How To Introduce Kids To Artificial Intelligence

Our kids will grow up in a world completely surrounded by artificial intelligence. A.I.-driven algorithms already shape how our kids choose videos, shows, music, and movies on streaming services.

You can introduce your child to artificial intelligence with the free Talk to Transformer site. You simply give this powerful A.I. model a piece of text–a favorite line from a kid’s book, for instance–and the A.I. will write something new that guesses what comes next.

Help your kid enter some text in the app and then use it as a jumping off point for a whole new story–let them finish the story that the artificial intelligence started!

We need to raise kids who are comfortable working alongside artificial intelligence in the workplace. The best workers of the future will be able to dictate, scribble, chat, and dream better with the help of technology. This fun craft will give them a chance to play with a powerful A.I.

Reading Books Changes Kids & Parents

Reading books doesn’t just change the kid. It changes parents too.

I’ve spent years talking about how reading books with kids can improve language and emotional development, but a brand new study out of Rutgers focused on how reading changes parents.

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Creative Galaxy Inspiration

creativeWhen was the last time you visited an art supply store with a kid? Even though smartphones and tablets help kids make creative projects, it is important to keep real life art around the house as well.

You can also try Creative Galaxy, a kid’s TV show created by Amazon Studios. The show follows the adventures of an alien who flies between different planets, learning about different styles of art.

While watching, kids learn about action painting and Pointillism. But even better, the show always inspires my daughter to make some art when we turn off the television. THAT is an amazing feat.

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Best Interactive Print Books for Kids

7_1Reading a book to a child is a lot harder than it looks.

While writing Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age, all the experts told me to be more interactive when reading. However, not all books will create an enthusiastic reading experience.

At the American Library Association annual conference, I had the awesome privilege to watch librarians around the country collaborate in a Guerilla Storytime. They gave me a HUGE list of print books that are guaranteed to make kids giggle, wiggle and shout.

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Free Born Reading Newsletter for Parents

school-kids-on-rug-listening-to-books-black-whiteBorn Reading is a work in progress.

In Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age, I share hundreds of books and apps that parents can use with kids. Now that the book is published, I still find great new apps and books every week.

To keep parents and kids informed, I launched a free newsletter for parents. Follow the link below to subscribe for free book, eBook, app and craft recommendations every issue.

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How Comic Books Change a Kid’s Life

Have you read a comic book with the kid in your life lately?

I’m heading to Comic-Con International with my daughter next week, and it is a good time to remind parents and caregivers: comic books can change a kid’s life.

I passed my childhood comic book collection on to my daughter recently, and we sit down with the Los Angeles Times funny pages every Sunday–my favorite part of the newspaper for the last 30 years.

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Nate the Great Born Reading Bundle

Nate the Great

Did you ever dream of becoming a detective? My daughter and I have been reading Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Craig Sharmat. We kept the experience going all weekend with more books, activities and detective apps.

This funny series features the adventures of a pancake-loving kid detective and his kooky friends. I always wanted to grow up to be a detective, and love watching my daughter discover her first mysteries. The ending of this book always makes her laugh.

In Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age, I collected stacks of books and apps that parents can use with kids. You can find more recommendations on this site or subscribe to my free newsletter for parents.
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Building a Diverse Digital Library

cometHow diverse is your child’s library? How diverse are the apps on your digital devices? I’ve collected some resources to help parents and caregivers build diverse digital libraries.

At the American Library Association’s annual conference, the “Promoting Cultural Competence in Digital Storytimes” session explored apps that parents can use to build a more diverse digital library. I’ve embedded the slides from that presentation below…

University of Alabama School of Library & Information Studies associate professor Jamie Naidoo defined cultural competence as “the ability to come to know and respect diverse cultural backgrounds and characteristics through interaction with individuals from diverse linguistic, cultural and socioeconomic groups.”

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Playing Pokémon Go Together

pgHave you tried Pokémon Go with the kid in your life?

I loved playing the popular app with my almost 6-year-old daughter. The game turns your real life neighborhood into a digital map filled with creatures to discover.

We walked around our neighborhood, photographed digital creatures in the bushes, captured Pokémon and met other kids playing the game. Best of all, we shared my smartphone for a couple hours–a truly rare experience.

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Kids Making Movies

filmreelLooking for a quick winter activity with housebound kids?

When it’s time to turn off the TV, kids can make their own movie!

It’s a powerful form of storytelling, a way to make sure a kid’s favorite story never ends. All you need is a smartphone, stuffed animals, or action figures.

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