Practice

Hands-On Labs: Try These With Your Kids

Every lab below uses free AI tools. No subscriptions, no installs. Open a browser, sit down with your kid, and try one this week.

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The Math Sanity Check

Google Gemini · Principles 01, 05, 07

Teach your kid to catch AI math errors using Gemini's free tier. This builds the "attempt before augmenting" habit while developing skepticism.

  1. Have your child solve 3 word problems by hand first (attempt before augmenting)
  2. Open gemini.google.com and paste the same problems
  3. Compare answers — when Gemini disagrees, work through who's right together
  4. Ask Gemini to "show your work" — have your kid evaluate the reasoning step by step
  5. Deliberately feed Gemini a tricky problem where it's likely to make an error (problems with units or rates work well)
// Sample prompt for Gemini:
"A train leaves at 2:15pm traveling 60mph.
Another leaves the same station at 3:00pm
traveling 80mph. When does the second
train catch up? Show your reasoning."
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The Spec Quality Lab

Google AI Studio · Principles 02, 03

Use Google AI Studio's free playground to teach specification quality. Kids will see in real time how better prompts produce better results.

  1. Go to aistudio.google.com — sign in with a Google account
  2. Select a Gemini model and open the freeform prompt
  3. Have your kid type a vague request: "Make a game"
  4. Read the output together — it'll be generic and probably broken
  5. Now help them write a spec: "Create a JavaScript game where a blue square jumps over red obstacles scrolling left to right. Score increases by 1 for each obstacle cleared. Game ends on collision."
  6. Compare the two outputs side by side — this IS the lesson
// Vague spec vs. detailed spec
Vague: "Make a cool website"
Clear: "Build a one-page website
about dolphins with 3 sections: habitat,
diet, and fun facts. Use blue colors
and include a header image placeholder."
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Vibe Code a Game Together

Claude or Gemini · Principles 02, 03, 06

Build a simple game using natural language. The child is the director — they decide what happens, the AI writes the code. They're debugging their intent, not debugging code.

  1. Ask your kid: "What kind of game do you want to make?" — write it down on paper first
  2. Open claude.ai or gemini.google.com and have them describe the game to the AI in their own words
  3. Test the result — it won't be right the first time
  4. Practice the refine loop: "The enemies move too fast. Make them slower and spawn from the right side only."
  5. Each iteration teaches specification quality — let them lead the conversation

This is constructionism in action. The creation is real because the thinking is the child's.

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Build a Personal AI Tutor

Google AI Studio · Principles 04, 06

AI Studio lets you set "system instructions" — teach your kid to build a tutor that fits their learning style. This is sequenced autonomy in practice.

  1. In AI Studio, open System Instructions (the box at the top)
  2. Help your child write instructions for a tutor: "You are a patient math tutor for a 5th grader. Never give the answer directly. Ask guiding questions. Use examples from soccer when explaining concepts."
  3. Test it with a real homework question
  4. Refine the system prompt based on what worked and didn't
  5. Save it as a reusable prompt they can return to
// Example system instruction:
"You are a science tutor for a curious
10-year-old. Explain concepts using
everyday examples. When I'm wrong,
don't just correct me — ask me questions
that help me find the error myself.
Keep answers under 100 words."
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The Essay Director Exercise

Gemini · Principles 03, 07

Teach the difference between using AI as a crutch vs. using it as a collaborator. The rule: draft first, AI second.

  1. Your kid writes a rough draft of an essay by hand (attempt before augmenting)
  2. Type or photograph the draft into Gemini
  3. Prompt: "Identify the 3 weakest arguments in this essay. Don't rewrite them — just tell me which ones are weak and why."
  4. Your kid strengthens those arguments themselves using their own thinking
  5. Discuss: "What did the AI catch that you missed? What did it get wrong about your intent?"

This produces something neither the kid nor the AI could have created alone. That's the goal.

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The AI Error Hunt Challenge

Gemini · Principles 05, 01

Turn AI errors into a game. Ask the AI questions about topics your kid knows well, then hunt for mistakes together. Gamify critical thinking.

  1. Pick a topic your child is passionate about (dinosaurs, space, a video game, a sport)
  2. Ask Gemini 10 detailed questions about that topic
  3. Your child reads each answer and marks: ✅ correct, ⚠️ partially wrong, ❌ wrong
  4. For anything they flagged, research the real answer together
  5. Score it: "You caught 3 out of 4 errors — the AI didn't fool you!"