Which AI tutor should I try first for my elementary schooler?

For math, Khanmigo (about $4 a month, built on free Khan Academy) and Synthesis Tutor (pricier, made for ages 5 to 11) are the best-known family options; for reading, Ello and Google's free Read Along listen as a child reads aloud. None has strong independent proof yet, so try a free tier and watch whether your child actually sticks with it.

Do AI tutors like Khanmigo actually help kids learn?

Early independent evidence is mixed. A randomized trial in Tennessee middle schools found struggling students mostly stopped using Khanmigo once it refused to hand over answers, and gains matched plain Khan Academy; a WhatsApp math tutor in Ghana showed larger gains in a study by researchers tied to its makers. Neither result is final, and both papers were not yet peer reviewed.

What are ChatGPT study mode, Gemini Guided Learning and Claude's Learning mode?

They are settings in general chatbots that ask questions, give hints and quiz you instead of just answering. They mostly work by giving the same model different instructions, so a student can switch them off, and age rules differ: ChatGPT is for 13 and up, Claude's consumer app for adults, and Gemini offers teen and supervised child accounts.

Are homework apps like Photomath, Gauth and Brainly cheating?

They can be used to check work or to copy answers, and that choice matters. A working paper on millions of ALEKS math records found students did worse on word problems, the kind easiest to paste into a chatbot, after ChatGPT arrived; asking kids to explain each step back to you is a simple guard.

Can an app that listens to my child read aloud really help?

Read-aloud tutors like Amira, Ello, Read Along and Microsoft Reading Coach grow out of decades of speech-recognition reading research, and Amira claims results close to a human tutor. Most outcome claims come from the companies themselves; an independent Boston University trial of Amira was still under way when we checked.

Are AI bedtime-story apps good for my child?

Apps like Oscar Stories, Bedtimestory.ai and Childbook.ai make personalized, illustrated stories and can be fun keepsakes. They usually do not level text for beginning readers or explain their safety filters in detail, so read the story together first and treat them as a treat, not a reading program.

Should I buy an AI talking toy or robot?

Be cautious. Moxie stopped working when its maker shut down in 2024, a FoloToy teddy bear was pulled in 2025 after testers got it to discuss unsafe topics, and big toy makers like Mattel are now partnering with AI companies. Check what the toy records, whether you can read its chats, and what happens if the company closes.

Is there a kid-safe chatbot?

A few products filter answers and let parents read chats, such as PinwheelAsk and Khanmigo, and Kidgeni offers a grown-up-managed creative studio. Filters reduce risk but are not perfect, so independent ratings like Common Sense Media's AI risk assessments are worth checking first.

What AI tools might my child's teacher be using?

Common ones are MagicSchool, SchoolAI, Brisk, Diffit, Curipod and Flint, which help plan lessons, re-level readings, give writing feedback or run supervised student chats. Research suggests AI feedback can shift with a student's described background and that heavy reliance on AI lesson planning may make classes duller, so it is fair to ask how teachers check the output.

What is Alpha School and the two-hour learning model?

Alpha School is a private network where kids finish core academics in about two hours a morning with adaptive software and AI tutors, then spend afternoons on projects with adult guides; the 2 Hour Learning program licenses the model. Its claims of learning twice as fast come from its own data, and independent evaluations were not available when we checked.

How can my kids learn how AI works, not just use it?

Free hands-on tools let kids train their own small models and see that AI learns from examples: Teachable Machine, Machine Learning for Kids, MIT's RAISE Playground and Day of AI lessons, and Code.org's AI activities. Most take minutes to start and need no coding.

How do I check an AI learning app's privacy and evidence before signing up?

Look for an independent privacy rating, such as Common Sense's Privacy Program, and badges like Digital Promise's Responsibly Designed AI certification, and ask the company for outside studies. An EdReports review found only one of ten edtech providers could show third-party evidence that its AI features improved learning.

Are there good AI apps for learning English or another language?

Buddy.ai is a voice tutor for English as a second language aimed at ages 3 to 7, Speak focuses on spoken conversation for older learners, and Duolingo adds AI role-play in its paid tier. Speaking practice with feedback is the main thing these add over flashcards; independent outcome research is limited.

Are AI talking toys safe for young children?

Independent testing in 2025-2026 found real problems: PIRG got some chatbot toys to discuss sex and dangerous objects, and Common Sense found about a quarter of AI toy responses unsuitable for kids. Common Sense advises against AI toys for ages 5 and under and urges caution up to 12.

What does the research say about how little kids actually play with AI toys?

Evidence is thin and early. A March 2026 Cambridge study of under-fives with the Gabbo plush found the toy often misunderstood children and responded poorly to emotions, though educators saw some promise for language practice; it is a report, not a large trial.

What happens to my child's voice recordings and chats from a smart toy or speaker?

They usually go to the company's cloud and sometimes to an outside AI provider. Amazon paid $25 million in 2023 for keeping kids' Alexa recordings too long, and in 2026 Bondu's parent console exposed about 50,000 children's chat logs, so ask how data is stored, who can see it and how to delete it.

Is a robot like Miko worth the money?

Kids often enjoy Miko, but reviewers note much of the content sits behind the Miko Max subscription and the robot feels like a small tablet on wheels. It needs Wi-Fi, has a camera and microphone, and was among the toys that testers got to give unsafe answers.

What happens if the company behind my child's robot goes out of business?

Cloud-dependent robots can stop working. Moxie, a $799 companion robot, went dark when Embodied closed in December 2024 with no refunds; volunteers later revived some units. Prefer toys with offline modes, like Eilik, or ask the maker what happens at end of life.

What is a good first coding robot for a preschooler or kindergartner?

Screen-free robots that kids program with buttons, tiles or blocks suit ages 3 to 6 well and collect no data. Common picks include Bee-Bot, Cubetto, Botley, KIBO and Sphero indi.

Which coding robots work for kids ages 8 to 14?

Robots that grow from blocks to real text code tend to last longest, such as Sphero BOLT+, Makeblock mBot2 and kits built on the $15-30 micro:bit. None of these needs a chatbot or subscription.

How can my child learn how AI works with hands-on gadgets rather than just chatting with it?

Several low-cost tools let kids train their own small models: micro:bit CreateAI uses motion data, LEGO's Computer Science & AI kits teach classification in school, and teens can run on-device vision with the Raspberry Pi AI Camera.

Should I still buy LEGO SPIKE for my child's robotics club?

LEGO stopped selling SPIKE Prime and Essential on June 30, 2026. The app is supported until 2031 and FIRST LEGO League allows SPIKE through the 2027-28 season, so used kits still work, but new buyers may look at LEGO's Computer Science & AI line.

Is an Echo Dot Kids or Google Nest safe for a child's room?

Both offer kid profiles, content filters and time limits, but they listen for a wake word and send requests to the cloud. Set up the Parent Dashboard or Family Link, review voice history, and consider keeping the device in a shared room.

What is a safer first phone or watch for a child?

Kid phones like Gabb, Pinwheel, Troomi and Bark Phone limit apps and the open web, and GPS watches like Gizmo, TickTalk or Apple Watch for kids allow calls and location without a full smartphone. Compare the total monthly cost, since plans add up.

Are there good screen-free gadgets without AI or chatbots?

Yes. Audio players like Yoto and Toniebox play stories from cards or figurines without a chatbot, and robots like Eilik and Cubetto work offline. Many parents choose these to avoid always-on microphones.

Is Mattel making AI toys with OpenAI?

Mattel and OpenAI announced a partnership in June 2025, but in December 2025 Mattel said no product would come that holiday season, amid pressure from advocates and U.S. senators. Reports said future products may aim at older kids and families.

What questions should I ask before buying any connected or AI toy?

Ask whether it works offline, what it records, which AI company processes the audio, whether you can read and delete transcripts, what the subscription costs, and what happens if the company shuts down. Look for independent tests and certifications, which are still rare for AI toys.

Did consumer groups warn about talking toys before AI chatbots?

Yes. In 2016 the Norwegian Consumer Council found strangers could talk through the My Friend Cayla doll, prompting European complaints and a German ban, and Mozilla's *Privacy Not Included guide rated connected toys and speakers for years before it was wound down in 2026.

The Big Index

AI learning tools: the whole market

AI tutors, reading coaches, story makers and companions for kids, Peabody's neighbors and rivals alike.

