Choose AI tools with confidence
AI is appearing in more learning tools every month. This pathway gives parents a clear, practical process for judging any AI tool — before you sign up, before you pay, and before you hand it to your child.
Is this tool helping my child learn or doing the learning for them?
The AI learning tool buying journey
Most parents go through the same six stages when a new AI learning tool enters their family's life. This pathway helps you ask the right questions at every stage — so you stay in control of what your child is using.
Discovery
You hear about a tool or your child asks to try it.
Pre-engagement
You look at what the tool claims to do.
Before sign-up
You check the terms, privacy policy, age rules, and data use.
First use or free trial
You watch how the tool behaves in real learning.
Payment decision
You decide whether to pay, pause, limit, or stop.
Long-term use
You review whether the tool is still helping.
- What is this tool really for?
- Who is meant to use it?
- What information does it collect?
- Does it help with thinking before providing answers?
- Can my child explain what they have learned?
- Can I see what help the tool gave?
- Does this fit school expectations?
- What would make us stop using it?
What is the Choosing AI Tools pathway?
An 11-lesson programme for parents of children aged 5–12 who want to judge AI learning tools wisely. You don't need to be a technical expert. You need a clear process for asking the right questions at the right time.
🔍 Beyond the marketing claims
AI learning tools promise personalised learning, instant support, and easier homework routines. They may also collect data, give unreliable answers, encourage too much dependence, or make it harder to see what your child has actually understood. This pathway helps you look past the claims.
- 📋 Evaluate any tool - a repeatable process that works for maths apps, writing tools, tutors, and more
- 🔒 Check privacy and data - understand what a tool collects about your child before you sign up
- 👁️ Watch for dependency - spot the signs that a tool is replacing your child's thinking, not supporting it
- 💬 Use AI as a parent - use a free chatbot to scrutinise app claims, compare tools, or build a trial checklist
- 📅 Review long-term - know when to keep a tool, limit it, or stop it altogether
You don't need to become a tech expert
You need a clear process for asking the right questions. By the end of this pathway, you'll have a simple way to decide whether any AI learning tool is suitable for your child, your family, and the kind of learning you want to protect.
This is a skill you'll use many times as your child's education moves on and their learning needs change.
Who is this pathway for?
Parents of children aged 5–12 who want to make better decisions about AI learning tools — without having to become technology experts to do it.
🛍️ Parents whose child has asked to try a new tool
If your child is asking about an AI homework helper, maths app, or writing tool, this pathway gives you a clear process to evaluate it before you say yes, no, or let's try it.
🏫 Parents whose school is recommending AI tools
If your child's school has started suggesting or using AI tools in learning, this pathway helps you understand what to look for and what questions to ask.
💸 Parents paying for a tool they're not sure about
If you're already subscribed to an AI learning tool and you're not confident it's actually helping your child learn, this pathway helps you evaluate it honestly and decide what to do next.
An important note on age: For children aged 5 to 12, any use of general-purpose AI should be adult-led, directly supervised, and limited. The aim of this pathway is not to hand over learning to AI. The aim is to help you make thoughtful choices, protect your child's privacy, and keep real learning at the centre.
What you'll learn
Each lesson is practical and focused on a real decision point that parents face. Lesson 1 is free. Your progress is saved so you can work through at your own pace.
What caught your attention?
Where are you in the decision journey? Understand the six stages most parents go through — and the single question this pathway keeps returning to.
Free to accessWhat has caught your attention?
Map your starting point in the buying journey and clarify what kind of decision you're actually facing before you go any further.
DiscoveryWhat does the tool claim to do?
Learn to read marketing claims critically — and use a free chatbot to help you compare what a tool promises against what it actually does.
Pre-engagementWho is this tool really for?
Some tools are designed for children. Others are aimed at teachers or older users but end up in family learning. Understand the difference — and what it means for your child.
Pre-engagementWhat does it collect about your child?
Check the terms, privacy policy, and data use before you create an account. Know what questions to ask and how to use AI to help you read the small print.
Before sign-upDoes it fit school expectations?
Understand what your child's school expects around AI use — and how to check whether a tool you're considering aligns with or undermines those expectations.
Before sign-upHow to run a free trial that tells you something
Most parents don't get useful information from a free trial. This lesson gives you a simple checklist so you can actually see how the tool behaves in real learning.
First useIs the tool doing too much of the thinking?
Learn to spot the signs that a tool is completing work for your child rather than helping them learn — and what to do if you see them.
First usePay, pause, limit, or stop?
Use the evidence from your free trial to make a clear, confident decision — with a simple framework that helps you move past uncertainty.
Payment decisionSetting limits that actually work
If you decide to use the tool, how do you set boundaries that hold? Practical approaches to supervision, time limits, and keeping real learning at the centre.
Long-term useReviewing whether it's still helping
How to check in on a tool you've been using for a while — and recognise when the moment to stop has arrived, even if your child disagrees.
Long-term useStart Lesson 1 free.
Full access from £14.99/month.
Register before launch to lock in the founding member price.
- ✓ All lessons of the Choosing AI Tools for Learning Pathway
- ✓ The six-stage buying journey framework - reusable for any tool
- ✓ Privacy and data checklists - know what to check before you sign up
- ✓ Free trial guides, get real information from any trial period
- ✓ Works with free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude
- ✓ Access to the Foundation, Healthy Learning, and SEND Pathways
- ✓ New content added as AILS grows
No payment details needed to join the waitlist. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
You don't need any technical knowledge to follow this pathway — just a willingness to ask better questions before handing a tool to your child.
Do I need technical knowledge to follow this pathway?
No. This pathway is written for parents, not technology specialists. The first lesson introduces everything you need, and all examples use tools you already have access to for free.
What does it cost?
Lesson 1 is completely free with no payment details required. Full access to all 11 lessons costs £14.99/month — which also unlocks the Foundation, Healthy Learning, and SEND Parent Pathways. Cancel anytime.
What kind of tools does this pathway cover?
Any AI-powered learning tool - maths apps, reading tools, writing support, revision apps, creativity tools, homework helpers, and online tutors. The framework is designed to be reusable for any tool you encounter.
Which AI tools does the pathway use?
All lessons and workflows use the free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude as a parent support tool — for things like reading privacy policies or comparing app claims. No paid subscriptions needed.
What ages is this pathway for?
The pathway is designed for parents of children aged 5–12. The parent content is the same regardless of your child's age; the questions and examples are relevant across that range.
What is the founding member price?
Parents who register before launch pay £14.99/month and that price is locked in for as long as they stay subscribed. Once the pathway launches publicly, this price will no longer be available to new subscribers.
My child is already using an AI learning tool, is this still relevant?
Yes. The pathway includes lessons on long-term review and recognising when a tool you're already using is no longer helping. You can start at whichever stage of the buying journey you're currently in.
How long does each lesson take?
Each lesson is short and focused. Your progress is saved so you can work through the pathway at your own pace — or return to specific lessons whenever you're facing a new decision about a tool.
Know exactly what to look for
before your child asks again.
Lesson 1 is free. Register before launch to lock in the founding member price of £14.99/month and get a clear, reusable process for judging any AI learning tool that comes your family's way.
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