Even the youngest children have an incredible gift for imagination. Give them a handful of crayons and a sheet of paper, and, in no time at all, they’ll have created charming drawings that will delight. You’ll be introduced to colourful monsters, kindly robots, prancing unicorns, and pets reimagined. They may also depict family members, perhaps holding hands outside a home surrounded by flowers and love hearts. Each drawing tells a story and gives insights into how they see the world. Now, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), families can bring those stories to life in a simple yet magical way. What’s more, it’s incredibly good fun and the results can be astounding!
Of course, not everyone feels instantly comfortable with the idea of AI, particularly when it comes to young children. Some parents may be uncertain about whether it’s appropriate or necessary for their little ones to use such technology at all. But AI is already part of daily life — and it’s a simple fact that our children will grow up surrounded by it. That’s why it’s far better for parents to be the ones to introduce it, in a safe, creative, and responsible way. Used thoughtfully, AI can become a wonderful way to explore ideas together, igniting children’s imaginations rather than limiting them.
With that in mind, today’s simple home activity helps children see how creativity and technology can work together, showing them that AI can be a tool for art, discovery, and fun — guided, of course, by their parents.
How to Try the Activity at Home
This activity works best as a family project. Begin by letting your child create a drawing — anything they like, from a friendly monster to a robot, a pet dragon, or a family picnic on the moon. Encourage them to use lots of colour and detail, then take a clear photo of the finished drawing — a smartphone’s camera is usually perfect for the task.
Parents can then upload the image to an AI tool*, for example, ChatGPT, CoPilot, Gemini, or DALL-E, then type a simple instruction. For example: “Please turn this child’s drawing of an alien monster into a Pixar-style character with bright colours, soft fur, and a background that depicts a fantasy alien landscape which complements the design.” 
Within a few moments, the AI tool will generate a new image that’s 100% inspired by the child’s original artwork. Given the right instructions — highly-detailed specifics work best — the result will be an incredibly professional-looking version that keeps the child’s original creation at its heart.
The best part comes next: viewing the result together. Children love comparing the two versions, pointing out the similarities and differences, and describing what they see. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk about shapes, colours, textures, and even emotions, encouraging rich language and communication. It’s also a fabulous way to encourage children to think about the small details when they draw or create. AI will usually pick up on these, often resulting in outcomes that will delight and often amuse. Click the fluffy alien image (above/right) for a larger view, or see this post’s top image.
Ideas to Inspire Children’s Imagination
Some children know exactly what they want to draw, while others may need a starting point. You might suggest a dancing robot covered in buttons, a dragon who lives under the nursery slide, or a family of aliens enjoying tea on the moon. 
Perhaps they’d like to reimagine your family pet as a superhero, or picture your home as a castle or rocket ship.
Once the AI version appears, you can build on it by giving the new character a name or inventing a story about their adventures. This turns a single drawing into a wider learning experience that blends art, storytelling, and technology in one. Our accompanying example depicts the child’s simple drawing of a girl reimagined as a puppet.
Why Introduce AI at an Early Age?
Today’s children are growing up in a world shaped by technology. From a tablet used for songs and stories to the smart speaker that answers questions, AI is already quietly present all around our little ones. Introducing it proactively through a playful, artistic activity will help children see technology not as something mysterious or purely functional, but as a creative companion that can bring their own ideas to life.
AI can be a creative companion that can bring children’s own ideas to life.
When a child draws something from their imagination and then watches that drawing transformed into a detailed, lifelike image, it helps them understand that their ideas have power and influence. It’s also a gentle way to begin exploring important early skills such as curiosity, problem-solving, and communication.
This kind of creative exploration connects beautifully with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), especially within the areas of Expressive Arts and Design, Understanding the World, and Communication and Language. It’s learning through play at its best — imaginative, exciting, and entirely child-led.
What Children Learn Along the Way
Although it may feel like simple fun, this activity quietly nurtures a range of valuable early learning skills. Children’s creativity and imagination flourish as they see their original drawings reinterpreted in vivid new ways. Talking about the process helps develop language and vocabulary — for example, they might describe shiny metal, soft fur, sparkly eyes, or colourful rainbow wings.
