AI chatbots can answer questions, explain ideas and help with writing. They can also be wrong, make things up and collect information. Children are curious and will use them, so it's worth setting clear ground rules.
Check the age rules first
Many general-purpose chatbots have minimum ages in their terms of service, and some require a parent or guardian to be involved. Read them before letting a child sign up, and use tools made for children where you can.
Six family rules
1. Never share personal information
No full name, address, school, phone number, passwords or photos. Explain simply: "Don't tell a chatbot anything you wouldn't tell a stranger."
2. It can be wrong. Check.
Chatbots can state false things in a confident voice. Teach children to check important facts in a second source, such as a book, a teacher or a trusted website. A good habit is asking, "How do we know that's true?"
3. Use it to learn, not to skip the learning
Using AI to explain a hard idea is great. Using it to write homework undermines the point. Agree on what's allowed, and ask your child to show how they used it. A useful test: could you explain this answer yourself?
4. Talk to a grown-up if anything feels odd
If a chatbot says something strange, scary or unkind, or asks for personal details, your child should stop and tell you. Make it clear they won't be in trouble.
5. Remember it's not a person
Children may treat a friendly chatbot as a friend. Gently remind them it's a program that predicts words. It doesn't have feelings or real memories of them, and it shouldn't replace talking to people.
6. Use it together at first
For younger children, sit alongside. Ask questions together and talk about the answers. Over time, give more independence in step with their judgement.
Questions to ask your child
- "What did you ask it?"
- "Did the answer seem right? How could we check?"
- "Did it ask you for anything personal?"
- "What did you learn?"
For teachers and parents who want a safer setup
Look for tools designed for children, with content guardrails, no advertising and a parent view of conversations. The buddy chat in Tiny Coderz is designed to steer conversations back to coding and learning and to decline unsafe requests, and parents can see the conversation in the dashboard (see the FAQ and privacy policy). Still, no filter is perfect, so stay involved.
Build the skill, not just the rules
Rules matter, but understanding matters more. Children who know that AI learns patterns from examples and can be wrong are better prepared to use it sensibly as they grow.