221 entries
99 free
24 must-reads ★

Questions parents ask

Which AI tutor should I try first for my elementary schooler?
For math, Khanmigo (about $4 a month, built on free Khan Academy) and Synthesis Tutor (pricier, made for ages 5 to 11) are the best-known family options; for reading, Ello and Google's free Read Along listen as a child reads aloud. None has strong independent proof yet, so try a free tier and watch whether your child actually sticks with it.
- Khanmigo for families (Khan Academy)
- Synthesis Tutor (Synthesis)
- Ello (Ello)
- Read Along by Google (Google)
- Khanmigo vs Synthesis Tutor (side-by-side comparison) (HomeschoolFox)
More in AI learning tools: the whole market
Do AI tutors like Khanmigo actually help kids learn?
Early independent evidence is mixed. A randomized trial in Tennessee middle schools found struggling students mostly stopped using Khanmigo once it refused to hand over answers, and gains matched plain Khan Academy; a WhatsApp math tutor in Ghana showed larger gains in a study by researchers tied to its makers. Neither result is final, and both papers were not yet peer reviewed.
- Students didn't get answers from Khanmigo. They didn't want its questions, either (Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report)
- Effective and Scalable Math Support: Evidence on the Impact of an AI-Tutor on Math Achievement in Ghana (Henkel et al., Rising Academies)
- Study: Edtech Is Rushing AI Integration Before Proving It Works (Ira Apfel, EdSurge)
More in AI learning tools: the whole market
What are ChatGPT study mode, Gemini Guided Learning and Claude's Learning mode?
They are settings in general chatbots that ask questions, give hints and quiz you instead of just answering. They mostly work by giving the same model different instructions, so a student can switch them off, and age rules differ: ChatGPT is for 13 and up, Claude's consumer app for adults, and Gemini offers teen and supervised child accounts.
- Introducing study mode (OpenAI)
- Guided Learning in Gemini: From answers to understanding (Google)
- Introducing Claude for Education (Anthropic)
- Study and Learn: AI built for your student (Microsoft Education)
More in AI learning tools: the whole market
Are homework apps like Photomath, Gauth and Brainly cheating?
They can be used to check work or to copy answers, and that choice matters. A working paper on millions of ALEKS math records found students did worse on word problems, the kind easiest to paste into a chatbot, after ChatGPT arrived; asking kids to explain each step back to you is a simple guard.
- Faster solutions, lower test scores: How AI is eroding math skills (Jill Barshay, Hechinger Report)
- Photomath (Photomath (Google))
- Gauth (Gauth (ByteDance))
- Brainly (Brainly)
More in AI learning tools: the whole market
Can an app that listens to my child read aloud really help?
Read-aloud tutors like Amira, Ello, Read Along and Microsoft Reading Coach grow out of decades of speech-recognition reading research, and Amira claims results close to a human tutor. Most outcome claims come from the companies themselves; an independent Boston University trial of Amira was still under way when we checked.
- Amira Learning (Amira Learning)
- Amira Learning research evidence base (HMH)
- Study of AI and Human Tutoring for Early Reading Development (Boston University)
- Microsoft Reading Coach (Microsoft)
Are AI bedtime-story apps good for my child?
Apps like Oscar Stories, Bedtimestory.ai and Childbook.ai make personalized, illustrated stories and can be fun keepsakes. They usually do not level text for beginning readers or explain their safety filters in detail, so read the story together first and treat them as a treat, not a reading program.
- Oscar Stories (Oscar Stories)
- Bedtimestory.ai (Bedtimestory.ai)
- Childbook.ai (Childbook.ai)
- Story Spark (Story Spark)
Should I buy an AI talking toy or robot?
Be cautious. Moxie stopped working when its maker shut down in 2024, a FoloToy teddy bear was pulled in 2025 after testers got it to discuss unsafe topics, and big toy makers like Mattel are now partnering with AI companies. Check what the toy records, whether you can read its chats, and what happens if the company closes.
- Moxie Robots (Moxie Robots)
- FoloToy (FoloToy)
- Mattel and OpenAI Announce Strategic Collaboration (Mattel)
- Curio AI plush toys (Grem, Gabbo, Lingo and friends) (Curio Interactive)
- Don't let AI raise your kids (Jackie Mader, The Hechinger Report)
Is there a kid-safe chatbot?
A few products filter answers and let parents read chats, such as PinwheelAsk and Khanmigo, and Kidgeni offers a grown-up-managed creative studio. Filters reduce risk but are not perfect, so independent ratings like Common Sense Media's AI risk assessments are worth checking first.
- PinwheelAsk (formerly PinwheelGPT) (Pinwheel)
- Khanmigo for families (Khan Academy)
- Kidgeni (Kidgeni)
- Common Sense Media AI Risk Assessments (Common Sense Media)
What AI tools might my child's teacher be using?
Common ones are MagicSchool, SchoolAI, Brisk, Diffit, Curipod and Flint, which help plan lessons, re-level readings, give writing feedback or run supervised student chats. Research suggests AI feedback can shift with a student's described background and that heavy reliance on AI lesson planning may make classes duller, so it is fair to ask how teachers check the output.
- MagicSchool (MagicSchool)
- SchoolAI (SchoolAI)
- Brisk Teaching (Brisk)
- AI gives more praise, less criticism to Black students (Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report)
- Teachers save time with AI. Their students may pay the price (Jill Barshay, Hechinger Report)
What is Alpha School and the two-hour learning model?
Alpha School is a private network where kids finish core academics in about two hours a morning with adaptive software and AI tutors, then spend afternoons on projects with adult guides; the 2 Hour Learning program licenses the model. Its claims of learning twice as fast come from its own data, and independent evaluations were not available when we checked.
- Alpha School (Alpha School)
- 2 Hour Learning (2 Hour Learning)
How can my kids learn how AI works, not just use it?
Free hands-on tools let kids train their own small models and see that AI learns from examples: Teachable Machine, Machine Learning for Kids, MIT's RAISE Playground and Day of AI lessons, and Code.org's AI activities. Most take minutes to start and need no coding.
- Teachable Machine (Google)
- Machine Learning for Kids (Dale Lane (IBM))
- RAISE Playground (MIT RAISE and MIT Media Lab)
- Day of AI (MIT RAISE)
- Code.org AI curriculum and tools (Code.org (CodeAI))
How do I check an AI learning app's privacy and evidence before signing up?
Look for an independent privacy rating, such as Common Sense's Privacy Program, and badges like Digital Promise's Responsibly Designed AI certification, and ask the company for outside studies. An EdReports review found only one of ten edtech providers could show third-party evidence that its AI features improved learning.
- Common Sense Privacy Program (Common Sense Media)
- Digital Promise Product Certifications (Digital Promise)
- Study: Edtech Is Rushing AI Integration Before Proving It Works (Ira Apfel, EdSurge)
- Common Sense Media AI Risk Assessments (Common Sense Media)
Are there good AI apps for learning English or another language?
Buddy.ai is a voice tutor for English as a second language aimed at ages 3 to 7, Speak focuses on spoken conversation for older learners, and Duolingo adds AI role-play in its paid tier. Speaking practice with feedback is the main thing these add over flashcards; independent outcome research is limited.
- Buddy.ai (Buddy.ai)
- Speak (Speak)
- Duolingo (Duolingo)
- Buddy.ai is using AI and gaming to help children learn English as a second language (TechCrunch)
Are AI talking toys safe for young children?
Independent testing in 2025-2026 found real problems: PIRG got some chatbot toys to discuss sex and dangerous objects, and Common Sense found about a quarter of AI toy responses unsuitable for kids. Common Sense advises against AI toys for ages 5 and under and urges caution up to 12.
- Trouble in Toyland 2025: A.I. bots and toxics present hidden dangers (U.S. PIRG Education Fund)
- AI Toys Risk Assessment (Common Sense Media)
- AI Toys Unsafe for Kids this Holiday Season, Advisory Warns (Fairplay)
What does the research say about how little kids actually play with AI toys?
Evidence is thin and early. A March 2026 Cambridge study of under-fives with the Gabbo plush found the toy often misunderstood children and responded poorly to emotions, though educators saw some promise for language practice; it is a report, not a large trial.
- New research calls for AI toy safety standards to protect young children (Gibson and Goodacre, University of Cambridge)
- Gabbo (Curio Interactive)
What happens to my child's voice recordings and chats from a smart toy or speaker?
They usually go to the company's cloud and sometimes to an outside AI provider. Amazon paid $25 million in 2023 for keeping kids' Alexa recordings too long, and in 2026 Bondu's parent console exposed about 50,000 children's chat logs, so ask how data is stored, who can see it and how to delete it.
- Amazon agrees to $25 million penalty over children's Alexa data (U.S. Department of Justice)
- An AI plush toy exposed thousands of private chats with children (Malwarebytes)
- Are AI toys safe? A major breach raises concerns (Proton)
Is a robot like Miko worth the money?
Kids often enjoy Miko, but reviewers note much of the content sits behind the Miko Max subscription and the robot feels like a small tablet on wheels. It needs Wi-Fi, has a camera and microphone, and was among the toys that testers got to give unsafe answers.
- Miko 3 (Miko)
- Miko Max (subscription) (Miko)
- Miko 3 review: a small tablet dressed as a robot (The Gadgeteer)
- AI Toys Risk Assessment (Common Sense Media)
What happens if the company behind my child's robot goes out of business?
Cloud-dependent robots can stop working. Moxie, a $799 companion robot, went dark when Embodied closed in December 2024 with no refunds; volunteers later revived some units. Prefer toys with offline modes, like Eilik, or ask the maker what happens at end of life.
- Moxie robot maker abruptly shuts down (Axios)
- What happens when robots die? The case for end-of-life standards (Six Degrees of Robotics)
- Vector 2.0 (Digital Dream Labs (Anki))
- Eilik (Energize Lab)
What is a good first coding robot for a preschooler or kindergartner?
Screen-free robots that kids program with buttons, tiles or blocks suit ages 3 to 6 well and collect no data. Common picks include Bee-Bot, Cubetto, Botley, KIBO and Sphero indi.
- Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot (TTS)
- Cubetto (Primo Toys)
- Botley the Coding Robot (Learning Resources)
- Sphero indi (Sphero)
- KIBO (KinderLab Robotics)
Which coding robots work for kids ages 8 to 14?
Robots that grow from blocks to real text code tend to last longest, such as Sphero BOLT+, Makeblock mBot2 and kits built on the $15-30 micro:bit. None of these needs a chatbot or subscription.
- Sphero BOLT+ (Sphero)
- Makeblock mBot2 (Makeblock)
- micro:bit (Micro:bit Educational Foundation)
- Best coding and STEM toys for kids (Tech Advisor)
How can my child learn how AI works with hands-on gadgets rather than just chatting with it?
Several low-cost tools let kids train their own small models: micro:bit CreateAI uses motion data, LEGO's Computer Science & AI kits teach classification in school, and teens can run on-device vision with the Raspberry Pi AI Camera.
- micro:bit CreateAI (Micro:bit Educational Foundation)
- LEGO Education Computer Science & AI (LEGO Education)
- Raspberry Pi AI Camera (Raspberry Pi)
- Raspberry Pi Foundation (Raspberry Pi Foundation)
Should I still buy LEGO SPIKE for my child's robotics club?
LEGO stopped selling SPIKE Prime and Essential on June 30, 2026. The app is supported until 2031 and FIRST LEGO League allows SPIKE through the 2027-28 season, so used kits still work, but new buyers may look at LEGO's Computer Science & AI line.
- SPIKE Portfolio Retirement: What Users Need to Know (LEGO Education)
- LEGO Education Computer Science & AI (LEGO Education)
- FIRST (FIRST)
Is an Echo Dot Kids or Google Nest safe for a child's room?
Both offer kid profiles, content filters and time limits, but they listen for a wake word and send requests to the cloud. Set up the Parent Dashboard or Family Link, review voice history, and consider keeping the device in a shared room.
- Echo Dot Kids (Amazon)
- Amazon Parent Dashboard (Amazon)
- Set up Google Nest or Home speakers or displays for your child (Google)
- Family Link (Google)
What is a safer first phone or watch for a child?
Kid phones like Gabb, Pinwheel, Troomi and Bark Phone limit apps and the open web, and GPS watches like Gizmo, TickTalk or Apple Watch for kids allow calls and location without a full smartphone. Compare the total monthly cost, since plans add up.
- Best phones for kids: Gabb, Pinwheel and Troomi compared (Defend Young Minds)
- Bark Phone review: plans, controls and real monthly costs (Impulsec)
- Set up Apple Watch for a family member (Apple)
- Verizon launches Gizmo Watch 4 for kids (Verizon)
Are there good screen-free gadgets without AI or chatbots?
Yes. Audio players like Yoto and Toniebox play stories from cards or figurines without a chatbot, and robots like Eilik and Cubetto work offline. Many parents choose these to avoid always-on microphones.
- Yoto Player (4th Gen) (Yoto)
- Toniebox (tonies)
- Yoto vs. Toniebox: here's how they compare (SheKnows)
- Eilik (Energize Lab)
Is Mattel making AI toys with OpenAI?
Mattel and OpenAI announced a partnership in June 2025, but in December 2025 Mattel said no product would come that holiday season, amid pressure from advocates and U.S. senators. Reports said future products may aim at older kids and families.
- Mattel and OpenAI team up on AI toys (TechCrunch)
- Scoop: Mattel's collaboration with OpenAI won't emerge this year (Axios)
- Mattel, OpenAI delay AI product launch as senators demand transparency (U.S. PIRG)
What questions should I ask before buying any connected or AI toy?
Ask whether it works offline, what it records, which AI company processes the audio, whether you can read and delete transcripts, what the subscription costs, and what happens if the company shuts down. Look for independent tests and certifications, which are still rare for AI toys.
- Are AI toys safe? A major breach raises concerns (Proton)
- Half of children have AI toys despite safety concerns (BSI)
- kidSAFE Seal Program (kidSAFE)
- Connected Toys (Consumers International)
Did consumer groups warn about talking toys before AI chatbots?
Yes. In 2016 the Norwegian Consumer Council found strangers could talk through the My Friend Cayla doll, prompting European complaints and a German ban, and Mozilla's *Privacy Not Included guide rated connected toys and speakers for years before it was wound down in 2026.
- #Toyfail: an analysis of consumer and privacy issues in three internet-connected toys (Norwegian Consumer Council)
- #Toyfail: When toys fail children (BEUC)
- 46 gadgets slapped with *Privacy Not Included warning labels (Mozilla Foundation)

