Why Children Need Social Storytelling, Not AI

Reading Girl by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, via Wikimedia Commons

We were intrigued to read about the recent initiative to bring Beatrix Potter into the AI age through the Yarn app, as reported in The Bookseller. It’s always exciting to see new ways of sparking imagination in young readers, and there’s no doubt that creative technologies like this have their merits. But it also raises an important question: how can we ensure we’re encouraging creativity in children in ways that nurture real-world connection and collaboration?

The imagination of young children is a marvellous, boundless thing. At that age, their minds are already alive with stories, drawing inspiration from books, conversations, play, and everyday experiences. A simple bedtime tale or a chat around the dinner table can ignite an avalanche of ideas, leading to invented characters, fantastical worlds, and thrilling adventures that are uniquely their own.

While AI-powered tools like Yarn can undoubtedly offer structured prompts and interactive engagement, we worry that over-reliance on such technologies at a tender stage of development could stifle one of the most essential aspects of storytelling: sharing. Stories are best when told in a social context, when they’re enriched by the voices, reactions, and perspectives of others. There’s a certain magic in a parent and child weaving a tale together or a group of friends inventing a fantastical adventure in the garden.

We fear that the use of electronic and AI-based technologies as a primary means of fostering creativity in young children could inadvertently encourage a sense of creative isolation. By reducing opportunities for shared storytelling, these tools might miss a crucial element of what makes imagination such a vibrant and communal part of childhood.

What children truly need is encouragement—time, attention, and the freedom to let their minds wander. Technology can play a role, but it should never replace the irreplaceable: the warmth of human connection and the spark of a shared idea.

At P-Wave Press, we believe in the power of storytelling as a way to connect, inspire, and grow together. Let’s keep encouraging children to share their ideas in real-life social settings, fostering creativity that’s rooted in collaboration and joy.

What are your thoughts on using AI to spark creativity in children? Join the conversation and share your views in the comments or on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky.