A picture sorter
Children train a model with a webcam to tell objects apart, then test how well it really works.
Home › Courses › AI · Ages 9–12
AI: teach a machine to learn
AI is already inside the apps children use every day. In this course they open the box and see how it works, by training small AI models of their own.
Show me!
A machine learns from examples. Show it something it has never seen and it has to guess. Tap a block.
What children create
A sound detector
A model that can tell a clap from a whistle, built from recordings the children make themselves.
A gesture-controlled game
Their trained model becomes the controller for a Scratch game: wave a hand and the character moves.
A simple chatbot
A bot that answers questions on a topic they choose, and a look at why it sometimes gets things wrong.
What they learn
- What AI is, and what it is not
- How machines learn from examples
- Why good data matters and how bias creeps in
- Spotting when an AI is wrong or unsure
- Keeping personal information private
- Using AI tools honestly, as a helper and not a shortcut
Tools we use
Teachable Machine
A free tool from Google for training image, sound and pose models in a browser, with no coding needed.
Scratch
Children connect their trained models to Scratch projects and build games around them.
Teachable Machine is free and runs in a web browser, so children can keep experimenting at home.
9–12
Years old
Activities are matched to each child's age and experience.
6
Children per group
Small groups, so everyone gets help when they need it.
0
Experience needed
Complete beginners are welcome. We start from the start.
DBS
Checked tutor
Sessions are led by a DBS-checked tutor, with all kit provided.
Questions about AI? Say hello
Write to us at info@robokids.co.uk and we will get back to you.