Last summer, while hanging out with some of my son’s friends’ parents, the topic of ChatGPT came up. One of the dads casually mentioned that he uses ChatGPT every night to create and recite bedtime stories for his kids. As soon as he said that, my mind started racing with all the other ways ChatGPT could be fun and useful with kids. From interactive games to planning family adventures, I realized there were SO many creative activities to explore. So, I sat down and came up with this epic list of activities for kids at home (if I do say so, myself!) to add some extra fun (and learning!) into your family routine!
We’ve tried all of these activities for kids at home, and my kids enjoy every single one of them. Whether it’s storytelling, learning games, or planning fam outings, ChatGPT has become a favorite tool in our house!
PSA about ChatGPT!!!
Before we dive in deeper, just a quick PSA — while I LOVE using ChatGPT for fun ideas, creativity boosts, and family activities, I would never fully trust it to fact-check critical information, make serious parenting decisions, or replace real educational guidance from teachers or professionals. I always recommend reviewing anything it generates to make sure it feels right for your family. It’s an amazing tool, but think of it like your personal, helpful assistant — not the final authority! ;)
Storytelling and Creativity
1. Create Personalized Stories
ChatGPT is a storytelling powerhouse! My kids love hearing stories where they’re the main characters. Last week, I asked ChatGPT to craft a story about Demi going on a magical adventure with a talking unicorn. The kids were hooked and even acted out parts of the story, which my mama heart thoroughly enjoyed haha!
Prompt to try: “Create a fun, magical adventure story starring [child’s name] where they meet a talking [animal] and explore a hidden [magical place]. Keep the story under 500 words and make it exciting but easy to understand for a [child’s age]-year-old.”
2. Get Creative with Writing Prompts
If your kids enjoy writing, ChatGPT can generate fun prompts to get their creative juices flowing. I’ll never forget when ChatGPT suggested Levi write about discovering a hidden treasure map in our backyard. I LOVED reading his final story!!
Prompt to try: “Give me three imaginative writing prompts for a [child’s age]-year-old who loves [topic, e.g., dinosaurs, superheroes, space]. Make the prompts open-ended but simple enough for young writers.”
3. Practice Phonics with Custom Stories
My kids are learning different phonics rules at school, so we started asking ChatGPT to write short, silly stories using the exact sounds or patterns they’re working on — like words with “th,” “sh,” or “silent e.” They LOVE hearing their names pop up in the stories!
Prompt to try: “Write a silly story under 300 words using as many [phonics rule, e.g., “silent e”] words as possible. Include [child’s name] as the main character and make the story about a silly adventure in a [location, e.g., jungle, castle, farm].”
4. Calming Bedtime Routines
Bedtime can be a bit chaotic, but ChatGPT helps us wind down. Sometimes, I like to use it for calming bedtime stories or even simple breathing exercises. The other night, ChatGPT guided us through a short, relaxing story about a sleepy fox on a quiet adventure. I’m telling you, it made bedtime MUCH smoother!
Prompt to try: “Create a short, calming bedtime story featuring [child’s name] and a gentle [animal, like a fox or owl]. Keep it soothing, focused on winding down, and about 3 minutes long to help with relaxation.”
5. Make Custom Coloring Pages
Prompt to try: “Show me a black-and-white coloring page with a [insert subject: unicorn, monster truck, butterfly garden, etc.] designed for a [child’s age]-year-old. Keep it simple or detailed depending on the age.”
Learning Games and School Support
6. Play Interactive Learning Games
Turn learning into a game! We use ChatGPT for math challenges and spelling bees. My son Brody, who’s in fourth grade, enjoys racing ChatGPT to solve math problems. It’s a fun way to reinforce what he’s learning in school that he can do on his own! Activities for kids at home like this are perfect for rainy days or after-school downtime.
Prompt to try: “Create a 20-question math race game with addition and subtraction problems appropriate for a [child’s age]-year-old. Include a fun timer element and reward suggestions if they beat their time.”
7. Master Math Facts the Fun Way
Learning math facts can feel repetitive, but ChatGPT makes it WAY more fun! I love asking ChatGPT to create custom math games or quick quizzes based on what my kids are learning in school.
Prompt to try: “Generate a timed multiplication challenge with 30 problems (single and double digits) for a [child’s grade]-grader. Make it space-themed and include a final “blast-off” bonus question if they finish under 2 minutes.”
8. Ace Spelling and Vocabulary Practice
Whenever a spelling test is coming up, we turn to ChatGPT for some creative practice. We’ll ask for sentences that use each spelling word, or even a mini story that includes all of them!
Prompt to try: “Write a silly story using all of the following spelling words: [insert list of spelling words]. Keep the story under 200 words and make it funny for a [child’s age]-year-old.”
9. Learn Fun Facts Daily
Starting the day with a fun fact is a great way to get the kids excited about learning. When we remember, we ask ChatGPT for a cool fact each morning. It’s one of the easiest activities for kids at home that also sneaks in a little education!
Prompt to try: “Share one fun and surprising science or nature fact that would wow a [child’s age]-year-old. Keep it short and easy to explain during breakfast!”
10. Practice a New Language
You already know we are big fans of the au pair program, and our family has had numerous au pairs over the years. Our most recent au pair speaks Spanish. Before she arrived, we used ChatGPT to help us learn a few welcoming Spanish greetings!
Prompt to try: “Teach me and my [child’s age]-year-old five basic Spanish phrases for meeting someone new. Please include how to pronounce them slowly.”
Family Fun and Adventures
11. Explore Science Experiments
ChatGPT has a ton of great easy science experiment ideas. One rainy afternoon, we used it to come up with a simple experiment to make a volcano erupt using baking soda and vinegar. The kids were AMAZED by the “lava!”
Prompt to try: “Suggest a super simple science experiment for indoors using common kitchen items. Make it exciting but safe for kids ages [insert ages].”
12. Get Art Inspiration
When the kids want to get crafty, ChatGPT can suggest fun art projects. This past fall, we did a nature-themed art activity where ChatGPT suggested making collages from leaves and flowers we found on a walk. I love that activities for kids at home like this get them outside, moving, and creating.
Prompt to try: “Suggest an outdoor-themed art project for young kids involving nature items like leaves, flowers, or sticks. Give step-by-step instructions.”
13. Plan Family Adventures
ChatGPT can help brainstorm ideas for family outings. For example, when we were planning our family road trip to Erie last summer, I used it to come up with activities for us to play in the car with the kids as well as wonderful touristy places to go that made sense for our 3 kid family dynamic.
Prompt to try: “Give me five family-friendly activities to do in [city or area] with kids aged [insert ages]. Include both indoor and outdoor options!”
14. Create Recipes with Ingredients You Already Have
One of our favorite things to do is tell ChatGPT a few ingredients we have on hand and ask for an easy family recipe idea. The first time we did this, we had some leftover chicken, bell peppers, and rice. ChatGPT suggested a quick stir-fry recipe that, no joke, everyone loved!
Prompt to try: “Suggest a quick, gluten-free dinner recipe I can make using [list of ingredients]. Keep it kid-approved and ready in under 20 minutes.”
Ready to Make ChatGPT Part of Your Family Fun, Yet?!
Just saying, but ChatGPT has become an amazing tool for adding a little extra fun to our daily routine! Whether we’re crafting stories, solving problems, or using it to help us plan memorable trips, it’s a great way to keep the kids engaged and excited.
If you’re looking for creative activities for kids at home, I hope this list gives you tons of inspiration! Give these ideas a try and let me know which ones your kids loved the most! I’d absolutely LOVE to hear what creative ways you’ve been using ChatGPT with your family, too!!
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