“AI becomes something that helps them explore and represent their ideas, not something that replaces them.”
Through this kind of activity, they will also begin to understand the role of digital tools in creative expression. AI becomes something that helps them explore and represent their ideas, not something that replaces them. For many children, seeing their work ‘come to life’ also boosts confidence and nurtures a sense of pride. And for parents, it’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, collaborate, and share in the excitement of discovery. For them, too, it may represent a simple, yet powerful, way to begin using AI — and one that’ll delight and surprise them as much as it will a child. Have a go — honestly, it’s huge fun!
Keeping It Safe and Supportive
Because AI tools involve uploading images, this should always be an adult-led activity. Parents should handle the photographing and uploading, and guide children through the results. It’s best to avoid sharing personal details or identifiable features — the focus should stay firmly on the drawing itself.
It’s also helpful to remind children that AI doesn’t always get things right. Sometimes it adds unexpected details or interprets shapes differently. Rather than seeing this as a mistake, treat it as a chance to laugh, guess, and imagine what might have happened. After all, creative surprises are part of what makes learning enjoyable.
Extending the Experience
Once you’ve created your child’s AI-enhanced image, there are plenty of ways to keep the creativity flowing. You might print both versions and frame them together, start a digital scrapbook of your child’s art, or create a picture book where each page features one of their AI-inspired characters. 
The whole family will love these! And, if your nursery welcomes family projects, you could even share some of the images to show how home learning links with classroom creativity.
Encouraging children to describe their pictures, retell stories about their characters, or dream up sequels helps deepen the learning experience while keeping it playful and imaginative.
Looking Ahead
Today’s toddlers will grow up in a world where AI is as normal as the internet or mobile phones are for adults today. By introducing it early in a positive, creative way, parents can help children see it as something friendly and inspiring rather than soulless or intimidating. Learning about technology doesn’t have to mean staring at screens — in this case, the technology simply amplifies a child’s original drawing, using imagination as the true starting point.
“The technology simply amplifies a child’s original drawing, using imagination as the true starting point.”
AI will no doubt play a big role in the world our children inherit. Helping them approach it with curiosity, creativity, and confidence is one of the best gifts we can offer.
So, next time your little one proudly brings you a drawing of a monster, a robot, or a rainbow house, why not explore what happens when you let a touch of AI join the fun? You might both be surprised — and delighted — by what imagination and technology can create together.
“Today’s little artists and inventors will grow up in a world where imagination and technology work hand in hand — and that’s a future worth celebrating.”
Nursery Places at Little Acorns, Hindley Green, Wigan
At Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, we love to see how imagination flourishes in our little ones. Whether children are exploring paint, building blocks, stories, or digital tools, their creativity is always a key element of their learning — and we celebrate it.
Little Acorns invites families to consider a nursery place at this Hindley Green setting near Wigan. We provide high-quality childcare for babies and children up to the age of five, and support funded childcare places for eligible families. Get in touch today to arrange a guided visit, ask a question, or enrol your child for a place — we look forward to meeting you!
We are a nursery in Hindley Green, Wigan, near Bolton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Westhoughton, Atherton, Leigh, Bickershaw, and Tyldesley.
* We have used ChatGPT and CoPilot for our image examples. Free yet powerful versions of these and other AI applications are available on the Internet as well as via its smartphone app. Note that some AI tools and packages may limit the number of uploads and renders to a specific number per hour or day. A paid upgrade is an option if you reach your limit and want to upload more images to transform.
Once summer has gone, observant children will begin to notice a change in the behaviour of wild birds. Many of our feathered friends will begin migrating to warmer locations, evidenced by often noisy flocks heading south overhead. Those that stay in the UK, like robins and blackbirds, will soon find that all the wild berries, seeds, and grubs have been eaten — food becomes scarce as remaining supplies disappear in the run-up to winter. In view of this, wild birds will become more reliant on good-natured humans to ensure they still have enough food to eat over the colder months.