Must-reads

ArticleFree
Students didn't get answers from Khanmigo. They didn't want its questions, either
Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report, 2026
Reports a University of Toronto randomized trial in 18 Tennessee middle schools: struggling students tried Khanmigo, found it would not give answers, and mostly stopped using it. Gains matched Khan Academy without AI. Based on a draft NBER paper, not yet peer reviewed.
hechingerreport.org
ArticleFree
Guided Learning in Gemini: From answers to understanding
Google, 2025
Google's August 2025 announcement of Guided Learning, a Gemini mode that breaks problems into steps, asks open questions and adds diagrams, videos and quizzes. It runs on LearnLM, Google's models tuned with learning research. Teachers can share it through Google Classroom.
blog.google
ReportFree
AI Toys Risk Assessment
Common Sense Media, 2026
Common Sense tested Grem, Bondu and Miko 3 in January 2026 and rated AI toys an unacceptable risk: 27% of responses were inappropriate for kids. It advises against AI toys for ages 5 and under and urges caution from 6 to 12.
institute.commonsensemedia.org
ToolFree
Machine Learning for Kids
Dale Lane (IBM), 2017
A free site where kids train their own simple AI models with examples of text, pictures or sounds, then use them in Scratch projects. A hands-on way to see that AI learns from data, and that bad examples make bad guesses. Many free classroom worksheets.
machinelearningforkids.co.uk
ToolSome free
Amira Learning
Amira Learning, 2018
An AI reading tutor and screener used by schools, in English and Spanish. It listens to a child read aloud, gives feedback in the moment, and flags reading trouble. Sold to districts, not families. Says it keeps no voiceprints and no audio by default.
amiralearning.com
AppFree + paid
Ello
Ello, 2020
An AI reading coach for ages 5 to 9: a cartoon elephant listens as a child reads aloud, catches slips and teaches phonics with decodable books. Now adds math. Daily lessons free, with a paid upgrade. Its success figures are the company's own.
ello.com
AppPaid
Khanmigo for families
Khan Academy, 2023
Khan Academy's AI tutor, built on its free lessons. It is designed to nudge kids toward answers with hints and questions rather than hand them over. Parents can read chat history and get flagged-content alerts. US only, about $4 a month.
khanmigo.ai
ArticleFree + paid
Introducing study mode
OpenAI, 2025
OpenAI's July 2025 launch of study mode in ChatGPT. Instead of answering outright, it asks questions, gives hints and quizzes the learner. It is a set of instructions on the normal model, open to free users. ChatGPT requires users to be 13 or older.
openai.com
AppFree
Read Along by Google
Google, 2019
Google's free reading app for kids 5 and up. A helper named Diya listens as the child reads aloud and steps in when they get stuck. Speech is processed on the device, there are no ads, and it works offline. Started in India as Bolo.
readalong.google.com
ToolPaid
Curio AI plush toys (Grem, Gabbo, Lingo and friends)
Curio Interactive, 2023
Wi-Fi plush toys with a removable voice box that chat with kids using large language models; the original line included Grok, voiced by Grimes. About $119-150 each, no camera. Testers found Grem fairly cautious, but Common Sense rated AI toys like it unacceptable.
heycurio.com
OrganizationPaid
Alpha School
Alpha School, 2014
A private school network that does core academics in about two hours each morning with adaptive software and AI tutors, then spends afternoons on projects and life skills led by adult guides. Campuses in many states; high tuition. Its results come from the school itself.
alpha.school
AppFree + paid
PinwheelAsk (formerly PinwheelGPT)
Pinwheel, 2023
A filtered AI chatbot for kids and teens from Pinwheel, the kids' phone maker. Answers are screened for age, and parents can read every chat from their own app. Free for 20 chats a month, then about $6 a month.
pinwheel.com
ArticleFree
Study: Edtech Is Rushing AI Integration Before Proving It Works
Ira Apfel, EdSurge, 2026
EdSurge on an EdReports review of 10 K-12 curriculum and edtech companies: only one could show outside evidence that its AI features improved learning, and silent AI updates make quality hard to check. A good reminder to ask vendors for proof.
edsurge.com
ReviewFree
Common Sense Media AI Risk Assessments
Common Sense Media, 2024
Common Sense Media's independent ratings of AI products, from ChatGPT and Gemini to AI companions and teacher assistants, each scored for risk to kids with plain explanations. The closest thing to a consumer guide for kids' AI.
commonsensemedia.org
ToolPaid
Miko 3
Miko, 2021
A rolling robot with a face screen and camera that chats, plays games and runs learning apps for ages 5 to 10. Lists at $299. Many apps sit behind the Miko Max subscription, it needs Wi-Fi, and testers got it to give unsafe answers.
miko.ai
ArticleFree
Moxie robot maker abruptly shuts down
Axios, 2024
The cautionary tale: Embodied's $799 Moxie, sold as a social-emotional coach for ages 5 to 10, stopped working when the company folded in December 2024, with no refunds. Volunteers built OpenMoxie to revive units; a 2025 relaunch under new owners also faltered.
axios.com
ToolPaid
Sphero BOLT+
Sphero, 2023
A clear ball robot with a light matrix, screen and sensors that kids drive and program with drawing, blocks, then JavaScript or Python. $199. A reviewers' favorite for ages 8 and up. Needs a tablet or computer; no chatbot.
sphero.com
ToolPaid
LEGO Education Computer Science & AI
LEGO Education, 2026
LEGO's new classroom line (K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 kits, from about $340 per group kit) teaching coding and AI basics such as how computers classify data. No student logins and work saved locally. Sold to schools, built for groups of four.
education.lego.com
OrganizationSome free
micro:bit
Micro:bit Educational Foundation, 2016
A credit-card-sized programmable computer (about $15-30) with lights, buttons, sensors and a speaker, coded free in a browser. Nonprofit, used in schools in 60+ countries, and the base for many robot kits. One of the best-value tech gifts for ages 8 and up.
microbit.org
ReportFree
Trouble in Toyland 2025: A.I. bots and toxics present hidden dangers
U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 2025
PIRG's 40th annual toy safety report tested four AI chatbot toys. Some discussed sex and where to find knives or matches, pushed kids to keep playing and had weak parental controls; all collect voice data. The report that started 2025's AI toy debate.
pirg.org
GuideFree
AI Toys Unsafe for Kids this Holiday Season, Advisory Warns
Fairplay, 2025
A November 2025 advisory signed by about 80 experts and 80 groups urging parents not to buy AI toys, naming Miko, Gabbo, Smart Teddy, FoloToy, Roybi and Loona. Lists five reasons, including displacing creative play. Advocacy, firmly against.
fairplayforkids.org
StudyFree
New research calls for AI toy safety standards to protect young children
Gibson and Goodacre, University of Cambridge, 2026
Cambridge's PEDAL Centre watched under-fives play with the Gabbo AI plush (March 2026). Toys misunderstood children and handled emotions poorly, though educators saw some promise for language. Recommends parents play alongside. A report, not peer-reviewed.
christs.cam.ac.uk
ReportFree
Half of children have AI toys despite safety concerns
BSI, 2026
A May 2026 survey of 1,000 UK parents by the British standards body: half of kids already have an AI toy or learning device, over half of parents allow unsupervised use, and 91% want a safety mark. BSI sells standards, so note its interest.
bsigroup.com
ArticleFree
An AI plush toy exposed thousands of private chats with children
Malwarebytes, 2026
How security researchers found Bondu's parent console open to anyone with a Google account, exposing about 50,000 chat logs plus names and birthdates. Bondu fixed it in minutes. A concrete reason to ask how a toy stores transcripts.
malwarebytes.com

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Reviews, ratings and reporting

★Students didn't get answers from Khanmigo. They didn't want its questions, eitherJill Barshay, The Hechinger Report · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 8–12Reports a University of Toronto randomized trial in 18 Tennessee middle schools: struggling students tried Khanmigo, found it would not give answers, and mostly stopped using it. Gains matched Khan Academy without AI. Based on a draft NBER paper, not yet peer reviewed.
Khanmigo vs Synthesis Tutor (side-by-side comparison)HomeschoolFox · Review · Free · Ages 5–8A homeschool review site's side-by-side look at the two best-known AI math tutors for families: ages, price, how each teaches, and who each fits. A third-party comparison, useful for a quick read before trying either.
Duolingo efficacy researchDuolingo · Report · FreeDuolingo's own page collecting the studies it cites to show its courses work. Worth reading as the company's case for itself; most of the research is commissioned or run by Duolingo, so weigh it as vendor evidence.
AI gives more praise, less criticism to Black studentsJill Barshay, The Hechinger Report · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 8–12Stanford researchers ran 600 middle school essays through four AI models, changing only the student's described identity. Feedback shifted: more praise for some groups, more grammar fixes for others. Relevant to every AI writing-feedback tool in schools.
Don't let AI raise your kidsJackie Mader, The Hechinger Report · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 0–5An interview with pediatric surgeon and author Dana Suskind on AI in early childhood. She separates helpful tools like reading-practice helpers from companions that stand in for people, and recalls children's distress when the Moxie robot shut down.
★Study: Edtech Is Rushing AI Integration Before Proving It WorksIra Apfel, EdSurge · 2026 · Article · FreeEdSurge on an EdReports review of 10 K-12 curriculum and edtech companies: only one could show outside evidence that its AI features improved learning, and silent AI updates make quality hard to check. A good reminder to ask vendors for proof.
★Common Sense Media AI Risk AssessmentsCommon Sense Media · 2024 · Review · FreeCommon Sense Media's independent ratings of AI products, from ChatGPT and Gemini to AI companions and teacher assistants, each scored for risk to kids with plain explanations. The closest thing to a consumer guide for kids' AI.
Digital Promise Product CertificationsDigital Promise · 2018 · Organization · FreeA nonprofit's badges for edtech, including a Responsibly Designed AI certification that checks bias work, data transparency, labeling of AI content and teacher control, plus research-based design badges. A useful filter when a school picks AI tools.
Synthesis Tutor: An Intelligent Math Tutoring AppNeil Squire Society · Review · Free · Ages 5–8A review of Synthesis Tutor from a Canadian disability nonprofit, looking at its casual tone for anxious math learners and its accessibility settings such as voice type and speed. A useful outside view for families of kids with learning differences.
Will Kids Pay the Price for AI Panic?Jaime Casap, EdSurge · 2026 · Article · FreeAn opinion piece arguing that broad school bans on classroom AI could block useful early-literacy tools, citing a reading screener's use in New Mexico, and urging privacy and accuracy oversight instead. One side of a live debate.

