AI, Digital Pedagogy and Personalised Learning in Early Childhood

AI, Digital Pedagogy and Personalised Learning in Early Childhood

Explore how AI and digital tools can support planning, observation and personalised learning in early childhood education. Test practical approaches, critically review AI-generated resources and create playful activities guided by children’s needs and your professional judgement.

Course description

How can digital tools help educators plan thoughtfully, understand children’s learning needs and create meaningful learning experiences?

This practical course explores AI and digital pedagogy in the everyday work of early childhood educators. Drawing on Väike Päike Children’s Club’s experience, it connects activity planning, observations of children’s development and playful learning.

You will practise writing useful prompts, checking AI-generated outputs and adapting activities to different ages, interests and support needs. You will also explore how observations can inform pedagogical decisions, using fictional cases and examples from DigiLa, our child development tracking platform.

Throughout the course, technology serves a clear educational purpose. The focus remains on children’s development, relationships, play and the educator’s professional judgement.

Who is this course for?

Early childhood teachers, pedagogical leaders and heads of settings working with children aged 1–7 who want to use AI and digital tools thoughtfully in their professional practice.

Basic browser and document-editing skills are sufficient. No programming experience is required.

What will you explore?

• Day 1: Pedagogy before technology — choosing tools and understanding accuracy, bias, inclusion and privacy.
• Day 2: AI-assisted planning — writing prompts, evaluating outputs and adapting activities to different needs.
• Day 3: From observation to support — making learning visible, exploring DigiLa examples and planning next steps.
• Day 4: Playful digital pedagogy — combining digital elements with hands-on inquiry, movement and storytelling.
• Day 5: From experimentation to implementation — reviewing your work and developing an action plan.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate an AI or digital tool for a specific early childhood task.
• Create, check and adapt an AI-assisted activity plan.
• Use fictional observation records to identify a learning need and plan a suitable response.
• Design an adult-guided activity combining digital and hands-on learning.
• Develop an implementation plan with practical steps and a way to review its impact.

How will you learn?

Guided demonstrations are followed by practical experimentation, case analysis, collaborative planning and peer feedback. You will build a small portfolio of resources for your own professional practice.

Activities use fictional examples to practise working responsibly with child-related information.

What will you take away?

A tool-selection checklist, a collection of useful prompts, an adapted activity plan, an observation-to-support plan and a practical implementation plan.

What should you bring?

A laptop and charger, basic digital skills and one planning challenge from your work. Please prepare your example without identifiable information about children or families.

Interested in joining us?

Contact us to discuss upcoming dates, your learning goals and participation arrangements.