This simple type of bird feeder is quick and easy to make. Simply thread string or gardening twine through the outer husks of unroasted monkey nuts to form a garland. Holes can be made in the monkey nut husks using a small matchstick. Alternatively, if using something sharp like a darning needle, an adult should make the holes so that little ones don’t hurt themselves. Once a whole chain of monkey nuts is in line along the string, the ends can be tied between twigs, branches, or bushes, so the nuts dangle in a stretched arc. Blue tits will love pecking at the husks to get to the nuts inside!
Apple bird feeders are by far the most simple to accomplish. In essence, they are simply an apple either dangling from a tree, bush, or fence, or are held high in the air from underneath by a vertical bamboo cane pushed into the ground. Whether the apple is dangled by string or held aloft by a cane, it’s best to expose some of the apple by removing some of the outer skin, so birds have a weak spot to begin feeding on. Check the apple daily to ensure it does not go mouldy; discard if so – mould can be dangerous to birds. (Adults should also supervise* children to keep them safe around hazards and other possible dangers, of course).
These bird feeders are extra fun because little ones can decorate them! You’ll first need an empty juice or milk carton. With help from an adult, rectangular or arc-shaped flaps should be cut on 3 or 4 sides of the carton, ensuring the bottom of the rectangle or arc is not cut. Crease and fold the flaps out at that lowest point, as shown in our example. The flaps provide a landing platform for birds, as well as access to the inside. That’s where the birdseed will go when the feeder is complete. After painting the exterior with a nice design and leaving it to dry, the carton bird feeder can be suspended by a string. This can be attached at the top, for example, by trapping it with the carton’s lid. Fill with birdseed to the level of the open flaps once suspended in place.
Pine cone bird feeders are great fun for children! You first need to forage outdoors for a large pine cone. Ideally, it needs to have its many splines open, although that’s not critical. Children should smear peanut† butter all over the pine cone, ensuring it gets pushed into the cone’s many crevices. The whole thing should then be rolled around in a bowl of bird seeds, which will then stick to the sticky covering that was just applied. The completed pine cone bird feeder can then be suspended by string outdoors, somewhere suitable for the birds (usually at least 1.5m off the ground but under the protection of a tree canopy or similar so that feeding birds avoid attack from predators like sparrowhawks).
Seed cake bird feeders are a firm favourite for children to make. They’ll need some small, empty pots — plastic flowerpots would be perfect. With adult help, attach a string or garden twine to the base of the pot(s), for example, by threading it through the flowerpot drainage holes, and secure with a knot. Ensure that most of the string is left on the outside of the pot. Next children will need to mix bird seed in a suitable bowl with something to bind it together. For this part, adults will need to help by melting some lard† or beef suet† on the stove for children. They will then need to supervise to ensure it’s cool enough before children have access to it. Once mixed with bird seeds into a thick, gloopy mixture, children should fill the pots. A wooden spoon is perfect for the purpose. Once the mixture has cooled and set, the filled pots can then be turned upside down and dangled somewhere suitable for birds outdoors, for example, suspended high above the ground from a tree branch or on the side of a bush.
There are lots of different seed mixes available and each will attract a different range of birds. Our personal favourites are sunflower hearts, which are available in most supermarkets, garden centres, and online, and robin peanut cakes, which are similarly available. We’ve found them both to be popular food sources, attracting birds like robins, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds, doves, pigeons, nuthatches, starlings, and more. A small amount of grated cheddar cheese is also very popular, especially amongst robins and blackbirds, but must not be allowed to go mouldy (mouldy cheeses are dangerous for birds). We suggest avoiding mealworms, as each represents a little life lost unnecessarily. In any case, we love 
Following May’s 
Children will need some leaves for these ‘leaf art’ activities. We suggest they collect a wide selection of shapes, sizes, and varieties, so they have the flexibility to undertake any of the leaf art activities below. Our 
Whether fresh, dried, or pressed (see below), leaf collages can be used to make wonderful pictures and designs. With a little imagination, leaves can suddenly resemble little trees and landscapes, or be combined into formations that depict a flower head or a graphical design. The accompanying images show a couple of examples to get children’s creative juices flowing.