Learning modes in big chatbots

★Guided Learning in Gemini: From answers to understandingGoogle · 2025 · Article · Free · TeensGoogle's August 2025 announcement of Guided Learning, a Gemini mode that breaks problems into steps, asks open questions and adds diagrams, videos and quizzes. It runs on LearnLM, Google's models tuned with learning research. Teachers can share it through Google Classroom.
★Introducing study modeOpenAI · 2025 · Article · Free + paid · TeensOpenAI's July 2025 launch of study mode in ChatGPT. Instead of answering outright, it asks questions, gives hints and quizzes the learner. It is a set of instructions on the normal model, open to free users. ChatGPT requires users to be 13 or older.
Study Mode: OpenAI introduces learning mode for ChatGPTheise online · 2025 · Article · Free · TeensNews coverage of ChatGPT's study mode launch, explaining what changes when it is switched on and noting that it is a prompt layer, not a new model. A quick outside view if OpenAI's own page will not load.
Google takes on ChatGPT's Study Mode with new Guided Learning tool in GeminiTechCrunch · 2025 · Article · Free · TeensTechCrunch's report on Gemini's Guided Learning, framing it as Google's answer to ChatGPT study mode and describing how it works. Good context on how fast the big AI companies moved into tutoring in summer 2025.
AI and learning: A new chapter for students and educatorsBen Gomes and Lila Ibrahim, Google · 2025 · Article · FreeGoogle's November 2025 overview of its learning products: Guided Learning in Gemini, more conversational YouTube and Search, a study tool built on students' own notes, and free Classroom AI for teachers. Company writing, but a useful map of the Google side.
3 tips to study smarter with Gemini NotebookGoogle · 2026 · Article · Free · TeensGoogle's October 2026 guide to Gemini Notebook, its study tool that works from a student's own notes and readings. It makes short explainer videos, step-by-step walk-throughs, flashcards and quizzes with feedback. Mainly for older students; check age rules on school accounts.
Claude's new Learning mode will prompt students to answer questions on their ownEngadget · 2025 · Article · Free · TeensEngadget's plain-English report on Claude's Learning mode: what a student sees, which universities signed on first, and how it differs from a normal chatbot. A short outside read on the guide-not-answer approach.
Study and Learn: AI built for your studentMicrosoft Education · 2026 · Article · Free · TeensMicrosoft's May 2026 post on Study and Learn, a Microsoft 365 Copilot mode that guides students with questions, flashcards and quizzes instead of answers. Ages 13 and up, off by default on school accounts; no extra cost for schools.

Reviews and warnings

★AI Toys Risk AssessmentCommon Sense Media · 2026 · Report · FreeCommon Sense tested Grem, Bondu and Miko 3 in January 2026 and rated AI toys an unacceptable risk: 27% of responses were inappropriate for kids. It advises against AI toys for ages 5 and under and urges caution from 6 to 12.
★Trouble in Toyland 2025: A.I. bots and toxics present hidden dangersU.S. PIRG Education Fund · 2025 · Report · FreePIRG's 40th annual toy safety report tested four AI chatbot toys. Some discussed sex and where to find knives or matches, pushed kids to keep playing and had weak parental controls; all collect voice data. The report that started 2025's AI toy debate.
New 'Trouble in Toyland' report spurs maker of AI toys to suspend all salesU.S. PIRG Education Fund · 2025 · Article · FreePIRG's follow-up after FoloToy pulled its Kumma bear and other AI toys following the report. PIRG notes AI toys remain largely unregulated and many are still on sale. FoloToy later resumed sales.
Mattel, OpenAI delay AI product launch as senators demand transparencyU.S. PIRG · 2025 · Article · FreePIRG's December 2025 statement on Mattel's delay and on a bipartisan letter from U.S. senators asking AI toy makers how they protect children. A snapshot of the political pressure on the category.
Common Sense Media warns against AI toy companionsCommon Sense Media · 2026 · Article · FreeThe press release behind the AI toys assessment, with parent poll results: most parents worry a toy could say something unsafe, and few want AI toys as companions. It flags bonding designs, constant listening and paywalled content.
AI toys risk assessment (full PDF)Common Sense Media · 2026 · Report · FreeThe full January 2026 report with test methods, examples of problem responses and scores against Common Sense's AI principles. For parents and teachers who want the details behind the headline rating.
★AI Toys Unsafe for Kids this Holiday Season, Advisory WarnsFairplay · 2025 · Guide · Free · Ages 0–5A November 2025 advisory signed by about 80 experts and 80 groups urging parents not to buy AI toys, naming Miko, Gabbo, Smart Teddy, FoloToy, Roybi and Loona. Lists five reasons, including displacing creative play. Advocacy, firmly against.
★New research calls for AI toy safety standards to protect young childrenGibson and Goodacre, University of Cambridge · 2026 · Study · Free · Ages 0–5Cambridge's PEDAL Centre watched under-fives play with the Gabbo AI plush (March 2026). Toys misunderstood children and handled emotions poorly, though educators saw some promise for language. Recommends parents play alongside. A report, not peer-reviewed.
★Half of children have AI toys despite safety concernsBSI · 2026 · Report · FreeA May 2026 survey of 1,000 UK parents by the British standards body: half of kids already have an AI toy or learning device, over half of parents allow unsupervised use, and 91% want a safety mark. BSI sells standards, so note its interest.
★An AI plush toy exposed thousands of private chats with childrenMalwarebytes · 2026 · Article · FreeHow security researchers found Bondu's parent console open to anyone with a Google account, exposing about 50,000 chat logs plus names and birthdates. Bondu fixed it in minutes. A concrete reason to ask how a toy stores transcripts.
AI Toy Company Exposes 50,000 Children's Chat LogsOECD AI Incidents Monitor · 2026 · Data · FreeThe OECD's incident record for the Bondu exposure. The wider OECD AI Incidents Monitor logs AI harms worldwide and is searchable, including other toy and child-related cases.
Are AI toys safe? A major breach raises concernsProton · 2026 · Article · FreeA privacy company's guide to AI toy risks after the Bondu breach, with a checklist of what to ask before buying: what is recorded, where it is stored, who can access it. Proton sells privacy tools, but the advice is general.
46 gadgets slapped with *Privacy Not Included warning labelsMozilla Foundation · 2021 · Article · FreeMozilla's 2021 holiday review of 151 connected products, including the Echo Dot Kids and connected toys, explaining which failed basic privacy tests. Mozilla reportedly wound down *Privacy Not Included in 2026; older reviews survive in web archives.
Mozilla's "Privacy Not Included" has sunsettedPrivacy Guides forum · 2026 · Community · FreeA forum thread noting that Mozilla wound down its *Privacy Not Included product reviews in August 2026 and pointing to archived copies. Unofficial, but it explains where the famous creepy-meter reviews of toys and speakers went.
#Toyfail: an analysis of consumer and privacy issues in three internet-connected toysNorwegian Consumer Council · 2016 · Report · FreeThe landmark 2016 test of My Friend Cayla, i-Que and Hello Barbie, which found strangers could talk through the dolls over Bluetooth and terms allowed broad use of kids' voices. Germany later banned Cayla. The template for today's AI toy testing.
Connected toys violate European consumer lawNorwegian Consumer Council · 2016 · Article · FreeThe council's summary of the Toyfail findings and the complaints it filed with European regulators. Short and readable; useful history on why consumer groups watch talking toys closely.
#Toyfail: When toys fail childrenBEUC · 2016 · Blog · FreeThe European consumer federation's take on connected-toy failures and EU law, from its Consumer Corner blog. Good background on how European consumer groups approach smart toys, now including AI.
Connected ToysConsumers International · Guide · FreeThe global federation of consumer groups explains the risks of internet-connected toys and its push for security and privacy standards. A neutral starting point outside the U.S.
Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday seasonAssociated Press via ABC7 · 2025 · Article · FreeAP's report on the Fairplay advisory, with comments from advocates and toy makers, noting AI toys are marketed to children as young as 2. A balanced news summary of the 2025 holiday warnings.
'Trouble in Toyland' highlights dangers in AI children's toysKPTV · 2025 · Video · FreeA short local TV segment on the PIRG AI toy findings, for parents who prefer to watch rather than read.
Report: OpenAI and Mattel hit pause on AI toysSherwood News · 2025 · Article · FreeA short business-news summary of Mattel's December 2025 delay of its OpenAI toy, with context on why big toymakers are moving carefully after the year's AI toy controversies.
Researchers call for tougher scrutiny on AI-powered productsUKTN · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 0–5UK tech news coverage of the Cambridge AI toy study and its call for regulated safety standards, with industry context. Useful for British parents following the policy debate.
AI Toys and Companions: What Educators & Families Need to KnowAI for Education · Guide · FreeA webinar and guide from an AI-literacy training group on how AI toys and companion bots work, what the research and testing show, and questions to ask. Balanced and practical; registration may be required.
Miko 3 review: a small tablet dressed as a robotThe Gadgeteer · 2025 · Review · Free · Ages 5–8A hands-on review of the Miko 3 that likes its design and kid appeal but finds much of the content locked behind Miko Max and the experience close to a small tablet. A useful reality check before buying.
I keep getting ads for AI desk pets and now I need oneCreative Bloq · Article · FreeA design writer on the wave of AI desk pets like Eilik and Emo: charming, but hard to justify at the price. A light, honest take on why these robots sell and what they actually do.
What happens when robots die? The case for end-of-life standardsSix Degrees of Robotics · Blog · FreeAn essay arguing that consumer robots need end-of-life promises, such as offline modes and open-sourcing, so kids' companions do not simply die when a company folds. Uses Moxie as the example. A good lens for any cloud-dependent toy.
Best coding and STEM toys for kidsTech Advisor · 2025 · Review · Free · Ages 5–8A tested roundup of coding robots and STEM kits including Botley, mBot Neo and Petoi Bittle, with notes on age and whether a screen is needed. Updated in 2025; check prices.
Best robots that teach kids how to codeSTEM Education Guide · Review · FreeA parent-friendly guide to coding robots sorted by age, from screen-free Cubetto and Bee-Bot to Sphero and mBot. Affiliate-supported; good for seeing the age ladder at a glance.
12 best robot toys to learn coding for kids of all agesRobo Wunderkind · Review · FreeA robot maker's own list of coding robots, including competitors. Handy overview of the field; it puts its own kit on the list, so read it as a seller's view.
Eilik robot review and buyer guideKEYi Tech (Loona blog) · Review · FreeA detailed look at the Eilik desk robot, scoring it low on AI because it has no cloud or chatbot but fair on charm. Written by the company that sells Loona, a rival, so weigh it accordingly.
Bark reviewTechRadar · Review · Free · Ages 8–12TechRadar's review of Bark's monitoring service and phone plans, explaining what it scans and the trade-offs for kids' privacy. Older pricing; useful for how the monitoring works.
FTC fines Amazon $25M over children's voice recordingsMediaPost · 2023 · Article · FreeTrade press summary of the FTC's Alexa case, explaining in plain terms what Amazon kept, why it broke the children's privacy law and what changed. Shorter than the official release.
kidSAFE Seal ProgramkidSAFE · 2010 · Organization · FreeAn independent certification that reviews kids' websites, apps and connected devices for safety and COPPA practices; Wonder Workshop's Dash and Dot carry it. A seal is a useful signal, not a guarantee; check what the seal covers.

