AI and Me: Advancing Responsible AI Literacy for Young Children

AI is already part of kids’ everyday lives—showing up in the videos they watch, the apps they use, and the “smart” tools adults rely on. Yet most AI education is designed for older students, leaving families and early-grade teachers with few age-appropriate, trustworthy ways to help young children understand what AI is and how to engage with it responsibly. AI & Me responds to this gap by designing playful, care-centered learning experiences that help K–2 children build early AI understanding and digital confidence—together with the adults who support them.

AI & Me is a research-and-design project that will create, pilot, and study developmentally appropriate “AI & Me Learning Kits” for children in kindergarten through Grade 2—and for the educators and caregivers who guide them. For our pilot project in Spring 2026, we will use a design-based, community-engaged approach, researchers will partner with Buffalo Public School #99’s after-school program and the Buffalo Urban League (BUL) to explore how young children currently think about “smart” technologies and what kinds of activities spark curiosity, reflection, and responsible decision-making. The project will involve after-class AI demonstrations, interactive workshops, and co-design sessions where children, families, and teachers test hands-on activities, share feedback, and iteratively improve the kit materials (e.g., story-based prompts, games, discussion routines, and simple design challenges).

Students who join AI & Me will gain hands-on research experience across school and community settings, with clear, CV-ready outcomes. They will support key phases of data collection—setting up and operating video/audio equipment to capture child–adult interactions, taking structured fieldnotes and reflections, and following IRB-aligned protocols for consent, documentation, and secure data handling. As the project moves into analysis, students will develop skills in video-based observation and coding, artifact content analysis, and data quality assurance (e.g., interrater checks and checklist validation). Students will also contribute to research-to-practice translation by helping create family- and educator-facing resources as part of the AI & Me Learning Kit. Depending on department guidelines, students may be eligible for academic credit. 

• Buffalo Public School #99 (PS 099 Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center): https://www.buffaloschools.org/o/ps99
  A Buffalo Public Schools early childhood center serving PK–4. This is the primary school-site partner where researchers will collaborate with educators and families and connect with children through school-based learning contexts (including after-school programming) to pilot and refine early AI learning activities.
  
• Buffalo Urban League: https://www.bulny.org/
  A long-standing community organization focused on advancing opportunity and quality of life through programs such as education/workforce development, housing, and health/wellness. BUL is the community partner supporting family engagement and community-facing events (e.g., family engagement nights) and helping ensure the work is locally grounded and equity-centered. 

• Complete CITI Human Subjects Research training and Responsible Conduct of Research training.

learning and instruction, early childhood, play, preschool, psychology, education, after-school, AI education