Purposeful screen time and AI literacy

    Give the screen a small job to do.

    Make a rocket plan, then build the rocket. Nookly is for adults to create something specific with a clear end, then put the device away. Along the way, older kids can learn that AI can be wrong and that people make the choices.

    Image placeholder · Theme hero

    A mother and child holding a paper rocket with a tablet set aside

    Screen to real life

    Together: choose a short preparation window and make a paper-rocket guide.

    Illustrative example

    Start with what they love

    Choose a purpose. Each ends with something to do away from the screen.

    An adult asks · Make then build

    “We want to make a guide for building a cardboard rocket, then go build it.”

    Three possible outputs

    • PrintableStep-by-step rocket guide
    • ActivityLaunch-day checklist
    • StoryThe Rocket We Built on Saturday

    Titles are illustrated examples of what could be made, not finished products. The format labels show the kind of piece.

    A girl sawing a plank while a boy holds it steady at a workshop table

    How Nookly works

    Made in five stepsFrom child to finished thing, in five steps.

    Step one

    First, Nookly gets to know the child.

    Before anything is made, you tell Nookly who this child actually is — how they look, who lives in their house, the friends and pets they talk about, and what they are obsessed with this month. Everything Nookly creates later is built from this one profile.

    Set up once. Reused in everything after.

    • Home

      Mom, Dad and baby brother

    • Best friend

      Chloe from school

    Zara, age 5

    Zara, a five-year-old in a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans

    • Interests

      Dinosaurs, puddles and the colour red

    • Pets

      Biscuit, a very slow tortoise

    Step 1 of 5

    The whole child

    Who’s in chargeCurious about AI. Clear about who’s in charge.

    People choose. People check. People decide.

    Nookly is used by adults. There’s no chat for kids. For older children, making something together is a chance to talk about how AI works, what it gets wrong, and why people minimize unnecessary personal details.

    Adults should review an app’s privacy information and settings before deciding what to provide. Children shouldn’t enter private information independently.

    A finite job
    Pick a clear purpose and a clear end.
    Make together
    Older kids can sit with you while you create.
    Check it
    AI can be wrong. Look for mistakes together.
    Share less
    Leave out personal details that aren’t needed for the activity.
    A girl sawing a plank while a boy holds it steady at a workshop tableA boy reaching for soap bubbles outdoors

    Learning bundles · concepts

    Bundles by ageBundles for every age

    Proposed bundles where the screen has a job and then gets put away. Nookly is a personalized AI learning platform: create one experience on demand, or a Blueprint, a personalized learning plan for a Goal. Ages are a suggested fit, not a rule. Explore ready-made ideas in Nookly’s public children’s learning resource library, the Neighborhood.

    A boy reaching for soap bubbles outdoorsBundle concept

    See inside

    Picture hunt cards — Printed pictures of things to find at home.

    Suggested for ages 2–3

    Make It, Then Play

    A toddler who reaches for the phone at every chance.

    The adult prepares something within a short window they choose; the play happens together offline. No AI lesson at this age.

    Formats

    CardsSongActivityGuide

    Four proposed pieces

    1. 1Picture hunt cards. Printed pictures of things to find at home.
    2. 2Phone goes to sleep song. A short song for putting the device away.
    3. 3Treasure basket. Real objects to explore after the hunt.
    4. 4Adult prep guide. Choose a short preparation window, then play.
    Create your ownProposed · not built yet · no price or availability
    A girl sawing a plank while a boy holds it steady at a workshop table

    Beyond the screen

    Off the screenTake it off the screen

    The point is what happens next.

    1. Paper rocket launch

      Build the rocket from your guide, then launch and measure how far it flies.

      You’ll need: Paper, tape, a straw

    2. Check it in a book

      Find one fact from something you made and check it in a library book.

      You’ll need: A library visit

    3. Park mission

      Take your printed map to the park and hunt for every clue.

      You’ll need: The map, a park

    What’s inside their membership?

    Personalized stories and learning experiences, guided by their family. Work toward a learning goal with a personalized plan, or create something for the moment they’re in.

    • Personalized creations

      Stories, videos, songs, podcasts and activities made around the child in front of them.

    • Learning plans

      A personalized learning plan, called a Blueprint, supports a goal the family chooses and helps the kid achieve it.

    • Resources to explore

      Explore ready-to-use stories and activities, with personalization where available.

    Subscribe now

    Ideas to try togetherIdeas for learning together

    • Guide

      The Screen Has a Job. Then We Go Outside.

      Giving screens a small, finite purpose, and talking with kids about AI.

      Read the article

    • Comparison

      Nookly vs PBS KIDS vs Scratch: Watch, Make, and Take It Into Real Life

      Watching, coding and adult-led making, compared by fit.

      Read the article

    Give the screen one job today

    Make something, then go use it.

    Create something to use offline

    Questions? We love those!