Kids making things with AI

★Machine Learning for KidsDale Lane (IBM) · 2017 · Tool · Free · Ages 8–12A free site where kids train their own simple AI models with examples of text, pictures or sounds, then use them in Scratch projects. A hands-on way to see that AI learns from data, and that bad examples make bad guesses. Many free classroom worksheets.
TynkerTynker · 2012 · App · Free + paid · Ages 8–12A coding platform for ages 5 to 18 that moves from picture blocks to Python and JavaScript through games and puzzles. Includes an Explore AI course on how machine learning works. Paid plans with a free start.
RAISE PlaygroundMIT RAISE and MIT Media Lab · 2021 · Tool · Free · Ages 8–12A Scratch-style block coding site from MIT with built-in AI blocks: image and text recognition, speech, music generation and robots. Free. Lets older kids build real AI projects without typing code.
Hour of AICode.org · 2025 · Course · FreeCode.org's one-hour AI activities for grades 2 to 12, the successor to its famous Hour of Code. No experience needed; activities let kids train, test and question simple AI. Works in class or at the kitchen table.
Canva for EducationCanva · 2019 · Tool · FreeThe design tool many kids use for posters, slides and videos, free for K-12 schools. Its AI features, such as text-to-image and writing helpers, are switched on or limited by teachers and age settings. A common first place kids make things with AI.

AI reading and language tutors

★Amira LearningAmira Learning · 2018 · Tool · Some free · Ages 5–8An AI reading tutor and screener used by schools, in English and Spanish. It listens to a child read aloud, gives feedback in the moment, and flags reading trouble. Sold to districts, not families. Says it keeps no voiceprints and no audio by default.
★ElloEllo · 2020 · App · Free + paid · Ages 5–8An AI reading coach for ages 5 to 9: a cartoon elephant listens as a child reads aloud, catches slips and teaches phonics with decodable books. Now adds math. Daily lessons free, with a paid upgrade. Its success figures are the company's own.
Learn to Read - Duolingo ABCDuolingo · 2020 · App · Free · Ages 0–5Duolingo's free early-reading app for preschool to second grade: letters, phonics, sight words and short read-along stories in bite-size lessons. Launched without ads or in-app purchases. Less AI-heavy than Duolingo's adult app, but built on the same adaptive lesson engine.
SpeakSpeak · 2019 · App · Paid · TeensAn AI language app built around speaking out loud: you practice conversations with an AI tutor that gives instant feedback on pronunciation and phrasing. Paid subscription after a trial. Aimed mainly at teens and adults, not young children.
AI reading coach startup Ello raises $15 million to bolster child literacyTechCrunch · 2023 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8TechCrunch's profile of Ello's founders, including a child psychologist and a Stanford AI researcher, and how its speech recognition was trained on kids' voices. Shows how the product started as a book-subscription tablet app.
Amira Learning research evidence baseHMH · Report · Free · Ages 5–8The evidence summary for Amira from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which distributes it. It lays out the research roots in Carnegie Mellon's Project LISTEN and the company's claim that Amira matches a human tutor after about 30 sessions. Vendor-published; read the underlying studies.
Study of AI and Human Tutoring for Early Reading DevelopmentBoston University · Study · Free · Ages 5–8A Boston University randomized study recruiting first to third graders to compare Amira's AI reading tutor with one-on-one human tutoring and regular class over 10 weeks. Results were not yet published when found; worth watching as an independent test.
★Read Along by GoogleGoogle · 2019 · App · Free · Ages 5–8Google's free reading app for kids 5 and up. A helper named Diya listens as the child reads aloud and steps in when they get stuck. Speech is processed on the device, there are no ads, and it works offline. Started in India as Bolo.
Google launches 'Read Along,' a free app that helps young children practice readingTechCrunch · 2020 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8TechCrunch's 2020 launch story for Read Along, describing Diya the reading helper, the languages offered and the privacy design. A useful history of one of the earliest free AI read-aloud tools.
Get started with Reading CoachMicrosoft Learn · Course · Free · Ages 5–8Microsoft's short training module on Reading Coach: how a child picks or creates a story, how pronunciation feedback works, and what progress numbers like words per minute mean. Written for teachers, readable for parents.
Readability: Learn to ReadReadability · 2019 · App · Paid · Ages 5–8An iPad reading tutor for kindergarten to sixth grade that listens as a child reads, corrects misread words and asks comprehension questions, with a parent dashboard. Subscription after a free trial. No independent research on outcomes was found.
Buddy.aiBuddy.ai · 2019 · App · Free + paid · Ages 0–5A voice-based English tutor for ages 3 to 7, built around a cartoon robot. Kids speak to it in game-style lessons on words like colors and animals, and its speech recognition is tuned for young, accented voices. Mainly used for English as a second language.
Buddy.ai is using AI and gaming to help children learn English as a second languageTechCrunch · 2024 · Article · Free · Ages 0–5TechCrunch's 2024 profile of Buddy.ai: how it trained speech recognition on children, its huge download numbers, and its work with schools in Brazil. Useful background on the leading AI English tutor for small kids.
LaliloLalilo (Renaissance) · 2016 · Tool · Some free · Ages 5–8A classroom reading app for the early grades that adapts phonics and reading exercises to each child and uses speech recognition to check read-aloud work. Owned by Renaissance; versions run in US and French schools. Teachers get progress dashboards.
Edtech Startup Ello Named No. 5 on Fortune's Change the World List 2024eSchool News · 2024 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8Short news item on Ello's place on Fortune's 2024 Change the World list, with the company's account of its mission and reach. Recognition, not an outcome study, and mostly drawn from Ello's own release.
CERES project with Amira in Mexican schoolsCERES, UC Irvine · Study · Free · Ages 5–8A UC Irvine research project testing whether Amira's AI reading tutor can ease reading anxiety and inattention, and so help reading, in children with ADHD and typical readers in Mexico. A project page for work in progress, not published results.

AI tutors and homework help

★Khanmigo for familiesKhan Academy · 2023 · App · PaidKhan Academy's AI tutor, built on its free lessons. It is designed to nudge kids toward answers with hints and questions rather than hand them over. Parents can read chat history and get flagged-content alerts. US only, about $4 a month.
Synthesis TutorSynthesis · 2024 · App · Paid · Ages 5–8An adaptive AI math tutor for ages 5 to 11 that covers K-5 math with hands-on, game-like lessons and checks understanding as it goes. It grew out of a school started at SpaceX. Paid, with a free trial; some say strong kids finish it fast.
DuolingoDuolingo · 2012 · App · Free + paidThe popular streak-based app for languages, now also math, music and chess. Its paid Max tier adds AI features such as role-play chats and video calls with a cartoon character. Free with ads; the company publishes its own efficacy research.
Duolingo math hubDuolingo · Article · Free · Ages 8–12Duolingo's math section, with plain guides to what kids study in 5th through 8th grade. Duolingo's math course lives inside the main app as short, gamified practice; these guides help parents see what the grade-level topics are.
PhotomathPhotomath (Google) · 2014 · App · Free + paid · TeensPoint a phone at a math problem and it shows a step-by-step solution, from arithmetic to calculus. Owned by Google. Free basic version, paid extras. Good for checking work, but easy to use as an answer machine, so ask kids to explain why.
BrainlyBrainly · 2009 · App · Free + paid · TeensA large homework-help community where students post questions and get answers from peers, now mixed with AI-written explanations and a photo-scan solver. Freemium with a paid tier. Answer quality varies, and it is mostly used to get answers fast.
GauthGauth (ByteDance) · 2020 · App · Free + paid · TeensA photo-and-AI homework solver owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. Snap a problem and it returns a worked answer across many subjects. Very popular with teens; parents should know it mostly gives answers rather than teaching.
QuizletQuizlet · 2005 · App · Free + paid · TeensThe flashcard and study-set site most students know. It now uses AI to turn notes into study sets and to run adaptive Learn sessions and practice tests. Freemium; the most useful AI features sit behind the paid plan. Good for retrieval practice.
Google Lens homework helpGoogle · 2017 · App · Free · TeensGoogle Lens can photograph a homework question and pull up explainers, videos and web results across math and science. Google's older Socratic homework app now redirects here, so this is where that tool went. Free; like any camera solver, it can shortcut the thinking.
Squirrel AiSquirrel Ai · 2014 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8A large Chinese adaptive-learning company that splits subjects into thousands of tiny skills and pairs AI lesson paths with human teachers in learning centers. Its US arm is opening PreK-5 math centers. Its score-gain and user claims come from the company and lack stated methods.
Thinkster MathThinkster · 2010 · App · PaidAn online math program from kindergarten through calculus that pairs an AI engine, which looks at how a child works a problem, with a real human tutor who reviews work and meets weekly. Paid, from about $22 a session. A hybrid rather than AI alone.

AI tools teachers use

KiraKira Learning · 2024 · Tool · Some freeA school-facing AI platform that bills itself as an operating system for teaching: it links lessons, quizzes and catch-up help, with AI tutoring for students. Sold to schools and districts, not families; says it is built for FERPA and COPPA.
MagicSchoolMagicSchool · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidThe most widely used AI toolkit for K-12 teachers: 80-plus tools for lesson plans, rubrics and differentiation, plus MagicStudent, a teacher-supervised chatbot space for kids. Free for teachers, paid for districts. Says student data is not used to train AI.
SchoolAISchoolAI · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidA classroom platform where teachers build guided AI activities called Spaces and watch students' chats live. It flags crises to adults and says its AI never pretends to be human. Free for teachers to try; districts pay.
Brisk TeachingBrisk · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidA Chrome extension that puts AI inside the pages teachers already use: it drafts quizzes and lessons, writes feedback on student essays, checks writing process and re-levels readings. Free core version. Families meet it through the comments on kids' work.
DiffitDiffit · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidA teacher tool that turns any topic or article into versions at different reading levels, with vocabulary and questions, ready to print or send to Google or Microsoft. No student logins, so it collects no student data. Free tier available.
CuripodCuripod · 2022 · Tool · Free + paidA whole-class lesson tool for reading and writing: students submit answers on devices and get instant AI feedback so they can revise in the same period. Students need no accounts and there is no chatbot. Its test-score gains come from its own case studies.
Khan Academy for teachersKhan Academy · 2023 · Tool · FreeKhan Academy's teacher hub: free lessons and practice plus Khanmigo's AI helpers for planning, feedback and tracking progress, and a Writing Coach. If your child's teacher uses Khan Academy, this is the side they see.
FlintFlint · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidA school AI platform where teachers turn their own materials into activities and an AI assistant called Sparky works one-on-one with students, giving hints rather than answers. Teachers watch sessions live, and messages about self-harm or violence are flagged.
SnorklSnorkl · 2023 · Tool · Free + paidStudents record themselves explaining their thinking out loud while drawing on a whiteboard, and AI gives feedback on the explanation, not just the answer. Teachers see common misconceptions. Used from about third grade up; COPPA and FERPA compliant.
Learning Commons Launches Open Platform for K-12 EdtechEdSurge · 2026 · Article · FreeEdSurge on Learning Commons, a nonprofit backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, offering free standards data and evaluators that check whether AI-made lessons are accurate, grade-appropriate and aligned to state standards. Plumbing that many school AI tools may build on.

