AI for Childminders — Module 2: Using AI for Activity Planning

Sound familiar?

It's Sunday evening. The children arrive at 8am tomorrow...You know what EYFS areas you want to cover — but time is running out.

How do you usually handle this?

I plan in advance during naptime or evenings

I adapt activities on the spot as the week goes on

I reuse the same activities and adapt them week to week

Let's get started →

What is an AI prompt?

Think of it like sending a text message to a very knowledgeable assistant. You tell it what you need — and it responds.

You don't need to be technical. You just need to know what to ask.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF PROMPTS A CHILDMINDER MIGHT USE:

Suggest a simple sensory activity linked to EYFS Physical Development

Write a short parent update about this week's nature theme

Give me 3 outdoor autumn activities for children aged 2–4

Which AI tools can I use? ▾

Next: See it in action →

See it in action

Before you try it yourself, watch how a childminder uses AI to generate an activity plan in under two minutes.

Watch: Using AI for activity planning Screencast video — to be added in production version

The whole process took less than two minutes

The output needed a small edit — AI is a starting point, not a finished product

The prompt was simple and written in plain English

Now you try it →

Your turn — let's try it together

Don't worry — we've written the prompt for you. You just need to fill in the gaps with details from your own setting.

Give me [number] EYFS-aligned activities for children aged [age range], linked to [EYFS area] and themed around [topic]. Keep them simple and suitable for a home childcare setting.

How to use it:

Fill in the gaps using details from your own setting

Copy the completed prompt and paste it into your AI tool

See what it generates

Need inspiration? See examples ▾

Now you try it →

Download Prompt Template [PDF]

Now do it yourself

You've seen it done and tried it with support. This time — just you and the AI. You're ready for this.

YOUR TASK:

Think about next week. What EYFS areas do you want to focus on? What theme or season could you use?Write your own prompt in your own words and paste it into your AI tool Review what the AI generates. Does it make sense for your setting and your children?

Need a reminder? Prompt writing tips ▾

There is no perfect prompt — every attempt helps you get better. Save your AI-generated plan somewhere you can find it. You'll need it for the next screen.

I've got my plan — let's check it →

Let's check your AI plan

Well done for giving it a go. Now let's make sure what AI generated is good enough to use. A great childminder doesn't just use what AI produces — they check it first.

Review your AI-generated plan against these six questions:

Are the activities appropriate for the age group I specified?Do the activities link clearly to at least one EYFS area? Are the activities realistic for my home setting? Is the language clear and professional enough to share with parents? Have I edited or personalised the output rather than copying it directly? Would I be confident using this plan with my children this week?

If you answered yes to most of these — great work. If not, try adjusting your prompt and generating again. That's exactly what experienced AI users do.

See an example of a strong AI-generated activity plan ▾

✓ You've completed Module 2!

Retturn to module Menu→

Download Checklist [PDF]

• Example 1: "Give me 3 EYFS-aligned activities for children aged 1–2, linked to Communication and Language and themed around animals."
• Example 2: "Give me 4 EYFS-aligned activities for children aged 3–4, linked to Physical Development and themed around autumn."
• Example 3: "Give me 2 EYFS-aligned activities for children aged 2–3, linked to Personal Social and Emotional Development and themed around feelings."