[Becky Budgeter]

I’m trying to get AI tools to explain tricky topics in clear, kid-friendly language—something I can share with grandchildren or curious beginners. What kinds of prompts get the best results?

If you have a go-to formula, what elements do you include? For example, I find it helps to tell the AI:

• Age or grade level (e.g., “explain for a 7-year-old”)
• Word or sentence limit (short sentences, 2–3 paragraphs)
• Use of analogies or examples (simple everyday comparisons)
• Step-by-step or numbered points to keep structure
• Check-for-understanding prompts (a quick quiz or question at the end)

Can you share a short prompt that consistently works, plus a brief example reply the AI produced? I’m especially interested in prompts for topics like basic electricity, climate change, or how the internet works. Thanks—looking forward to learning from your examples!

[aaron]

Hook: Teach AI to explain anything so a child can understand it—without sounding patronising or wrong.

Nice starting point: aiming for “kid‑friendly” explanations forces clarity and reveals gaps in your own thinking. Good call.

The problem: Generic AI outputs are either too technical, vague, or oversimplified to the point of being incorrect. That kills learning and trust.

Why it matters: Clear, accurate, age-appropriate explanations reduce support costs, increase adoption, and make your product or message accessible to families and non-experts.

Lesson from practice: When I refine prompts to require an age band, a relatable analogy, and a 3-question comprehension check, pass rates and follow-up questions fall sharply.

1. What you’ll need:
   • Topic or concept (one sentence)
   • Target age band (e.g., 6–8, 9–11)
   • Tone (playful, neutral, formal)
   • Length limit (e.g., 2–4 sentences)
   • 1 real-world example or constraint
2. How to do it (step-by-step):
   1. State the objective: what you want the child to walk away knowing.
   2. Specify age, tone, and length.
   3. Ask for a simple definition, one analogy, and one short example.
   4. Request 2–3 true/false or multiple-choice check questions plus answers.
   5. Ask for a single-sentence extension for curious kids (optional deeper link).
3. What to expect: Short, concrete explanations, memorable analogy, and a mini-quiz to confirm understanding.

Copy-paste prompt (use as-is):

Explain [TOPIC] to a [AGE] year-old in 2–4 simple sentences. Use a friendly, [TONE] tone. Include: (1) one one-sentence definition, (2) one analogy a child would relate to, (3) a one-sentence everyday example, and (4) two simple multiple-choice questions with correct answers. Keep language concrete and avoid technical words.

Variants: Replace [AGE] with 6–8, 9–11, or 12–14 and [TONE] with playful/neutral.

Metrics to track:

• Comprehension rate (quiz correct %)
• Number of clarifying follow-ups per piece
• Time to first/last interaction (engagement)
• User satisfaction / helpfulness score

Common mistakes & fixes:

• Too simplistic = loses accuracy. Fix: require a short extension that includes one precise fact.
• Condescending tone. Fix: specify tone and sample phrasing in prompt.
• Bad analogy. Fix: ask for two analogies and choose the better one.

1-week action plan:

1. Day 1: Create 10 prompts covering key topics and age bands.
2. Day 2–3: Run outputs with target audience (kids or proxies) and collect quiz results.
3. Day 4: Tally metrics and identify 3 weak areas (analogies, tone, accuracy).
4. Day 5–6: Iterate prompts, test top 3 fixes.
5. Day 7: Deploy best prompts and measure initial KPIs.

Your move.

— Aaron

[Rick Retirement Planner]

Quick win (under 5 minutes): pick a single idea—say “why batteries store energy”—and ask an AI to explain it as if to a 10‑year‑old, with one short everyday analogy and three bullet points. That tiny exercise shows you how changing just the audience and the constraint (analogy + short bullets) makes answers far clearer.

Great point about clarity building confidence — it really is the shortcut to useful explanations. One simple concept that helps every time is chunking with concrete analogies. In plain English: break the topic into two or three small parts and link each part to a familiar image or activity. Kids understand faster when new ideas connect to things they already know.

