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In a rush? Here’s a quick breakdown
The truth is, AI isn’t magic, and it’s not a mindreader. It’s impressive, but to truly tap into its power, it needs clear directions. That’s where the Four-Part Prompting Model comes in.
This simple framework (explained below) helps you craft prompts that are specific, effective, and tailored to exactly what you need — whether you're an AI beginner or a total pro.
Think of your prompt like giving instructions to a helpful assistant who’s smart — but not a mind reader. Here’s what to include:
Let the AI know who it’s pretending to be. This helps the AI frame its response through the right lens. (In this case, child development, early learning - and patience!)
Example: “Imagine you are a teacher in a preschool classroom of 2-year-olds…”
Clearly state what you want it to do. This is the core of your request. Be specific because the clearer the task, the better the result. Simply, the quality of your input directly influences the quality of the output.
Example: “Help me create a weekly activity plan around the theme of transportation.”
Add any helpful details or background. The more context you give, the more personalized, relevant and adequate the output will be, which also means the less time you spend trying to get a useful output. And after all, the benefit of AI is to save you time.
Example: “I have 8 children in my classroom. I’d like a mix of group and individual activities. My center follows a play-based approach, and I want to focus on pattern recognition, communication, literacy, social-emotional learning, and STEM.”
Let AI know how you'd like the information organized. This step saves you editing time later.
Example: “Please break it down by day of the week with each activity as its own bullet point and the learning area it supports in parentheses.”
Pro tip: Save your prompts
Creating a free ChatGPT account lets you save your previous chats, come back to them, and build on what you’ve already created, which is just another way that AI will save you time.
Now that you’ve got the formula, let’s look at 10 example prompts that early childhood educators can use to make planning, explaining, communicating, and documenting a whole lot easier.
Imagine you are a teacher in a preschool classroom of 2-year-olds. Help me create a weekly activity plan around the theme of transportation.
I have 8 children in my classroom, and I’d like a mixture of group and individual activities. My center uses a play-based learning approach, and I want to make sure that throughout the week, we are working on pattern recognition, communication, reading and literacy, social-emotional learning, and STEM.
Please break it down by day of the week, with each activity as its own bullet point, and include the learning area focus for each.
(Need a weekly activity planner? We’ve got a free, downloadable template just for you. It’s editable, so you can copy and paste AI’s answers directly into the template and you can tweak them from there.)
Imagine you are an educator at a childcare center. Help me turn my observation into a clear set of recommended next steps for learning.
Here is my observation:
“A 2-year-old boy in my classroom was building blocks with a peer today, and he was very clearly trying to communicate something. He was pointing as a way to guide the other child on what block to build next.”
My recommended next step is:
“Encourage more verbal back-and-forth through songs, and one-on-one reading to help with word building”
Based on this, can you suggest anything else I might consider or include? Please respond in a few concise sentences.
Important reminder: Avoid using children’s names or identifying information in prompts. Something vague and general like age and gender is okay.
I am a preschool teacher. One of the 4-year-old boys in my classroom has bitten other children three times this week. I’ve known him since last year, and this behavior is very uncharacteristic. I’m beginning to feel concerned that something may be going on at home.
Help me write a short email inviting his parents to meet in person. I don’t want to cause alarm, but I need to communicate a sense of urgency and care. Please keep it to one brief paragraph.
(Here are some more tips to help you feel confident going into those tougher conversations with parents)
Below is ChatGPT’s response when I entered the exact prompt above. It’s a strong start, but I would add my own edits and touches to make it more personal. Also, if I saw the parent recently, I would mention that instead of the general opening, “I hope you’re doing well.”
Imagine you are a childcare center director writing a social media post. I want to share some photos from our center on social media.
Children’s faces or identifying details won’t be visible. Please help me write a caption that:
This will be shared on Instagram and Facebook, so please share captions that would work on both platforms. Also, our center is located in Arlington, VA, so please include a list of relevant hashtags to boost visibility.
