Artificial Intelligence (AI) in early childhood education: Curriculum design and future directions

University faculty of education

Hong Kong SAR, China

Corresponding author-led curriculum synthesis

• In-school (K–12)

Thematic curriculum review aligned to Scott-style curriculum dimensions

N/A (analytic paper)

Kindergarten-focused population in recommendations

Examples include social robots, PopBots-style tools, simple programming environments in cited work

• Lack of standardized ECE AI curricula globally
• Kindergarten AI differs sharply from secondary programming-heavy models
• Need clearer assessment frameworks for very young learners
• Teacher preparation for PBL-based AI still emerging

Kindergarten / early childhood

Increasing exposure to smart toys and tablets

Minimal; basic CT scaffolding as bridge

• Map curriculum components for AI in kindergarten
• Propose three-competency AI literacy framing (knowledge, skill, attitude)
• Identify high-leverage methods (e.g., social robot companions) from literature

• Recommend problem-based learning for group AI projects
• Connect to international K-12 AI guideline movements

• Not a new empirical classroom experiment reported here
• Not a quantitative meta-analysis
• Not a policy audit of one nation’s mandate

Social robots and programmable learning companions (literature-cited)

• Tutor
• Co-creator

Varies by cited programs

• Playful scaffolding of AI concepts
• Pair and small-group work under PBL framing in recommendations

• Ethical use of robots recording child interaction
• Balance excitement with accurate capability descriptions
• Inclusive grouping for PBL tasks

• Review international AI education standards context
• Decompose curriculum into goals, content, methods, assessment
• Synthesize tools and methods with strongest reported influence
• Propose PBL-forward future directions

• Teachers design driving questions and assess learning; AI tools illustrate concepts

• PBL for collaboration and critical thinking
• Robot-mediated explanations and tangible manipulation

• Insufficient consolidated strategies for AI teaching specifically with young children
• Gap between CT integration policy momentum and AI-specific pedagogy

• Four-dimension curriculum lens adapted from general curriculum theory to AI in ECE
• Explicit triad competency model for AI literacy

• Documents benefits cited from prior studies (CT, problem solving, inquiry skills)

• Supports feasibility of basic AI knowledge gains with well-designed materials

Positions PBL as a promising future direction while noting need for systematic early AI curriculum and assessment guidance.

• Robot and app data privacy in kindergarten settings
• Fair access to robotics kits across schools
• Academic integrity less central than safety and developmental appropriateness
• Transparent communication with families about AI activities

• Activity documentation
• Practitioner observation

• Develop and test PBL-based ECE AI units with validated instruments
• Compare robot-first vs unplugged-first progressions

• Kindergarten AI curriculum
• Problem-based learning
• Educational robotics

• Completed

Kindergarten

ECE

Concepts + simple ML + attitudes

PBL-oriented recommendation

Medium

Medium