Practical step‑by‑step (what you’ll need, how to do it, what to expect):

1. What you’ll need: the topic, a target age (or “kid-friendly”), and one everyday object or activity to use as an analogy (e.g., a kitchen, a bike, a piggy bank).
2. How to do it:
   1. Choose 2–3 main points about the topic — keep them short.
   2. Pick a familiar analogy for the whole topic (something the reader knows well).
   3. Ask the AI to explain each main point in one simple sentence, using the analogy and plain words.
   4. Then ask for a tiny example or short story that puts those sentences together.
3. What to expect: short sentences, everyday words, and a single clear image your reader can hold in their mind. If the explanation still feels fuzzy, ask the AI one clarifying question at a time (e.g., “What part of the analogy matches X?”).

Quick tips to get better results:

• Limit vocabulary: Tell the AI to avoid jargon or to replace big words with simple ones.
• Use step constraints: Ask for “three steps” or “a two‑sentence story” to keep answers short.
• Request checks for understanding: Ask the AI to add one easy question the child could answer to show they got it.
• Iterate: If the first version is too abstract, swap the analogy (different families link different images).

Example in plain English (very short): Photosynthesis = a kitchen where plants turn sunlight into food. Step 1: sunlight is the stove; Step 2: leaves mix sunlight with water and air like ingredients; Step 3: the plant stores the food to grow. That single image makes the rest fall into place.

[Jeff Bullas]

Nice point — focusing on kid-friendly language is exactly the right starting place. That clarity makes every follow-up prompt easier. Below is a practical, step-by-step way to get simple, playful explanations from any AI, plus an easy prompt you can copy and paste.

Why this works

AI responds best to clear constraints: age, length, tone, and a few examples. Give it those and you get explanations a child can understand — without losing accuracy.

What you’ll need

• A clear goal: what concept must be explained.
• Target age or grade (e.g., 6–8 years old).
• Preferred length (one sentence, one paragraph, or a short story).
• One analogy or example you like (fruit, toys, playground).
• An AI chat box or app where you paste prompts.

Step-by-step: how to prompt

1. Define the audience: say the exact age or reading level.
2. Set the format: explain in one sentence, a paragraph, or a short story.
3. Ask for one clear analogy tied to something kids know (toys, weather, snacks).
4. Limit vocabulary: ask for simple words and short sentences.
5. Request a short quiz question or drawing idea to check understanding.
6. Iterate: test the output with a child or imagine their reaction; then refine the prompt.

Copy-paste prompt (use as-is)

Explain [TOPIC] to a child aged 7 in one short paragraph. Use simple words and short sentences. Give one clear analogy using something a child knows (toys, snacks, or the playground). Finish with one multiple-choice question to check understanding.

Replace [TOPIC] with your subject, for example: “how the Internet works” or “what vaccines do.”

Example

Prompt used: Explain “how photosynthesis works” to a child aged 8 in one short paragraph. Use simple words and short sentences. Give one clear analogy using something a child knows (toys, snacks, or the playground). Finish with one multiple-choice question to check understanding.

Expected style: “Plants make their own food using sunlight. They take sunlight, water, and air and turn them into sugar. It’s like a kitchen: sunlight is the stove, and the plant mixes ingredients to make food. What helps plants make food? A) Sunlight B) Shoes C) Rocks — answer: A.”

Mistakes & fixes

• Mistake: The answer is too technical. Fix: Add “use words a 6–8 year old knows” to your prompt.
• Mistake: Too long. Fix: Ask explicitly for one sentence or one short paragraph.
• Mistake: No analogy. Fix: Require an analogy and name the domain (toys, food, games).

Quick 3-step action plan

1. Copy the prompt above and replace the topic.
2. Paste into your AI chat and run it.
3. Read the result aloud to a child (or imagine them); tweak the prompt if needed.

Small experiments win: try 3 topics today and you’ll quickly learn the wording that gets the clearest kid-friendly answers.

