Why prompting matters

Your child will use AI for the rest of their life. The ones who do well will know how to ask it a good question (that's a prompt) and check what it says. Childhood is the safest place to learn that.

79% of online 13 to 17 year olds and 40% of 7 to 12s already use generative AI. Ofcom, November 2023

Noodle in its bowl, checking two notes with a magnifying glass: a vague question crossed out, and a longer, specific one ticked

Same question, two answers

Asked twice, both to Noodle. The second one says who it's for and why, and the answer changes shape.

Explain volcanoes

Noodle, happy in its bowl

A volcano is an opening in the Earth's crust where melted rock comes out. Do you want to know how they form, or hear about a famous one?

A fine answer. It just doesn't know what the question was for.

Explain volcanoes for my Year 3 project on natural disasters

Noodle cheering in its bowl
Three headings, pitched at Year 3. Every extra word told Noodle something. That is prompting.

Six skills, learned by using it

The six things Noodle teaches, each with a first try and the better version. These are the 10 to 12 year olds' examples; younger and older children get their own.

Crossed out the first try, or what to leave outHighlighted what made it better
  1. Be specific

    It only knows what it's told.

    “Tell me about dogs”

    “Tell me three surprising facts about sausage dogs”

  2. Set the scene

    Say who it's for, and why.

    “Explain volcanoes”

    “Explain volcanoes for my Year 3 project on natural disasters”

  3. Say how you want it

    A list, a poem, 50 words.

    “Tell me about the planets”

    “Tell me about the planets as a list, one sentence each”

  4. One change at a time

    Change one word. See what it did.

    “Write a poem about the sea”

    “Write a funny poem about the sea”

  5. Check it

    It can sound sure and still be wrong.

    “When did the Romans leave Britain?”

    “When did the Romans leave Britain? Where could I check that?”

  6. Keep it private

    No surnames, schools or addresses.

    “I'm Leo Brooks in Year 6 at Hillside Primary. Help me with my homework on rivers”

You see which skills they've tried

Each child's card in the Kitchen lists the prompt skills they've tried. Your child sees the same ticks on their lessons. No scores, no streaks, nothing that nags.

The Kitchen On your phone
Olivia, 8

Prompt skills tried: 4 of 6

Be specificSet the sceneSay how you want itOne change at a time (not tried yet)Check it (not tried yet)Keep it private

How Noodle teaches it, without lessons getting in the way

Tell me about dogs

Noodle resting on the rim of its bowl, waiting

Dogs were tamed from wolves thousands of years ago. Which kind did you have in mind?

Tips in chat, as they go

Ask something vague and Noodle suggests a sharper way to ask it, for your child to try in their own words. Nothing sends it for them.

Short lessons

Six one-minute lessons: a vague prompt, a better one, and a go at fixing a third.

My Noodle

Dress their own Noodle by describing it. Say “a hat” and it lands on the floor. Say what you meant and it goes where you said.

Games for teens

On the Family plan, for 13 to 15s. Prompt Golf hits a target in the fewest words. Catch the AI out hides one made-up fact in five.