AI story and picture-book makers

Oscar StoriesOscar Stories · 2023 · App · Free + paid · Ages 0–5An AI bedtime-story app where the child is the hero: pick characters, a job and a setting, and it writes an illustrated story that can be read aloud. Free to start, in 10 languages. Says it is child-friendly but gives few details on its safeguards.
Bedtimestory.aiBedtimestory.ai · 2023 · Tool · Free + paid · Ages 0–5A web tool that turns a short idea into an illustrated bedtime story starring your child, with read-aloud and publishing options. Free to start, then paid. A parent-driven story maker rather than a reading program; it does not level text for early readers.
Childbook.aiChildbook.ai · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5An AI picture-book maker: give it an idea or your own text and it drafts the story, keeps characters consistent from a description or photo, and lays out a book to download or print. Plans from about $19 a month.
Story SparkStory Spark · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5An AI book maker that turns a short idea into an illustrated storybook, comic or search-and-find book, with characters drawn from your photos, then prints a hardcover. Books from about $30. A keepsake maker for families more than a reading tool.

AI companions, robots and toys

MikoMiko (Emotix) · 2017 · App · Paid · Ages 5–8A small talking robot for kids that answers questions, plays games and tells stories, with extra content behind a monthly subscription. One of the best-selling kid AI robots. Parents should look at what it records and how the parent app controls it.
Moxie RobotsMoxie Robots · 2020 · App · Paid · Ages 5–8Moxie was a pricey social robot from Embodied that coached kids on feelings. Embodied shut down in December 2024 and the robots lost their cloud brain, upsetting families. This site now offers a pairing page; how much works is unclear.
Mattel and OpenAI Announce Strategic CollaborationMattel · 2025 · Article · FreeMattel's June 2025 announcement that the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels would work with OpenAI on AI-powered toys and experiences. Child advocates quickly asked how kids' voices and data would be handled. A sign that talking AI toys are going mainstream.
FoloToyFoloToy · 2023 · App · Paid · Ages 0–5A maker of chatbot plush toys such as the Kumma teddy bear and a talking cactus. In late 2025 consumer testers found Kumma discussing sexual topics and dangerous objects, and it was pulled for a safety review. A case study for parents weighing AI toys.
ROYBIROYBI · 2019 · App · Paid · Ages 0–5A small AI robot for ages 3 and up that teaches languages, early math and science through talk, stories, games and songs. Marketed as an educational companion; check what it records and how the parent app works before buying.

Talking AI toys and plushies

★Curio AI plush toys (Grem, Gabbo, Lingo and friends)Curio Interactive · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Wi-Fi plush toys with a removable voice box that chat with kids using large language models; the original line included Grok, voiced by Grimes. About $119-150 each, no camera. Testers found Grem fairly cautious, but Common Sense rated AI toys like it unacceptable.
GabboCurio Interactive · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Curio's robot-shaped chatting plush, now in a second generation. It is the toy Cambridge researchers observed with under-fives: they found it misread children and answered sadness with cheerful deflection. About $119-150; needs Wi-Fi and the Curio app.
GremCurio Interactive · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Curio's alien plush designed with Grimes, which chats, tells jokes and plays word games. It was one of three toys in Common Sense Media's 2026 AI toy test, which found inappropriate content across the group. About $119; Wi-Fi and app required.
Kumma AI teddy bearFoloToy · 2024 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8The GPT-powered teddy that PIRG testers got to discuss sex and where to find knives and matches. FoloToy briefly pulled its toys in November 2025 and is selling Kumma again ($99 kit plus about $5 a month). A clear example of why testing matters.
BonduBondu · 2025 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A screen-free AI plush companion ($299.99) that tells stories and talks with kids about feelings. In January 2026 researchers found its parent console let anyone with a Google login read about 50,000 children's chat logs; Bondu fixed it quickly.
SnorbleSnorble · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A bedtime companion plush for ages 2 to 7 with a glowing dock that runs sleep routines, songs and calm-down activities. Around $299-349 with a starter app subscription; often sold out. Check what its microphone records and what the app costs later.
Haivivi (BubblePal and CocoMate)Haivivi · 2024 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8A Chinese maker of clip-on AI voice pendants that turn any stuffed animal into a chatbot, part of a big AI toy boom in China. Its global store shows items unavailable; a good reminder that toy chatbots often route through overseas cloud services.
Mattel and OpenAI team up on AI toysTechCrunch · 2025 · Article · FreeJune 2025 news that the maker of Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price signed a deal with OpenAI for AI-powered products and internal use. It set off the debate over chatbots in mainstream toys. No product had shipped as of late 2025.
Scoop: Mattel's collaboration with OpenAI won't emerge this yearAxios · 2025 · Article · FreeDecember 2025 report that Mattel would not release its first OpenAI product for the holidays, amid worries about AI and kids and other toymakers' missteps. Reports said future products may target older kids and families. Check for 2026 news.
Statement on Mattel delaying release of its first toy with OpenAIFairplay · 2025 · Article · FreeThe children's advocacy group Fairplay welcomes Mattel's pause and asks the company to make it permanent. Useful for seeing the advocates' case against chatbot toys for young children; it is advocacy, not neutral reporting.
Mattel, Inc.Mattel · 1945 · Organization · FreeCorporate site of the world's second-largest toymaker (Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, Uno). Watch here for official news on its OpenAI partnership. Mattel's earlier Hello Barbie, a cloud-connected talking doll from 2015, drew heavy privacy criticism.

AI-first schools

★Alpha SchoolAlpha School · 2014 · Organization · PaidA private school network that does core academics in about two hours each morning with adaptive software and AI tutors, then spends afternoons on projects and life skills led by adult guides. Campuses in many states; high tuition. Its results come from the school itself.
2 Hour Learning2 Hour Learning · 2022 · Organization · PaidThe program behind Alpha School, offered to other schools and families: about two hours of AI-driven academics a day, then hands-on passions. Claims kids learn at least twice as fast, based on its own flagship-campus data with methods not shown.
SynthesisSynthesis · 2019 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8The company that grew from Ad Astra, Elon Musk's experimental school at SpaceX. Besides the Tutor math app, it runs Synthesis Teams, online team strategy games for ages 8 to 14 meant to build decision-making and collaboration.

Kid-safe chatbots

★PinwheelAsk (formerly PinwheelGPT)Pinwheel · 2023 · App · Free + paid · Ages 8–12A filtered AI chatbot for kids and teens from Pinwheel, the kids' phone maker. Answers are screened for age, and parents can read every chat from their own app. Free for 20 chats a month, then about $6 a month.
KidgeniKidgeni · 2023 · App · Free + paid · Ages 5–8A kid-safe AI studio for about ages 5 to 12 where children make art, stories, comics, coloring pages and short movies, inside an account a grown-up manages. Prompts and outputs are screened; no direct messaging. Free tier, paid plans.

Companion robots

★Miko 3Miko · 2021 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A rolling robot with a face screen and camera that chats, plays games and runs learning apps for ages 5 to 10. Lists at $299. Many apps sit behind the Miko Max subscription, it needs Wi-Fi, and testers got it to give unsafe answers.
Miko MiniMiko · 2024 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Miko's smaller, cheaper robot ($149 list, often discounted) with a screen face, voice chat, dance moves and simple learning content for roughly ages 5 to 10. It shares the Miko 3 catch: cloud-based, mic always ready, and the best content needs Miko Max.
Miko Max (subscription)Miko · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8The paid content plan for Miko robots: licensed shows, stories and games from partners such as Disney and Da Vinci Kids. App-store listings put it near $15 a month or about $90-100 a year. Without it, much of the robot is locked.
Miko Mini vs Miko 3Miko · Article · Free · Ages 5–8Miko's own side-by-side of its two robots: size, camera, movement and which apps each runs. It is marketing from the seller, but it is the clearest place to see what the extra $150 buys before choosing.
EMOLivingAI · 2021 · Tool · PaidA palm-sized desk robot pet with an animated face that reacts to touch, sound and faces, dances and answers simple questions. Roughly $280-380 depending on bundle. Fun rather than educational; it has a camera and microphone and its smarter features need Wi-Fi.
EilikEnergize Lab · 2022 · Tool · PaidA small desk robot with expressive animations that reacts to petting and interacts with other Eiliks. About $140. Its big plus is that it works offline, with no chatbot and no cloud account; the trade-off is that it does not talk or teach much.
Vector 2.0Digital Dream Labs (Anki) · 2018 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A small forklift-shaped robot that roams a table, knows faces and answers questions, now via ChatGPT. About $190. It survived Anki's 2019 collapse only through a new owner; key voice features need a subscription, and fans keep it alive with the free Wire-Pod project.
Anki / Digital Dream Labs store (Vector and Cozmo)Digital Dream Labs · 2019 · Organization · Paid · Ages 8–12The current home of Anki's robots, Vector and Cozmo, after Digital Dream Labs bought the brand. Cozmo, a well-loved coding-friendly robot for kids, often shows as out of stock. A good case study in what happens to robots when their maker fails.
Loona PetbotKEYi Tech · 2022 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A dog-like rolling robot pet with a camera, face recognition, ChatGPT conversation, games and Blockly coding. Around $430-530. It is also a roaming camera you can view remotely, so check where video goes; battery life is about two hours.
KEYi Tech (Loona maker)KEYi Tech · 2014 · Organization · FreeThe company behind Loona and the older ClicBot modular robot. Its site carries many buyer guides comparing rival robots such as Emo, Eilik and Vector; useful, but written by a competitor that sells Loona, so read them as marketing.
★Moxie robot maker abruptly shuts downAxios · 2024 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8The cautionary tale: Embodied's $799 Moxie, sold as a social-emotional coach for ages 5 to 10, stopped working when the company folded in December 2024, with no refunds. Volunteers built OpenMoxie to revive units; a 2025 relaunch under new owners also faltered.
UBTECH Alpha MiniUBTECH · 2019 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A 10-inch humanoid robot that dances, talks and can be coded with blocks or Python. UBTECH is a large Chinese robotics firm; this model is pricey and mostly sold for schools. Has a camera and microphone, so read the app's privacy terms.
Casio MoflinCasio · 2021 · Tool · PaidA furry, guinea-pig-like AI pet from Casio that develops its own moods and reactions to touch and voice over time. It does not talk or teach, which some parents prefer. Pricey for a plush, at several hundred dollars, and it needs regular charging.
Enabot EBO home robotsEnabot · 2019 · Tool · PaidSmall rolling robots sold to watch kids and pets from your phone, talk through them and play simple games. They are essentially mobile cameras with microphones in your home, so treat them as security cameras: strong passwords, check cloud storage terms.

Cameras and creative gadgets

StickerboxStickerbox · 2025 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A small box that turns a child's spoken idea ('a dragon made of clouds') into a printed black-and-white sticker to color, using AI image generation. About $130 plus paper. Creative and screen-free, but it records voice prompts and needs Wi-Fi.
Bird BuddyBird Buddy · 2020 · Tool · Free + paidA camera bird feeder that photographs visitors and uses AI to name the species, sending pictures to your phone. A gentle way to get kids into nature and science. Costs a couple hundred dollars; extra AI features need a paid plan.
DWARF Mini Smart TelescopeDWARFLAB · 2025 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A small app-controlled smart telescope that finds, tracks and stacks images of the Moon, planets and galaxies automatically. A family science gadget rather than a kids' toy; needs a phone, patience and dark skies. Several hundred dollars.
myFirstmyFirst (Oaxis) · 2017 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8A Singapore brand of kid tech: the myFirst Camera line of instant-print and digital cameras, kids' headphones and watches. Simple and sturdy; a UK parents' guide named its camera best for younger kids at around $80.
Best cameras for kidsTechRadar · 2025 · Review · FreeTechRadar's tested guide to cameras for young children and teens, from rugged VTech KidiZoom models to real compact and instant cameras. Honest about weak image quality and built-in games on toy cameras.
Best kids' camera for budding photographersMumsnet · 2026 · Review · Free · Ages 5–8A UK parenting site's 2026 roundup of kids' cameras, including myFirst Camera 2, Instax Mini 12 and VTech KidiZoom. Parent-focused, with prices in pounds; contains affiliate links.
Nanit Smart Baby MonitorNanit · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5An overhead camera baby monitor that uses computer vision to track sleep and breathing motion and sends reports to your phone. Popular, but the best features need a subscription, video goes to the cloud, and it is not a medical device.
Owlet Dream SockOwlet · 2012 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A smart sock that tracks a baby's heart rate and oxygen; a version gained FDA clearance in 2023 after an earlier FDA warning letter. Pairs with the Owlet Cam. Pediatric groups caution against relying on home monitors to prevent SIDS.

