If we want kids to use AI wisely tomorrow, we should grow the right foundations today. In early childhood, the brain is rapidly building the networks that will support attention, self-control, language, and flexible thinking for life. The most powerful way to strengthen these pathways is not through screens, but through hands-on, screen-free play that invites curiosity, experimentation, and collaboration.
Why start early?
Research shows that the preschool years are a sensitive period for building executive function, the set of mental skills that includes focus, working memory, and self-control. These abilities are strong predictors of future academic success and adaptability in a changing world.1 Playful, real-world experiences sharpen these skills more effectively than passive screen time. In fact, higher exposure to digital media in preschoolers has been linked to measurable differences in white-matter pathways that support language and self-regulation.2 Starting early, before devices take center stage, helps children develop the attention and flexibility they’ll need when they do eventually engage with technology.
The skill set AI can amplify
Think of early play as the soil where AI literacy takes root. The stronger the soil, the more wisely children will one day use powerful digital tools.
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Curiosity & inquiry. Open-ended exploration helps children generate better questions and deeper learning pathways.3
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Pattern recognition. Simple sequences—like clapping games, bead threading, or block building—develop the early math and logic reasoning that underpins computational thinking.4
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Creativity & storytelling. Pretend play and narrative activities strengthen imagination and flexible thought, both essential for adapting in an AI-shaped world.5
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Collaboration & empathy. Role play, turn-taking, and shared projects help children understand perspectives, laying social foundations that technology can never replace.
What this looks like at home
The good news is that developing these skills does not require expensive equipment or specialized knowledge. Short, simple, screen-free activities make a big difference. Sort toys by shape and color, invent silly “what if” stories at bedtime, build a bridge out of blocks for a favorite figurine, or play guessing games on a walk. Each of these micro-moments flexes memory, logic, empathy, or creativity.
Parents can also encourage curiosity by flipping children’s own questions back to them: “Why do you think the sky is blue?” or “What do you think will happen if we pour water here?” This makes learning feel like a natural conversation, not a test. When children practice predicting, reflecting, and revising their thinking, they’re rehearsing the very processes that make humans effective partners with AI.
The path forward
Children will grow up with AI. Our job is not to shield them, but to prepare them. By starting early with play that grows curiosity, resilience, and flexible thinking, we give them the tools to harness technology thoughtfully and creatively later in life. Start with play. Keep it tactile. Follow their interests. Build the human strengths AI will amplify.
The science
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Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4–12 years old. Science, 333(6045), 959–964. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1204529
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Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., et al. (2020). Associations between screen-based media use and brain white matter integrity in preschool-aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1), e193869. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3869
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Bonawitz, E., Shafto, P., Gweon, H., et al. (2011). The double-edged sword of pedagogy. Cognition, 120(3), 322–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2010.10.001
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Rittle-Johnson, B., Fyfe, E. R., Loehr, A. M., & Miller, M. R. (2015). Beyond numeracy in preschool. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 31, 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2015.01.005
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Russ, S. W., & Wallace, C. E. (2013). Pretend play and creative processes. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 136–148.