What is AI in Education?
AI, otherwise known as Artificial Intelligence, is something we have all heard of by now. Whether it is new to you, or you are already familiar with it, it is important for educators to learn more about this type of technology as it can enhance your teaching and support your learners, ultimately making your life easier! I think it is safe to say that is something we all can appreciate; finding a tool that helps to tackle our to-do lists. According to Southern Methodist University (2025), "AI is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy." What it comes down to is using AI to not only support learning in the classroom, but to find ways to create more personalized, efficient, and enhanced experiences for our students.
Using AI in a Kindergarten Classroom
So what can AI look like in a kindergarten or early elementary classroom? The opportunities are truly endless. Some examples that I will dive more into are differentiation, increased accessibility, and engagement and enhancing play. We know our youngest learners learn best through play-based and hands-on learning, so we must use AI meaningfully when implementing it into our classrooms. We want to support play and make the use of AI purposeful, all while meeting the needs of all students.
Learn more about AI in education here
Differentiation
What I believe to be one of the most beneficial uses of AI as an educator is its' ability to differentiate instruction and create more personalized learning for all. AI can create activities or worksheets based on student needs, as well as create different ideas for centers or small group work that incorporate different skill levels and abilities. AI is also a great tool to create adaptations of assignments with built-in supports or modifications for those students with IEPs.
Here is an example of an activity created with AI using the following prompt:
"Create a center for a kindergarten class working on one-to-one correspondence with numbers up to 10. Include visual supports and tactile objects." The activity was called "Bug Catch and Count," where students use tweezers to place bug manipulatives into small jars to practice one-to-one correspondence and counting within 10. Below are pictures of the supports and ways to differentiate created by AI:
As you can see, AI created various supports for this one activity, including visuals, tactile objects, verbal prompts and cues, and even a challenge version. You can also add more specific supports and modifications for more diverse learners if needed.
Increase Accessibility
Another amazing feature of AI is its' ability to help reach more learners, specifically those with more significant needs, and provide them opportunities in education that they may not have ever had before. In special education classrooms, teachers are often left with limited tools to assist them in adapting curriculum to meet the needs of their students. With AI, we are able to help increase accessibility by creating communication boards for nonverbal students, create visuals such as schedules, first/then cards, token systems for behavior, and create alternate versions of assignments. Just a few examples include generating an assignment that involves matching pictures rather than writing, creating simplified or adapted grade-level texts, or creating songs or movement-based games. "AI technologies offer incredible potential to enhance the education experience for students, empowering them to reach their full potential," (Farrow, 2024).
*communication board created with chatGPT for students who are nonverbal or with communication needs
Engagement & Enhancing Play
Another way AI can be beneficial in a kindergarten classroom is its' ability to increase engagement and enhance play. Again, this is so important as early education is built on play-based learning. We want to make sure we support that as we begin to find new ways to incorporate technology into the classrooms. I think sometimes educators who are not familiar with AI seem to have this fear that technology is "taking over" and will replace the play that our children thrive on so much. However, with research and the right tools, you will quickly learn that AI can do quite the opposite. As we know, "Play-based learning is a teaching approach where children explore, experiment, and discover through play activities - this method recognizes that children learn best when they're actively engaged and enjoying themselves," (Integrating AI with Play-Based Learning in Primary Schools, 2025). With the use of AI, teachers can enhance their dramatic play centers, create coloring pages or worksheets that include student interests, and help students brainstorm ideas for projects. AI can also create stories, images that go along with stories, videos, and can even create chants, poems or songs related to the unit or topic that students are learning about. Like I said before, the options are endless when it comes to using AI to support your classroom.
Here is a video you can show your students to help them learn more about Artificial Intelligence.
What are some ways you currently use AI in your classroom, or plan to use AI in the future?
This was an interesting read!! I have never thought about how AI can be used with younger grades. I'm blown away by these ideas. The ideas about creating visuals and models are great!! I imagine for special education populations this is a game changer. Accessibility is so important, I am glad to hear these platforms provide more opportunity and resources.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The possibilities are truly endless! I am so grateful that technology is where its' at today so that my students have access to so many amazing tools. I am constantly creating pictures and different visuals to print to support my students during lessons to encourage participation and discussion!
DeleteI enjoyed reading how you're highlighting AI's role in differentiation, accessibility, and keeping play at the center especially in kindergarten. The "Bug Catch and Count" center example with built-in visuals, tactile supports, verbal cues, and extensions is spot-on for inclusive classrooms..
ReplyDeleteI've been experimenting with AI and it saves so much time while making things more engaging and specific to individual students. Your point about enhancing play-based learning without replacing it resonates—PE is all about active, hands-on exploration, and AI can help create tailored prompts, stories, or even movement-based games tied to themes.
Keep exploring and pushing the limits with AI!
Yes! AI can be such a time-saver. It's so important to find ways to use it to enhance learning, rather than replace it. I think your ideas of using it with PE are perfect - keeping it active and hands-on, just finding ways to increase engagement! This is what I always keep in the back of mind when using technology in the classroom, how can I make this lesson more engaging? More accessible?
DeleteAI helps me generate lesson ideas, create rubrics, and even make powerpoints; which I go back and polish, of course! It is so useful for formatting and laying out the framework. I also use it to create quick discussion prompts for my inclusive welcome that push critical thinking a little further. Looking ahead, I would love to use AI more intentionally with students, especially for personalized feedback on reflections or goal-setting in PE, where they could analyze their own progress and make adjustments.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using it to create rubrics and to generate ideas. Sometimes I feel like I get "stuck" when lesson planning and teaching the same things year after year. AI is a great tool to use to help generate new ideas or activities, that helps get you thinking in new ways! I also love it for differentiation and leveled questioning. It truly can be such a great tool in so many ways!
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