AI activities for the classroom (for ages 6 to 18)

Practical guide and ideas to use AI in the classroom to create engaging activities for every age

Artificial intelligence is transforming education, and it’s not just about adding fancy robots or futuristic technology.

Today, AI is becoming a practical, everyday tool for teachers who want to design engaging, personalized, and creative lessons. But many educators still ask: How exactly can I use AI in my classroom?

In this article, we’ll explore simple and powerful ways to use AI to create classroom activities for students aged 6 to 18. Whether you're a primary school teacher or a high school educator, you'll find practical ideas you can start using today.

Why use AI in the classroom?

AI tools can:

• Save you time on lesson planning.
• Help personalize learning for different student needs.
• Boost creativity and engagement.
• Support revision and reinforce key concepts.
• Offer new ways to explore difficult or abstract topics.

The best part? You don’t need to be a programmer or AI specialist to get started.

🎒 Ages 6–10: Engaging young learners through play and discovery

1. Interactive story builder with Storymaker Let students co-create stories by choosing characters, settings and actions using the Storymaker tool. You can guide them as a class or let small groups create their own tales. Once finished, students can illustrate their stories, create a more detailed script with dialogues and perform them in front of the class. This activity boosts literacy, creativity, and confidence in speaking.
2. Quiz games to review key concepts Use the Quiz Generator to create playful quizzes based on current topics such as basic math, vocabulary, animals or geography. Organize it as a team challenge, or let students create their own quizzes for their classmates. It’s a great way to review knowledge in an energetic, interactive way.
3. Ask-the-bot: Nature & science edition Build a classroom bot that responds to curious questions like “Why is the sky blue?” or “What do ants eat?” Let students type their questions individually or in pairs. This encourages inquiry-based learning and helps develop digital literacy while exploring science topics in a fun and safe environment.
4. Spelling practice with a custom spelling bot Set up a simple bot that helps students review weekly spelling words. The bot can ask them to spell the word aloud, use it in a sentence, or find a rhyming word. It’s a light, supportive way to reinforce spelling rules without pressure, ideal for literacy centers or individual work.
5. “Today I feel…” check-in bot Begin the day with a classroom wellbeing ritual. Students interact with a friendly bot that asks, “How do you feel today?” and suggests coping strategies or fun classroom roles based on their answers. This fosters emotional intelligence, empathy, and class cohesion from a young age.

📚 Ages 11–14: Learning through interaction, creativity and challenge

1. Debate with a historical or literary chatbot. Use Schoolhub to create a bot that embodies a famous historical figure (like Marie Curie) or a fictional character (like Macbeth). Students prepare questions and “interview” the bot, trying to understand the character's perspective. This helps them engage with history and literature in a dynamic, conversational way.
2. AI-powered escape room. Design a classroom escape challenge where the bot gives out riddles, math problems or history clues students must solve to “unlock” the next stage. You can customize it to any subject or theme — from outer space to ancient civilizations. A collaborative activity that mixes teamwork, logic and subject content.
3. Writing coach bot for English practice. Encourage students to write a paragraph or short story and then refine it using feedback from a writing bot. The bot can help with grammar corrections, suggest better transitions, or propose stronger vocabulary. Students get instant, personalized support — something especially useful in multilingual or mixed-ability classrooms.
4. “Would you rather…?” activity with a twist. Create a fun and critical-thinking version of “Would you rather…?” questions connected to what students are studying. For example: “Would you rather live in Ancient Rome or Ancient Egypt?” Students interact with the bot, choose their answer, and explain why. Ideal as a warm-up or conversation starter.
5. Research helper bot for projects. When students work on projects or presentations, they can use a customized bot to help with definitions, brainstorming, or finding credible sources. It saves time and fosters independence, while ensuring they stay focused and don’t get lost in endless search results. This is great to start teaching the students to make presentations and structure their ideas clearly, while developing critical research skills and learning how to filter relevant information from trustworthy sources.

🎓 Ages 15–18: Supporting autonomy, deeper thinking and real-world skills

1. Simulated job or university interview Create a bot that simulates a realistic interview scenario. Students can choose whether it’s for a job, a university application or a scholarship. The bot asks common questions like “Tell me about yourself” or “What are your strengths?” This helps students gain confidence, practice professionalism and prepare for life beyond school.
2. Personalized exam revision assistant Build subject-specific bots for revision: a math bot that explains equations, a history bot that quizzes key dates, or a biology bot that simplifies definitions. Students can revise at their own pace, get instant explanations, and feel more prepared. It’s like having a personal tutor, available anytime.
3. AI writing lab for essays or reports During essay assignments, students can use a writing assistant bot to brainstorm ideas, develop outlines, clarify thesis statements, or improve clarity and coherence. The bot can suggest paragraph structures and transitions, helping students improve their academic writing skills in a supportive way.
4. Ethics debate with an opinion bot Create a bot that takes a strong stance on a controversial issue (e.g. “AI should replace teachers” or “Fast fashion is unethical”). Students interact with the bot, ask questions, and challenge its viewpoint — then reflect or write their own argument. It’s a compelling way to teach rhetoric, ethics, and debate.
5. Presentation coach bot Before a final presentation, students can practice with a bot that simulates an audience. The bot can ask follow-up questions, give suggestions on tone or structure, and offer feedback on clarity. It’s an effective rehearsal tool, especially for students who feel nervous speaking in front of others.

Tips for getting started

• Start small: Use AI for just one activity or subject to see how it fits your style. You can see how it works and grow from there without getting overwhelmed.
• Collaborate with students: Let them suggest how to use AI. They’ll often surprise you! Collaboration boosts creativity!
• Be transparent: Discuss with students how AI works, and when it’s helpful (or not). Remember this is a tool they need to use and understand, so it’s a learning process.
• Check outputs: Always review AI-generated content for accuracy and appropriateness. In the end, AI is great for creating something but human reasoning is irreplaceable.

Remember, AI doesn’t replace teachers, it amplifies what great teachers do. With the right tools and a little creativity, AI can help you design lessons that are engaging, inclusive and tailored to your students’ needs. Whether you're teaching six-year-olds or preparing teens for their final exams, AI can become a powerful ally in your classroom.

Ready to explore? Start with one small experiment and see where it leads.