One of the most straightforward creative activities with leaves is simply to paint and decorate them with coloured paints. Doing so can create highly attractive groups of leaves that are fun and cheerful to look at. Experiment with flat colours or more intricate decorations such as polka dots, stripes, stars, or zigzags. Glue the finished leaves to paper or card once dry to use them as part of a leaf collage (see above).
Leaves and small flowers can be dried, flattened, and kept longer by pressing them. Once pressed and dried, they’re like little works of art in themselves and are quite delightful. They can be kept as bookmarks or keepsakes, or used as art and collage components for some of the other leaf activities outlined today.
Leaf rubbing is a simple yet effective art activity involving leaves. First, simply place a leaf under a sheet of fairly thin paper. Holding the paper still with one hand, children should use their writing hand to rub a crayon, pastel, charcoal stick, or soft pencil lead over the area where the leaf sits, scribbling from left to right in closely aligned lines. A ‘picture’ of the underlying leaf will gradually appear!
Leaf printing is super-easy and fun for little ones. Find a suitable leaf and, using a broad brush or — better still — paint roller, paint the most textured side of a leaf with a thin layer of paint, ensuring it covers the whole side of the leaf. Then, while the paint is still wet, place the painted side carefully over a sheet of blank paper. Without moving its position, press all parts of the leaf down so the paint makes contact with the underlying paper. Another way to accomplish this is to use a clean roller to ‘roll’ over the leaf so it connects the paint with the paper. Carefully remove the leaf and — hey presto — you should have an image of the leaf structure and texture right there on the paper. Try different leaves, various colours, and overlapping experiments to accomplish different outcomes.
Instead of painting or using leaves directly, children can also try to depict them with their own paintings and drawings. These are a good way to encourage children to focus on getting the shape and details correct, fine-tune hand-eye coordination, and bolster technical mark-making skills. And, because children are free to paint or draw however they like, they can let their imaginations run riot and perhaps invent their own leaf shapes, leaf patterns, and natural worlds on paper.
Children can use some of the creative skills they’ve learnt in the activities above to make greeting cards that feature their leaf art. For example, they can forage for heart-shaped leaves and paint them cerise pink to use as part of a simple Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day greeting card. More general greeting cards for other special occasions can also be accomplished using leaves and dried flowers — for example, arranged to depict a leaf or dried ‘bouquet’ on a card sent for a birthday.
One of the most widely accepted truths among professionals involved in ‘early years’ education is that play is incredibly important to children. That’s not just because it comes naturally to them and is fun; play is the key tool through which children learn about themselves, each other, and the world around them. Indeed, the act of playing benefits children in a wide array of profoundly beneficial ways, including socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. With that in mind, today’s post highlights some of the many benefits of play to children, particularly in their early years. So, if you have a child under five, take a look and you’ll soon see why encouraging your little one to play in a variety of ways will bring out the very best in them and help set them up for life.
One of the most obvious things about children’s play is that often it gets them exerting themselves physically, as they run, climb, jump, make, create, and construct. Such activities help them to master gross and fine motor skills, balance, movement, and coordination. All such skills are enhanced significantly through play and are a fundamental building block of children’s development.
Right from an early age, the act of playing helps in the development of young minds and even contributes to the rapid growth of new connections in the brain. This is true even for babies, whose key tool to learn about the world is through play, as they explore with their senses as well as by reaching out to grasp toys and objects around them.
Whether playing with peers or with parents, the need to gradually master communication and language is imperative. Play helps that to happen in the most natural of ways. All the time they’re playing, children are naturally communicating, picking up new vocabulary, learning new phrases, getting to grips with grammar, and so on. Play is indeed a wonderful facilitator of communication and language.
Playing is an integral part of every happy childhood. It’s fun and, put simply, makes children happy. That’s wonderful for children’s emotional and spiritual well-being and the importance of that cannot be overstated.
As we have seen in this article, play benefits children in a completely holistic way. Play enhances their lives through a multitude of benefits that include improved skills and abilities, a deeper understanding of the world and society, solid friendships and the myriad of opportunities that all of that will bring. Play also fosters a deeper love of learning, because play makes learning enjoyable. Indeed, through play, children explore, discover, and learn instinctively — with zero ‘friction’. As such, play should be at the very core of every child’s learning and development journey.
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