Teach your kid to build like an entrepreneur — for real people, using AI.
Like many parents today, I worry about how AI will impact my
kids’ futures. Given I can’t predict what jobs will exist
or not, I encourage them to be entrepreneurial problem solvers who
can create their own opportunities. When kids practice building with
AI, they grow skills and confidence they can use in a job, a service
project, or at home. A kid’s portfolio of work will matter as
much as grades or a resume.
Schools are also figuring out how to teach for a future with AI, and
that will take time. Builder’s First is for parents, coaches and
educators who are unwilling to wait and ready to put in the work to
lead the learning alongside their kids. To make it easier to start, I
created this free kit, refined by lessons from hundreds of volunteer
hours spent designing and hosting past events. Start small at home
with your child, and you’ll be inspired by what you both can
build.
The curriculum teaches kids how to spot a problem, build a solution with AI tools and seek feedback on how to make it better. By the end of the program, your kid will have built a working app prototype (like these kids). The six lessons can be taught in a three-hour block or split into shorter sessions. The curriculum was developed based on my experience at Stanford and as an entrepreneur, and refined by contributions from dozens of volunteers. Like learning any sport or instrument, kids should repeat the process over time to practice building and develop their entrepreneurial mindset.
Hosting plan
how to teach
The hosting plan is customized to your situation, and includes best practice tips based on lessons learned in past Builder’s First events. The Starter Kit saves you time with printable worksheets and guidance for selecting and using AI tools. Start by leading the learning with your kid, then with more kids in your community.
START SIMPLE
Family...at home, on your time
WAYS TO HOST OTHER KIDS
Workshop...one sitting, one cohort
Open House...drop-in stations
Series...short sessions, same group
Free, printable worksheets help you host for under $0.50 per kid.
“
Now that AI does more technical work, kids must practice more
human decisions: who to build for, and why.
Start with a party trick: vibecode a game, show a friend. That's a real and fun on-ramp to inspire kids with what they're capable of. What matters most comes next: building something for someone real, and learning from their feedback.
I worry about setting my kids up for success in an AI-native world, but I don't care about AI for the sake of it. I want them to develop entrepreneurial curiosity
to spot opportunities, confidence
to figure anything out, and grit
to keep improving. No curriculum like this existed. So we created it.
I'm an entrepreneur and product leader with over two decades of experience. My own builder journey
began at Stanford, in a class that simulated launching a startup. That moment opened my mind and sparked my confidence. This starter kit is shaped by that journey and refined by ideas from the Stanford d.school approach, then tested
in events for kids in our own communities.
