Help your child with homework (without doing it for them)

beginner⏱ Rough guide only: 15 minutes a session

Last reviewed by Amara Lewis

How can AI help me help my child with homework?

Describe the homework to Claude or ChatGPT, ask it to explain the idea to you simply, then ask for hint questions so your child works it out themselves. Check the school's AI policy, and remember many AI tools set minimum ages for direct use.

Copy-and-paste prompt

Swap the bits in [square brackets] for your own details.

My child is [age] and stuck on this homework: [describe or paste the question]. Explain the idea to ME first in simple terms, then give me 3 hint questions I can ask to help them work it out themselves. Don't give the final answer.

How to do it

  1. Open Claude or ChatGPT and start a new chat.
  2. Copy the prompt below and replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
  3. Read the answer and ask follow-up questions to adjust it.
  4. Check anything important yourself, then save or print the result.

What a good answer looks like

Illustrative example written by the AI My Day team to show the kind of answer you can expect. Real results vary.

The idea (for you): Equivalent fractions are different-looking fractions that are the same amount, like 1/2 and 2/4. You multiply or divide top and bottom by the same number. Hint questions: 1. If you cut a pizza into 2 and eat 1 piece, how much is left? What if it was cut into 4? 2. What happens if we double both numbers in 1/2? 3. Can you draw 3/6 and see if it matches 1/2?

Recommended tools

Both can explain at a child's level and ask guiding questions instead of giving answers.

Claude

An AI assistant known for clear, natural writing and handling long documents.

Free planbeginner

ChatGPT

A general-purpose AI assistant you can chat to by typing, talking or sharing photos.

Free planbeginner

Top tips

  • Check the school's policy on AI use.
  • Supervise younger children's use of AI tools.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child use AI directly?

Check each tool's minimum age and your school's policy, and supervise.

Won't AI just give the answer?

Ask it explicitly for hints only, as in the prompt.

Useful sources

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