that script with a parent-first, practical roadmap for saving time, lowering stress, and building real AI literacy, together with your kids. Our guest, former teacher, edtech pro, and mom Julie Kelleher, shares how she created “Like a Mother AI” to help families turn curiosity into safe, meaningful habits.We dig into the TIME framework, Tutoring, Ideas, Management, Encouragement, to show exactly where AI can lighten the mental load. You’ll hear how Notebook LM becomes a private study buddy using only teacher-provided PDFs, how a quick pantry photo can generate five meals for picky eaters in minutes, and how to turn dense topics into short audio or video explainers that match different learning styles. We talk about choosing education-first tools with stronger privacy guardrails, setting living house rules you can revise, and why co-learning is the fastest way to replace fear with confidence.You’ll also get a candid look at boundaries and safety. We cover when kids should use a tool themselves vs. when parents should gatekeep access, why “no faces, no voices, no personal data” is a strong default, and what to do when a chatbot response feels off, document it, talk it through, and use that evidence to push for better products and policy. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a calmer path into AI. Resources:Like a Mother AI (Julie’s site)NotebookLM (Google’s “notebook” AI tool)Khanmigo from Khan Academy (AI tutor your kids’ friends might use at school)Canva for Education:CapCut (video editor that added AI image features)Pew Research Center report on parents, kids, and screen timeGenerative AI courseSupport the showHelp us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids. Support our kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aidigicards/the-abcs-of-ai-activity-deck-for-kids Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”Social Media & Contact: Website: www.aidigitales.com Email: [email protected] Follow Us: Instagram, YouTube Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Other Like our content? patreon.com/AiDig...

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• Not a Friend, Just a Toy: Understanding Talking AI Toys (Elementary School)

  Send us a textCurious talking toys are popping up everywhere, from plush buddies and dolls to tiny robots that listen and talk back. In this AI for Kids episode, we kick off our “AI in Real Life” series by breaking down AI toys for kids in plain language so families know what they are actually buying. We explain how talking AI toys use speech recognition, simple memory, and pre-programmed responses, where they can shine for learning and play, and where parents need clear guardrails for safety and privacy.Kids will learn the difference between a friendly voice and a real friend, so they understand that a toy does not have feelings and can make mistakes. We share kid-friendly rules for safe AI toy use that are easy to remember: ask an adult before playing, keep private information private, and speak up when something feels off. You will also hear a quick holiday shopping checklist for AI toys. Does this toy teach or just entertain, will it get long-term use, and does it add to playtime or pull kids away from real people?For parents and teachers, we walk through how to read AI toy privacy policies without drowning in jargon, how to choose between offline and cloud-connected toys, and how to guide playtime so the toy becomes a springboard for imagination, not a replacement for it. With simple examples, age-appropriate boundaries, and clear next steps, you will leave ready to make a smart decision about AI toys for kids and support safe, joyful, curiosity-led play.If this conversation helped, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more families can find AI for Kids.Resources for Parents:Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday seasonAfter a teddy bear talked about kink, AI watchdogs are warning parents against smart toysSupport the showHelp us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids. Support our kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aidigicards/the-abcs-of-ai-activity-deck-for-kids Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”Social Media & Contact: Website: www.aidigitales.com Email: [email protected] Follow Us: Instagram, YouTube Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Other Like our content? patreon.com/AiDig...

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• How Parents Can Guide Kids Through Talking Toys And Chatbots (Middle School+)

  Send us a textA stuffed animal that answers back. A kind voice that “understands.” A tutor that lives in a fictional town. AI characters are everywhere, and they’re changing how kids learn, play, and bond with media. We sat down with Dr. Sonia Tiwari, children’s media researcher and former game character designer, to unpack how to welcome these tools into kids’ lives without losing what matters most.Sonia breaks down what truly makes an AI character: a personality, a backstory, and the new twist of two‑way interactivity. From chatbots and smart speakers to social robots and virtual influencers, we trace how each format affects attention, trust, and learning. Then we get practical. We talk through how to spot manipulative backstories (“I’m your best friend” is a red flag), when open‑ended chat goes wrong, and why short, purposeful sessions keep curiosity high and dependence low.For caregivers wary of AI, Sonia offers a powerful reframe: opting out cedes the space to designs that won’t put kids first. Early, honest AI literacy, taught like other life skills, protects children from deepfakes, overfamiliar bots, and data oversharing.If you care about safe, joyful learning with technology, this conversation gives you a clear checklist and a calm path forward. Subscribe for more parent‑friendly, screen‑light AI guidance, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more families find the show.Resources:Flora AI – the visual AI tool you mentioned as your favorite gadgetDr. Sonia Tiwari’s research article – “Designing ethical AI characters for children’s early learning experiences” in AI, Brain and ChildDr. Sonia Tiwari on LinkedIn – you told listeners to check out her LinkedInBuddy.ai – AI character English tutor you referencedSnorble – the AI bedtime companion you mentionedSupport the showHelp us become the #1 podcast for AI for Kids. Support our kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aidigicards/the-abcs-of-ai-activity-deck-for-kids Buy our debut book “AI… Meets… AI”Social Media & Contact: Website: www.aidigitales.com Email: [email protected] Follow Us: Instagram, YouTube Books on Amazon or Free AI Worksheets Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Other Like our content? patreon.com/AiDig...

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