Last week, we convened about 40 parents of young kids to learn from each other and to get hands-on with AI. We met not just to talk about what this new technology means for our children, but to build with it.

It struck me how quickly “vibe coding” (aka: building software without writing code) has made it possible for parents like us to experiment with technology in deeply personal ways. For me, the first apps I built weren’t for work at all. They were for my family.

My first app, MuseKat, helped me engage with my own kids at museums by making the exhibits more accessible for their age and interests. The second, Scribblins, takes children’s artwork and transforms it into playful AI-enhanced creations, turning AI into an imagination catalyst, rather than just a screen to stare at.

As I started asking other parents how they’re navigating AI, I found the responses all over the map. Some are leaning into screen-free, tech-free childhoods. Others are literally vibe-coding with their nine-year-olds on weekends. But most of us are somewhere in between, trying to figure out what “good tech use” even means anymore.

And if the social-media era of parenting taught us anything, it’s that when things go wrong, they can go really wrong. So the stakes feel high.

That’s why I was so energized by the group that gathered at Trevor Day School in Manhattan last week as part of AI Week, an event that drew over 100 RSVPs (and even a few journalists, including this Business Insider writeup).

We heard from parents experimenting with AI with their kids (from as young as age three) in very different ways:

• Tarun Sachdeva, who treats AI tools like a new kind of Lego brick. Every weekend, he and his seven-year-old daughters build mini-apps together, making his kids feel like creative partners in the process.

• Ece Kaner, who teaches AI literacy in academic settings, is building tiny image-based learning tools with her three-year-old, helping her child understand AI as something she can shape, not just consume.

• Matt Hamilton, who collaborated with me to build Scribblins, shared our new public-beta app, which we designed around a simple question: “What if AI could spark imagination and curiosity in kids, instead of just presenting content for them to consume?”

Following these demos, Megan Kiefer, author of The Takeback, anchored us in a discussion about what families can take away from media literacy in the AI age.

Then we invited parents to participate in small-group conversations about storytelling tools, moments of hesitation, and the nerves that come with letting kids explore technology that even adults are still figuring out.

I’ve been talking with a lot of technologists about how to think more intentionally about AI use. After hearing some of these pro-tech positive use cases, I’ve started to take note on where an AI-native digital experience exists for kids across a few key axes:

How much is the tool encouraging your kid to build or create something new vs. simply passively consume content (ie: mindless scrolling)?

To what extent does the AI app experience promote a “high agency” engagement threshold, inviting kids to demonstrate independence or creative thinking?

How inherently social is the experience, and is it subbing as a “technology babysitter” or is it inviting co-play with grown-ups or other kids?

How much is the technology being used as a bridge to something real and tangible in the world around us, vs. inviting kids to simply engage more with the screen?

In addition to critically important child-safety and moderation filters on any AI generated content, I’m particularly interested in tools that lean toward the left side of these axes, especially those that embed technology into real-world experiences instead of keeping kids glued to screens.

Since last week’s event, I’ve already heard from a half-dozen parents that the session inspired them to build something too. One mom already has plans to vibe code an app. Another messaged to say that she made an AI-generated song with her kid over the weekend.

Yes, it may be a “mapless frontier” for us brave enough to raise kids in the AI age, but we are embarking on the quest together. And along the way, we are realizing something paramount: We must get involved to get informed.

That’s why the energy from this event has already sparked a new WhatsApp group for AI-curious parents, where we’re sharing experiments, mini-apps, and honest reflections about what’s working (and what’s not).

If you’d like to join that group, or if you’re a parent of a five- to ten-year-old and want to try out Scribblins, we’d love to hear from you. And if you’re curious about learning by doing, check out a Build First Academy workshop designed specifically for parents.

Because the best way to form an opinion about AI is to build with it yourself.