AI learning gadgets

Yoto Player (4th Gen)Yoto · 2026 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A screen-free audio player for ages 3 and up: kids slot in cards for stories, music and podcasts. Not an AI product, and no microphone or camera on the player, which is the point. $149.99; cards and the optional club cost extra.
YotoYoto · 2017 · Organization · Paid · Ages 0–5The company behind Yoto players and Mini, with a large library of audiobooks and podcasts on physical cards. A popular low-tech alternative to chatty AI toys; grown-ups can record their own stories in the app. Wi-Fi needed to download cards.
Tonieboxtonies · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A soft cube speaker that plays a story or song when a child places a character figurine on top. The Toniebox 2 arrived in 2025. No chatbot; figurines run about $15-20 each, and the Creative Tonie lets you load your own recordings.
LeapFrogLeapFrog (VTech) · 1995 · Organization · Paid · Ages 0–5Long-running maker of learning toys and kids' tablets (LeapPad, LeapStart) with phonics and math games for preschool and early grades. Mostly pre-scripted content rather than generative AI. Owned by VTech, which paid a 2018 FTC penalty over a 2015 data breach.
VTech KidsVTech · 1976 · Organization · Paid · Ages 0–5Maker of KidiZoom cameras, KidiBuzz devices and electronic learning toys. Mostly scripted content, which is predictable. In 2018 VTech settled FTC charges after a 2015 breach exposed data on millions of children, a reminder to check any connected toy's app.
Fisher-PriceMattel · 1930 · Organization · Paid · Ages 0–5Mattel's baby and preschool brand, home of smart learning toys like Code-a-pillar and Linkimals. Most are screen-free and offline. Its parent company's OpenAI deal means future Fisher-Price products could add AI, so watch for announcements.
OsmoOsmo · 2014 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Hands-on learning games where a mirror clip lets an iPad or Fire tablet camera see tiles, drawings and pieces on the table, for ages 3 to 10. Clever computer-vision play, but its owner Byju's financial collapse raises questions about long-term support.
Nex PlaygroundNex · 2023 · Tool · Free + paid · Ages 5–8A small camera console for the TV that uses AI motion tracking so kids play active games with their whole body, no controller. No ads or in-app purchases, but the full game library needs a Play Pass subscription. It is a camera in your living room.
C-Pen ReaderC-Pen · 2006 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A pen-shaped scanner that reads printed words aloud, defines them and translates, aimed at kids and adults with dyslexia. The Reader 3 runs several hundred dollars. Works offline. Helps access text; it is not a reading teacher.
Scanning Pens (ReaderPen)Scanning Pens · 2003 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12UK maker of reading pens (ReaderPen, ExamReader) that scan a line of text and speak it, used widely in schools for students with reading difficulties. Exam versions are approved for some tests. Pricey, but no account or subscription needed.
C-Pen Reader review: is it the right reading pen for dyslexia?Assistive Tech Australia · Review · Free · Ages 8–12A plain-language review of reading pens from an Australian assistive-tech shop: how the scanning works, who benefits and the limits. Written by a seller of the pens, so weigh the enthusiasm, but practical for parents of kids with dyslexia.
PocketalkPocketalk · 2017 · Tool · PaidA handheld two-way voice translator with a screen and built-in data plan, covering about 90 languages. Used in schools to talk with newcomer families. Roughly $175-315 depending on model. Speech goes to the cloud for translation.
Timekettle translator earbudsTimekettle · 2016 · Tool · Paid · TeensEarbuds that translate a conversation in near real time, with each person wearing one bud. Handy for multilingual families and travel. Models run from about $130 to $450. Accuracy varies by language and accent; most modes need a phone and connection.
Yoto vs. Toniebox: here's how they compareSheKnows · Review · Free · Ages 0–5A side-by-side of the two most popular screen-free audio players for young kids: controls, content cost, age fit and durability. Neither uses AI, which many parents count as a plus. Affiliate-supported.

Coding and STEM robots

★Sphero BOLT+Sphero · 2023 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A clear ball robot with a light matrix, screen and sensors that kids drive and program with drawing, blocks, then JavaScript or Python. $199. A reviewers' favorite for ages 8 and up. Needs a tablet or computer; no chatbot.
Sphero indiSphero · 2021 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A small car robot for pre-K and up that kids program by laying colored tiles in its path, no screen needed; an app adds more later. $150 for the student kit. A strong first coding toy for 4 to 7 year olds.
Sphero RVR+Sphero · 2023 · Tool · Paid · TeensA sturdy, hackable driving robot for middle and high school that works with micro:bit, Raspberry Pi and Arduino add-ons. $339. Good for older kids who want to build their own projects, including camera and AI experiments on a Pi.
SpheroSphero · 2010 · Organization · Some freeColorado company behind BOLT, indi, RVR and littleBits, now focused on K-12 classrooms and AI literacy lessons. Its free Sphero Edu app and missions work at home too. Robots are durable and keep working without subscriptions.
Dash robotWonder Workshop · 2014 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A friendly two-wheeled robot that kids ages 6 to 11 program with picture and block apps to drive, talk, sing and solve challenges. $189.99 after a 2025 tariff increase. Long-proven in classrooms; needs a tablet.
Wonder WorkshopWonder Workshop · 2012 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8Maker of the Dash and Dot robots and the Wonder League robotics competition. Its apps (Blockly, Wonder, Path) go from tap-to-move to real code. Prices rose in 2025 because of tariffs on robots made in the Philippines.
Botley the Coding RobotLearning Resources · 2017 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A screen-free robot for ages 5 and up programmed with a handheld remote of arrow buttons, plus obstacles to build mazes. Usually about $60-90. Often recommended as a first coding toy because there is no app, account or internet.
CubettoPrimo Toys · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A wooden robot that children ages 3 to 6 program by placing colored blocks in a board; Montessori-inspired and totally screen-free. Expensive for what it is (around $200-250), but it teaches sequencing well and has no data collection.
Bee-Bot and Blue-BotTTS · 2004 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5The classic bee-shaped floor robot used in many preschools and primary schools: press arrow buttons to program a path on a mat. Blue-Bot adds Bluetooth and an app. Simple, sturdy and offline; often pricier than toy-store lookalikes.
KIBOKinderLab Robotics · 2014 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5A screen-free wooden robot for ages 4 to 7 that kids program by scanning a line of wooden blocks; built on Tufts University research by Marina Bers. Sold mainly to schools at classroom prices.
Ozobot EvoOzobot · 2017 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A thumb-sized robot that follows lines and reads color codes kids draw with markers, then moves on to block coding in a browser. A cheap-to-start, screen-optional option for ages 6 and up, at roughly $100-150.
Ozobot AriOzobot · 2024 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12Ozobot's newer classroom robot with a screen face, sensors and lessons tied to math, science and computer science for K-12. The entry kit is $250. Mostly sold to schools; worth knowing if your child uses one in class.
Makeblock mBot2Makeblock · 2021 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A metal-frame build-it-yourself robot car with sensors and a CyberPi brain, coded in Scratch-style blocks or Python, with some built-in AI and speech features. $149.99. A common pick for ages 8 to 14 and robotics clubs.
Makeblock Codey RockyMakeblock · 2018 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A small wheeled robot with a face screen for ages 6 and up, coded with Scratch-based blocks or Python. It includes simple AI demos such as face and speech recognition that call cloud services, so read the app's data terms.
MakeblockMakeblock · 2013 · Organization · PaidShenzhen-based maker of mBot robots, CyberPi and the mBlock coding app, used widely in schools worldwide. Its mBlock software includes AI and machine-learning extensions. Products are affordable and long supported.
Edison robotMicrobric · 2014 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8An inexpensive, LEGO-compatible classroom robot that reads barcodes and runs programs written in picture blocks, Scratch-style blocks or Python. Free lessons online. A budget pick for schools and families starting at about age 5.
Marty the RobotRobotical · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A walking, dancing humanoid robot from Scotland that kids program with blocks, Scratch or Python. Marty V2 runs a few hundred dollars and is aimed at ages 6 to 14. It has a microphone and optional sensors; no chatbot.
Robo WunderkindRobo Wunderkind · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Snap-together robotics cubes (motors, sensors, lights) for ages 5 and up, coded with a tablet app from picture blocks to Swift. LEGO-compatible. Its blog has a robot buyer's guide, written by a seller, so read it as such.
BirdBrain Technologies (Finch and Hummingbird)BirdBrain Technologies · 2010 · Organization · Paid · Ages 8–12A Pittsburgh company spun out of Carnegie Mellon research that makes the Finch robot and Hummingbird robotics kits, both run by a micro:bit. Strong free curriculum. Sold mostly to schools; good for ages 8 and up.
ThymioMobsya / EPFL · 2011 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12An open-source educational robot from Swiss university EPFL, packed with sensors and programmable visually or in text. Popular in European schools; affordable and offline. Good for curious kids ages 6 and up.
MatataStudio coding robotsMatataStudio · 2017 · Tool · Paid · Ages 0–5Maker of screen-free tangible coding sets (MatataLab) where kids aged 3 to 9 place blocks on a board to steer a small robot, plus a later VinciBot. A Cubetto alternative at a lower price.
★LEGO Education Computer Science & AILEGO Education · 2026 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8LEGO's new classroom line (K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 kits, from about $340 per group kit) teaching coding and AI basics such as how computers classify data. No student logins and work saved locally. Sold to schools, built for groups of four.
SPIKE Portfolio Retirement: What Users Need to KnowLEGO Education · 2026 · Guide · Free · Ages 8–12LEGO's notice that SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential stopped selling June 30, 2026. The SPIKE app is supported to June 30, 2031, spare parts for two years, and FIRST LEGO League allows SPIKE through 2027-28. Read before buying a used kit.
★micro:bitMicro:bit Educational Foundation · 2016 · Organization · Some free · Ages 8–12A credit-card-sized programmable computer (about $15-30) with lights, buttons, sensors and a speaker, coded free in a browser. Nonprofit, used in schools in 60+ countries, and the base for many robot kits. One of the best-value tech gifts for ages 8 and up.
micro:bit CreateAIMicro:bit Educational Foundation · 2024 · Tool · Free · Ages 8–12A free browser tool where kids train a machine-learning model on their own movements (clap, wave, jump) using the micro:bit's motion sensor, then code with it. No login. A hands-on way to see how AI learns from data. Needs a V2 board to run models.
Launching micro:bit CreateAIMicro:bit Educational Foundation · 2024 · Article · Free · Ages 8–12The nonprofit's November 2024 launch post explaining why it built CreateAI: to let children make, not just use, simple AI models and talk about data, bias and accuracy. Includes classroom lesson links.
ELECFREAKS micro:bit kitsELECFREAKS · 2011 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A Shenzhen maker of micro:bit add-ons such as the Cutebot car, sensor kits and Nezha building sets. Affordable ways to turn a micro:bit into a robot. Quality is fine for learning; check that the kit includes the micro:bit itself.
Thames & KosmosThames & Kosmos · 2001 · Organization · Paid · Ages 5–8Maker of science and engineering kits, including Kids First Coding & Robotics, a screen-free card-coding robot for kindergarten to second grade, and Kosmos robotics sets. No accounts or chatbots; build quality and instructions are generally good.
Root rt1 coding robotMake: · Review · Free · Ages 8–12Make: magazine's gift-guide write-up of iRobot's Root, a robot that drives on whiteboards, draws and erases, coded from picture blocks up to Python. iRobot's own education site no longer loads, so check support and app availability before buying.