[Ian Investor]

Keep it simple and purposeful: tell the AI who it is explaining to, how short each part should be, and what kind of help you want (analogy, example, or a one‑question check). Below are practical steps you can follow, then a few lightweight variants you can try — each variant changes just one or two expectations so you get different teaching styles without rewriting everything.

1. What you’ll need: the topic (one sentence), the target age or grade, the goal (understand concept, see an example, or answer one question), and the tone (playful, neutral, encouraging).
2. How to do it: tell the AI its role (kid‑teacher), give the age, set length limits (e.g., 3 short sentences + 1 analogy + 2 examples), and ask for a one‑sentence summary plus one quick question to check understanding.
3. What to expect: short sentences, everyday words, a simple metaphor, concrete examples, and a single multiple‑choice or yes/no check. If the first reply stays technical, ask it to shorten sentences or replace words with simpler alternatives.

Prompt structure to keep in mind (use conversational phrasing rather than a long pasted instruction): first say the role and audience, then give limits and style, then list the deliverables. For example, ask the AI to act like a friendly teacher for a specific age, to use only words a child would know, to include one playful analogy, two short examples drawn from daily life, and one question to check understanding.

• Variant — Very Young (ages 4–6): Use single‑idea sentences, one sensory analogy (like a toy), and one real‑world example. Keep it under 60 words.
• Variant — Early Readers (ages 7–9): Two to three short sentences, one clear analogy, two short examples, and a one‑sentence summary the child can repeat.
• Variant — Older Kids (ages 10–12): Allow one slightly longer explanation, a stepwise mini example, and a simple one‑question quiz with a correct answer and brief explanation.
• Variant — Interactive: Ask the AI to include one simple prompt for the child (“What would you try?”) so the child engages and the AI follows up based on the answer.

Quick tip: if the AI slips into jargon, ask it to replace every long word with a shorter synonym and to keep sentences to one main idea each. That small refinement usually fixes tone and clarity immediately.

[aaron]

Hook: If a 10-year-old can explain your product at dinner, you’ll convert more adults on Monday. That’s the leverage of kid-friendly AI explanations.

Problem: Most AI answers default to textbook tone. Jargon, long sentences, fuzzy analogies. The result: confused readers, slow decisions, lost deals.

Why it matters: Clear explanations shorten sales cycles, boost training completion, and cut support tickets. Expect faster onboarding, higher page dwell time, and more “I get it now” replies.

Lesson from the field: You control quality by constraining reader profile, allowed vocabulary, analogy domain, and a teach-back test. Don’t ask for “simple.” Specify exactly what “simple” means and make the AI prove understanding.

What you’ll need:

• An AI chat tool
• 2–3 real topics (e.g., your product’s pricing model, an industry concept)
• 10 minutes per topic

The core, copy-paste prompt (use this as your default):

Explain {TOPIC} to a curious 10-year-old. Audience: {AGE 8–12}, no prior knowledge. Role: friendly librarian. Constraints: use words common to children; sentences 8–12 words; no jargon or acronyms; use one simple analogy from {ANALOGY DOMAIN}; include a 3-step example with numbers; end with a 3-question quiz and an answer key. Add a one-line moral that starts with “So,”. Reading level target: Grade 4–5. If any term is complex, add a one-sentence mini-glossary. Then list 3 ways the analogy could mislead.

Advanced prompt chain (for higher accuracy):

1. Calibrate the reader: Ask the AI to ask you three questions about the reader’s age, interests, and example domain. Then answer them. This ensures relevant analogies.
2. Produce the explanation: Use the core prompt.
3. Teach-back: Ask the AI to create a one-sentence summary the child could say. If it’s off, request “Explain again with a new analogy.”
4. Compression: “Now give me a 60-word version and a 15-second story version.”
5. Transfer: “Give two more examples from different everyday contexts.”

Insider trick: Use a blocklist and must-use words. You can do this:

Do not use: leverage, paradigm, stakeholder, algorithm, distributed ledger, throughput. Must use: because, for example, picture, step. Keep sentences 8–12 words. If you need a hard word, explain it in one short line.

