Artificial intelligence is a relatively new technology for Millennials; they have seen the inception of this technology and its massive growth over the years. For millennials, predictive text and auto-correct were something that almost felt like a revolution — but the Gen Z kids are now experiencing AI-based text to speech and NLP among other innovations. For kids, nowadays, AI has become a part of their life, something which is relatively common and normal for them.
Artificial intelligence has impacted today’s era so much that every parent has an additional responsibility of educating their children about AI from an early age.
AI Education with Apps and Games
Although one can use movies like Her and Star Wars to introduce their kids to artificial intelligence, a more practical approach would be to teach them interactively. Today’s children are well-versed with technology and have a keen interest when it comes to interacting with digital devices. So, making them learn through mobile and laptop devices is a more suitable way of teaching AI to kids.
Let’s take a look at some of the resources that can help children learn about AI, along with some of the coding side.
Scratch
With Scratch, kids can program their interactive games, animations and stories, and can share them with others online. Scratch is an MIT Media Lab project from their Lifelong Kindergarten Group and is accessible to everyone since it is free.
Tynker
Coding has always been an essential part of learning AI. Tynker is a building block game, which is an excellent mix of puzzles, games as well as coding. In this app, kids can create their games; however, in the background, they can draw their characters or other pictures to give it a personal touch. This game can also code for some of the Robo-toys in the real world.
Machine Learning for Kids
Machine Learning for Kids is a tool that introduces this complex to the kids by giving them experience in training machine learning systems and building other things with them. These machine learning models are trained to recognise text, images, numbers and even sounds. These models are added to platforms like Scratch, and a project or a game can be created.
Kano Computing
Kano computing provides like a guide for kids to build their computer, and after they make it, they require to program this computer for task completion.
Viper
Viper is a Wonderville creation which is a game that lets children create a game where they can program a robot for exploring, a.k.a Europa.
Dalton Learning Lab
Dalton Learning Lab is a developing service that allows one’s children to learn AI by using Scratch.
The AI Toys
Let’s take a look at some of the AI toys for kids which will also help them learn about this technology:
Vortex A New Robot Teaches Kids About Coding
Vortex is specifically aimed at kids who are interested in programming. It is a smart and responsive system which helps kids create their own robots, learn about robotics and play different games.
Meccano-Erector M.A.X Robotic Interactive Toy with AI
MAX is a robot with AI learning capabilities with customisable programming which opens up several options for kids who are interested in programming. It can be programmed to remind them of important events, clean their room and learn the basics of the technology.
UBTECH JIMU Robot Mythical Series: Firebot Kit
Utech had introduced two products with which one can either build a fancy sports vehicle or a dragon. These bots are app-enabled building and coding STEM Robokits, with buildable and codable robots. Children can code these bots with Blockly coding platform allowing them to build and code the bots.
Outlook
With the post-millennials growing up with AI and AI being trained like kids, parents need to make sure that their children know whats AI and how it works. Artificial intelligence is here to stay and with doesn’t show any signs of stopping, its, therefore, only right that the new generation kids of the future be best at the technology of the future.