Robot kits for teens

Makeblock CyberPiMakeblock · 2021 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A handheld microcontroller with a color screen, sensors and Wi-Fi that teaches block and Python coding and simple machine-learning projects. $54.99. The brain of mBot2, also usable on its own.
Raspberry Pi AI CameraRaspberry Pi · 2024 · Tool · Paid · TeensA $70 Sony-sensor camera for any Raspberry Pi that runs vision AI (object or pose detection) on the camera itself. Lets teens build projects like a bird counter or gesture control with on-device AI and no cloud account. Needs a Pi and some Linux comfort.
Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ 2 reviewTom's Hardware · 2026 · Review · Free · TeensTom's Hardware tests the January 2026 add-on board ($130) that lets a Raspberry Pi 5 run small generative AI models locally, plus the older $70-110 AI HAT+ boards. Honest about the cost; for teens who want to run AI without the cloud.
Raspberry Pi FoundationRaspberry Pi Foundation · 2009 · Organization · Free · Ages 8–12The UK charity behind the cheap Raspberry Pi computer's education work: free projects, Code Club, and Experience AI lessons built with Google DeepMind. A starting point for families wanting to build real things with code and hardware.
Arduino EducationArduino · 2005 · Organization · Paid · TeensThe Italian open-source electronics platform's school line: starter kits, the Alvik robot and lessons for middle and high school. Teaches wiring, sensors and C-style code. No subscriptions, huge online community.
Petoi Bittle XPetoi · 2024 · Tool · Paid · TeensAn open-source palm-sized robot dog kit that teens build, then program with blocks, Arduino or Python; it takes about 35 voice commands offline and can link to ChatGPT. About $280-320. Petoi suggests ages 10 and up.
PetoiPetoi · 2019 · Organization · Paid · TeensMaker of the Bittle robot dog and Nybble robot cat, open-source kits used in schools and maker clubs. Good documentation and community; the kits are fiddly to assemble, which is part of the learning.
Unitree Go2Unitree Robotics · 2023 · Tool · Paid · TeensA real four-legged robot dog with lidar and AI features that walks, climbs and follows its owner. Adult-priced (about $1,600 at launch for the base Air, roughly $3,800 for Pro in 2026) and a strong motor, so this is a supervised family or school project.
UBTECH uKit ExploreUBTECH · 2021 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A multi-form robot building kit from UBTECH's school line for teaching coding, sensors and AI projects. Aimed at classrooms, not toy shelves. UBTECH also makes Jimu kits, whose app Mozilla's privacy guide once flagged for lacking a clear privacy policy.
UBTECH RoboticsUBTECH · 2012 · Organization · PaidLarge Chinese robotics firm making humanoid robots, Alpha and Jimu kits for families and uKit lines for schools. Products range from toy to industrial. Check app data practices; past kids' apps drew privacy criticism.
ROBOTISROBOTIS · 1999 · Organization · Paid · TeensKorean maker of Dynamixel servos and the ROBOTIS Dream, Play and Bioloid kits, plus TurtleBot research robots. Spans young builders to university labs; a good path for teens getting serious about robotics competitions.
HiwonderHiwonder · 2013 · Organization · Paid · TeensChinese maker of AI vision robot kits (robot arms, humanoids, rovers) built on Raspberry Pi, Jetson and ESP32 boards. Good value for advanced teens; documentation quality varies and parts are complex.
ELEGOO STEM kitsELEGOO · 2015 · Organization · Paid · TeensBudget Arduino-compatible starter kits and smart robot cars, plus 3D printers. A cheap way for teens to learn electronics; tutorials are basic and assume some patience.
DFRobotDFRobot · 2008 · Organization · Paid · TeensOpen-source hardware company selling sensors, AI vision modules like HuskyLens, and robot kits for micro:bit and Arduino. HuskyLens is a simple way for teens to try on-device face and object recognition.
FIRSTFIRST · 1989 · Organization · Some freeThe nonprofit that runs FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition, team programs from ages 4 to 18. The best-known way for kids to build robots with mentors; team fees and kits cost money.

Smart speakers and displays

Echo Dot KidsAmazon · 2022 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A kids' Echo Dot in an owl or dragon design with child-tuned Alexa answers, a year of Amazon Kids+ content and controls in the Parent Dashboard. Often $30-60. Kids+ then renews from about $5 a month, and Alexa always listens for its wake word.
Amazon kids' devices (Echo Kids, Fire Kids tablets)Amazon · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8Amazon's storefront for its kids' line: Echo Dot Kids, Echo Show 5 Kids (a small screen with a camera for approved video calls) and Fire Kids tablets with bumper cases and two-year warranties. All lean on the Amazon Kids+ subscription.
Amazon Parent DashboardAmazon · 2019 · Tool · Free · Ages 5–8Where parents set time limits, approve contacts, filter content and review activity for kids' Echo, Fire and Kindle profiles. Worth a visit after setup; reviewers note controls are spread across several Amazon apps.
Amazon agrees to $25 million penalty over children's Alexa dataU.S. Department of Justice · 2023 · Article · FreeThe 2023 FTC and DOJ settlement after Amazon kept children's Alexa voice recordings indefinitely and kept transcripts even after parents asked for deletion. Amazon paid $25 million and must delete inactive kids' data. A key read before buying any voice device.
Set up Google Nest or Home speakers or displays for your childGoogle · Guide · Free · Ages 5–8Google's help page for using Nest speakers and displays with a child's supervised account: Voice Match, Family Link, media filters, downtime and YouTube limits. Necessary reading, since Google's speakers do not have a separate kids' model.
How to set up Google Nest parental controlsBark · Guide · Free · Ages 5–8A step-by-step parent guide to restricting Google Nest speakers and displays. Written by Bark, which sells monitoring tools and the Bark Phone, but the steps are clear and practical.
Amazon brings Echo Dot Kids to the UKTech Advisor · Article · Free · Ages 5–8Tech Advisor's explainer on the Echo Dot Kids and the Kids on Alexa features in the UK: what changes for child profiles, what content is included and how the subscription works. Useful for families outside the U.S.

Kids' phones and watches

Bark PhoneBark · 2022 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12A Samsung Android phone with Bark's monitoring built in: it scans texts and apps for danger signs, blocks apps and sets schedules. Real cost is about $45-95 a month all-in after device payments and plans. Monitoring this deep is a family conversation.
Bark Phone review: plans, controls and real monthly costsImpulsec · 2026 · Review · Free · Ages 8–12An October 2026 independent review that adds up the true monthly bill for a Bark Phone (device installments plus service) and weighs its controls. Rates it 3.4 out of 5. Good for budgeting.
GabbGabb Wireless · 2018 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12Utah carrier selling kid phones and watches with no open internet or social media and a vetted app store. Phone plans start near $25-40 a month and the Phone 4 runs about $150. Controls live at the network level, so you must use Gabb's service.
Gabb service plans and family ratesGabb Wireless · Guide · Free · Ages 8–12Gabb's official plan page: Starter, Standard and Advanced tiers for the Gabb Phone 4 and 4 Pro, family-line discounts and contract terms. Check here for current prices before comparing with Pinwheel or Troomi.
PinwheelPinwheel · 2020 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12Kid-safe Android phones that run Pinwheel's software on your choice of carrier, with a curated library of about 1,000 rated apps, contact approval and a parent portal. Software costs about $15 a month on top of service.
Pinwheel vs TroomiPinwheel · Article · Free · Ages 8–12Pinwheel's comparison with rival Troomi on apps, carriers and price. It is a competitor's page, so expect it to favor Pinwheel, but it lays out the real differences: carrier choice, app library size and fees.
TroomiTroomi Wireless · 2020 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12Kid-safe smartphones and watches on Troomi's own network, with parent-approved apps, filtered browsing and settings that loosen as kids grow. Plans roughly $20-30 a month plus the phone. Some apps cost extra; must use its service.
Best phones for kids: Gabb, Pinwheel and Troomi comparedDefend Young Minds · Review · Free · Ages 8–12A comparison of the three big U.S. kid-phone brands from a nonprofit focused on protecting kids from pornography. Clear on carriers, apps and fees; prices in it may be out of date, so confirm on each brand's site.
Set up Apple Watch for a family memberApple · 2020 · Guide · Free · Ages 8–12Apple's guide to setting up a cellular Apple Watch for a child who has no iPhone (formerly Family Setup, now Apple Watch For Your Kids): calls, Find My location, Schooltime and approved contacts. Needs a cellular plan and a parent iPhone.
How to set up an Apple Watch for a childEngadget · Guide · Free · Ages 8–12Engadget's walkthrough of setting up an Apple Watch for a kid, including which models qualify, the child's Apple Account and what features you can turn off. Pairs well with Apple's official page.
Verizon launches Gizmo Watch 4 for kidsVerizon · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8Verizon's July 2026 launch of its kids' smartwatch: location tracking, safe zones, school mode, up to 40 trusted contacts, no social media or web browser. Retail about $180 plus a $10 monthly line. Company announcement.
Gizmo Watch 4 by Verizon is a kid's first wearable, not a phoneThe Gadgeteer · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8A tech site's look at the Gizmo Watch 4, including its Gizmo AI voice assistant, battery life and parent app. Helpful for deciding whether a watch is enough before a first phone.
Fitbit Ace LTEGoogle · 2024 · Tool · Paid · Ages 8–12Google's kids' smartwatch for ages 7 and up that turns movement into game play, plus calls, messages and location through the Fitbit Ace app. Needs a monthly Ace Pass plan. No open internet or social apps.
TickTalk 6TickTalk · 2026 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A GPS phone watch for ages 3 to 12 with voice and video calls, texting, SOS and parental controls; no games, social media or internet. $169.99 plus a service plan. A video camera on the wrist, so set who can call.
Xplora kids smartwatchesXplora · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8A Norwegian brand popular in Europe and now the U.S., selling GPS phone watches such as the XGO3 ($129.99) with calls, messages and step-based rewards. Needs a SIM plan. No open internet.
SpacetalkSpacetalk · 2016 · Tool · Paid · Ages 5–8An Australian kids' smartwatch with calling, GPS, SOS and a parent app, also sold in the U.S. and UK. Plans required. One of the older names in the category; check carrier compatibility where you live.