(Need some tips on how to have a strong social media presence in order to attract prospective families? It’s all simplified right here for you.)
I am a childcare director planning a family event. I want to host a back-to-school-themed community gathering at the start of the school year.
The event will take place in our outdoor garden, and we’ll have families with children between 6 months and 3 years old attending. Some families are new to the center.
Please suggest age-appropriate activities for this range, ideally with low cost materials. Include a variety of interactive and welcoming ideas for both children and their caregivers.
I am an early childhood educator looking to plan an art activity for toddlers. The goal is to create something that we can display on the classroom walls.
Here are the materials I currently have:
[Insert your list here — e.g., paper plates, googly eyes, cotton balls, glue, paint sticks, etc.]
Please suggest one open-ended art activity using only the materials I’ve listed. Include step-by-step instructions that are toddler-appropriate.
I am a preschool teacher. A 3-year-old girl in my class asked why her peer doesn’t “look like their sibling.”
Help me define adoption in a way that a 3 year old can understand. Keep it brief, simple, and neutral in tone, without adding personal opinions or unnecessary details.
Below is ChatGPT’s response to the exact prompt above. Personally, I feel this is a bit too brief, so I would continue the conversation and ask for the story-style explanation too. You can choose to continue to give prompts, or to add your own expertise to it.
Pro tip: For more sensitive subjects like adoption, I’d also recommend that you ask the AI for links of organizations that you may look to for more information.
This week in my preschool classroom, we are reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I’d like to plan a few simple, themed hands-on activities to go along with the book.
Please suggest 3–5 activities, using no more than 5 materials each. Include step-by-step instructions, and make sure they’re suitable for toddlers.
I am a teacher at a childcare center, and I’ve worked here for 7 years. I’d like to talk to my director about the possibility of moving into an assistant director role.
Please help me write an email requesting a time to talk about my professional development and next steps. Then, write out a few ways I could bring up the topic during the in-person conversation.
I have a good relationship with my director, but I’m a little nervous because we haven’t discussed my career goals much before.
I’m a new childcare director, and I’m preparing to host an open house for prospective parents and families.
My center serves children from 6 months to 5 years old, and we’re located in a city neighborhood with a mix of working families and first-time parents. I want to be as prepared as possible for tougher or less obvious questions that families might ask during the event — beyond the basics like “What curriculum do you use?”
Please give me a list of thoughtful, uncommon questions that parents may ask so I can prepare well-informed responses.
Below is ChatGPT’s response to the above prompt. This is even more detailed than I had expected, which shows that I wasn’t super clear in the format. I only wanted the questions, and I would prepare for them myself. However, this is still helpful information, and it would be interesting to see if any of these tips on how to prepare are different from what you would have done. Whether you agree or not, it provides a new perspective to consider!
(Plus, check out these tips on how to host an unforgettable open house!)
We definitely encourage you to have some fun testing AI out! Copy and paste any of the prompts above, or create your own, and see if you’re happy with the response. Try asking it to give you different variations on its first answer to see if the outputs improve as you add more context, and are clearer on what you want.
As always, your added expertise and personal touch will always be needed. AI isn’t perfect. It is always on humans to use it responsibly.
After receiving an answer, ask yourself:
At Famly, we believe in the power of AI to save educators time, spark new ideas, and support high-quality early education. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini can be incredibly helpful — whether you're crafting a lesson plan, writing family updates, or reflecting on a child’s development.
But let’s be clear: AI is here to assist, not replace.
No technology can replicate the warmth of a reassuring hug, the magic of a spontaneous conversation, or the deep understanding that comes from truly knowing a child. The personal connections, responsive relationships, and intentional care you provide every day are what truly shape children’s growth and learning.
Think of AI as one more tool in your toolbox — not the teacher, but a helpful assistant working behind the scenes so you can focus on what matters most: being present, human, and wholeheartedly there for your children.
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