What Can AI Teach Toddlers👶? A Mom-Researcher's Perspective
As a mom and AI education researcher, I've observed 3 key skills toddlers develop through AI toys:
1️⃣Problem-solving (e.g. voice-commanding robots through block challenges)
2️⃣Creative storytelling (imagining new story endings)
3️⃣Emotional recognition (learning empathy via facial interactions)
But I'm cautious: Could instant AI feedback weaken resilience?
·Which AI-developed skill matters most to you?
·What traditional methods remain irreplaceable?
Let's discuss it. I would like to know your opinion😊
Replies
all three can and are learned without AI today. why complicate things?
and what does an AI toy even mean?
But no matter what, there's no substitute for a hug from mom.
Great points, June! AI can definitely help kids think, create, and understand emotions in new ways. But I still think nothing beats hands on play and real social interactions for building confidence and problem solving skills.
minimalist phone: creating folders
I would lack human touch.
Of course, AI can save time. Once I had an interview with parents of a young boy who applied "kameveda." Which means that a kid will be very versatile. They started raising their son this way from a few months old. Michal (their son) was already playing golf at 12 months and learning to ride a bike at 14 months. The downside was they dedicate their whole time to this "life-style" but they have enough money for these things.
So if someone cannot afford this, AI help can be an alternative. But in general, parents shouldn't give that little one smartphone and left it like: I do not have time, do whatever you want.
AI-powered toys can become companions in child's growth to some extent. AI storytelling is a good example. But they shouldn't be relied upon entirely. Parental companionship, interaction with other children, and various real-life experiences such as exposure to nature and outdoor activities are all essential parts of a child's growth journey.
It does depend on which parenting style the parents choose.
If parents are in a position to do so, they should certainly ensure that they spend quality time with their children and take them to enough outdoor activities.
However, if parents are unable to be with their children, AI can indeed fulfill the child's need for emotional expression and companionship by stimulating the child's verbal expression and giving positive encouragement, as well as helping the child to explore cognition, which is at least more interactive and helpful than letting the child get addicted to short entertainment videos and video games.
And AI can really help kids explore the larger world if parents are guided correctly. My 5-year-old son is very interested in the principles of medical equipment in hospitals, and he aspires to be a doctor, so he often asks AI how an EKG machine works, which I really can't answer😂!
Personally, I believe AI should only assist parents in raising their children. For example, advanced AI could detect dangerous situations and notify parents in advance, or offer solutions in situations where parents are unsure about parenting. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea for AI to directly intervene in a child’s development beyond that. Children should interact with the real world, not AI, while they play and grow.
This is the first time I'm hearing the terms "AI Toys". The irreplaceable method in my opinion is, the bonding between the mother and children when teaching or just accompanying them playing. Also, I don't think it's a good idea to let the kids get used to AI from early age.