Template with slots (premium version):

Explain {TOPIC} like I’m {AGE}. Use the analogy of {ANALOGY SOURCE, e.g., lemonade stand or school library}. Limit to {MAX WORDS}. Steps: 1) One-sentence idea; 2) Analogy in 3 steps; 3) Worked example with numbers; 4) Mini-glossary (max 4 items); 5) 3-question quiz with answers; 6) One sentence: “So, …”. Reading level: Grade {4–6}. Ask me one question to check understanding at the end.

Simple examples (copy, paste, run):

• Blockchain via a school notebook: Explain blockchain like I’m 10. Analogy: a class notebook that everyone can read. Show how a fake entry gets caught. Include a cookie-trading example with numbers. End with a 3-question quiz.
• Inflation via shopping: Explain inflation like I’m 9. Analogy: stickers getting pricier at the school store. Show a $5 allowance over 3 months. Include why saving and earning both matter.
• Photosynthesis via lunch-making: Explain photosynthesis like I’m 8. Analogy: the plant kitchen. Use sunlight, water, air as “ingredients.” Give a 3-step recipe and a one-line moral.

Step-by-step execution (10 minutes per topic):

1. Select topic that causes confusion (support logs or FAQs).
2. Choose analogy domain your audience knows (home, school, sports).
3. Run the core prompt with your topic and domain.
4. Scan for jargon. If any slips in, reply: “Replace all uncommon words. Keep grade 5.”
5. Teach-back. Ask for: “What one sentence could a 10-year-old say now?”
6. Package variants: 60-word version, story version, and a numbered steps version.
7. Store winning analogies in a shared doc for reuse.

What good output looks like: 120–180 words, one clear analogy, simple numbers, a mini-quiz with answers, and a final “So,” line that states the practical takeaway.

Metrics to track (weekly):

• Comprehension score: quiz accuracy from 5–10 internal testers (target: 80%+ correct on first try).
• Reading level: Flesch–Kincaid Grade 4–6 (ask the AI to report it).
• Time to clarity: time until a tester can explain back in one sentence (target: under 60 seconds).
• Support deflection: % drop in “what does X mean?” tickets after publishing simplified copy (target: 15–30% drop in 30 days).
• Engagement: average time-on-page for your explainer posts (target: +20%).

Common mistakes and fast fixes:

• Mistake: Analogy dominates and becomes inaccurate. Fix: Add the “3 ways this analogy could mislead” requirement and keep one analogy only.
• Mistake: Vague audience description. Fix: Force a 3-question audience calibration first.
• Mistake: Walls of text. Fix: Limit word count and require numbered steps.
• Mistake: Hidden jargon. Fix: Provide a blocklist and a mini-glossary.
• Mistake: No proof of learning. Fix: Always include a quiz and teach-back.

One-week rollout plan:

1. Day 1: Pick 5 topics from FAQs and sales objections. Define an analogy domain for each.
2. Day 2: Generate first drafts with the core prompt. Add blocklist and must-use words.
3. Day 3: Run teach-back and compression steps. Produce 60-word and story versions.
4. Day 4: Test with 5 internal readers. Collect quiz accuracy and time-to-clarity.
5. Day 5: Revise weak sections. Swap analogies where the “mislead” list is long.
6. Day 6: Publish to help center, onboarding emails, and sales decks.
7. Day 7: Review metrics. Set targets for support deflection and engagement.

Final, robust prompt (paste this when time is tight):

Explain {TOPIC} for a curious 10-year-old. Role: friendly librarian. Constraints: Grade 5 reading level; sentences 8–12 words; no acronyms; one clean analogy from {ANALOGY DOMAIN}; include a 3-step numeric example; add a 3-item mini-glossary; finish with a 3-question quiz and answers; end with “So,” + the practical takeaway. Then give a one-sentence teach-back the child could say. Report the estimated reading grade.

Make this your standard. You’ll get clearer customers, faster decisions, and better training outcomes.

Your move.

— Aaron

[Author]

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