The AI Daily Brief: 10 Holiday-Themed Kids AI Activities

Host: Nathaniel Whittemore (NLW)
Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special Thanksgiving edition of The AI Daily Brief, host Nathaniel Whittemore (NLW) sets aside the usual news updates to share "10 Holiday-Themed Kids AI Activities." Focused on sparking creativity in younger children (ages 4–7, but applicable for many families), NLW presents a selection of fun, wholesome projects families can do together during the holiday season—each leveraging modern AI tools to unlock creativity, reflection, and, most importantly, holiday spirit. The episode provides step-by-step suggestions, prompt tips, and personal stories, making it both practical and heartwarming.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Magic of AI for Children and the Holidays

• NLW believes AI can be "an incredibly creativity unlocking tool for kids" (01:22).
• Emphasis on preparing children for a world shaped by AI: "They are going to grow up in this world with these tools. ... The one constant is that these tools will be there and they will need to know how to use them." (01:54)
• The activities are designed for younger kids, mainly ages 4–7, and aim to model values like gratitude and giving.

2. Activity #1: Year-in-Review Magic – Kid-Authored Interactive Website

(Starts at 03:30)

• Create a digital scrapbook using AI coding tools (e.g., Replit, Gemini 3).
• Process: Ask your child prompts about their favorite moments, lessons, and gratitude; feed responses into the coding platform; choose a child-themed vibe ("Rainbow Detective," "Snow Dragon," etc.).
• Prompt Tips:
  • Add a child’s favorite color palette.
  • Opt for illustrations, not hyper-realistic images.
• Memorable Quote: "Ultimately what it turns into is a kind of digital scrapbook. Kids get to see their ideas and experiences turned into a website. Parents get a keepsake without spending hours designing." (04:28)

3. Activity #2: Gratitude Coloring Book

(Starts at 06:00)

• AI generates coloring pages based on things the child is grateful for, rendered in black and white line art.
• How-to: Ask for a gratitude list, use an image model to create consistent line art, print and staple as a book.
• Prompt Tips:
  • Request simple line art with thick outlines.
  • Ensure consistent style across pages.
• Memorable Quote: "You can get hyper specific and niche in terms of your interests in ways that you're not going to find on Amazon when it comes to a coloring book." (06:46)

4. Activity #3: AI-Generated Storybook – Forest of Thanks

(Starts at 08:00)

• Kids become protagonists in their own holiday story, aided by AI to generate a micro story and matching illustrations.
• How-to: Child names animals and picks a moral (helping others, sharing, bravery). AI generates story and art.
• Prompt Tips:
  • Soft pastel, storybook illustration style.
  • "No scary or dramatic conflict" for younger audiences.
• Note: Designed for younger kids, but can be scaled for different ages.

5. Activity #4: Printable AI Holiday Cards to Color

(Starts at 10:16)

• Use AI to generate customizable, black and white holiday cards for kids to color and share.
• How-to: Child selects themes (the weirder, the better). AI creates outlines. Print on cardstock.
• Prompt Tips:
  • Thick outlines; consistent or experimental styles.
• Memorable Quote: “You want snow unicorns? Get snow unicorns. You want hot chocolate robots? Do hot chocolate robots.” (10:55)

6. Activity #5: Kindness Advent Calendar

(Starts at 12:10)

• Interactive, custom 24-day advent calendar where each day features a simple, doable act of kindness.
• How-to: Child chooses a theme and seeds list of kind acts. AI generates the missions and creates a visual display or interactive website.
• Prompt Tips:
  • Tasks should be doable in five minutes.
  • Avoid "guilt-based" prompts—keep it positive and fun.
• Memorable Quote: "[...] instead of getting, we're turning the focus to giving." (13:03)

7. Activity #6: The Underdog Ad Agency – Animal Rescue Poster Project

(Starts at 15:20)

• Child becomes a 'chief marketer' for a long-term shelter pet, using AI to create superhero-style posters or trading cards to help the animal get adopted.
• How-to: Find a shelter animal, brainstorm superpowers, use LLM for fun copy, then generate a themed image (Pixar, K-Pop, etc.).
• Value: “Teaches kids to use these new AI superpowers in the service of others.” (16:33)
• Memorable Quote: "Needs a quiet home becomes The Silent Guardian." (16:15)

8. Activity #7: North Pole Insider Report – Elf Audio Updates

(Starts at 17:25)

• Use AI voice tools (ChatGPT voice mode or 11 Labs) to deliver a playful, personalized "elf report" to the child, reinforcing good actions with magic and detail.
• How-to: Parent feeds info into AI; elf character delivers status update on 'naughty/nice' with specific events.
• Memorable Quote: "Those specific details. Like, 'I saw you share your Legos on Tuesday,' in a character voice is so much more magical than just reading a letter." (18:24)

9. Activity #8: Gratitude Radio Hour – Kid-Hosted AI Podcast

(Starts at 19:12)

• Create a 3–6 minute "mini-podcast" where your child shares their holiday reflections, stitched together and produced with AI tools.
• How-to: Record answers to 2–3 prompts, transcribe and script with AI, add music or SFX with NotebookLM or similar, use AI voice for co-host.
• Value: Creative way to share gratitude and preserve memories.

10. Activity #9: The Living Santa Letter – Animated Kid Art

(Starts at 20:30)

• Transform your child’s letter or drawing to Santa into an animated piece using AI image and video models (e.g., NanoBanana 2, VO 3.1).
• How-to: Photograph the child’s letter/drawing, use image model to turn into an animated infographic or video.
• Value: “The idea is to get that wow factor by having a kid's drawing or writing turn into something that moves.” (21:03)

11. Activity #10: Family Holiday Song with SUNO

(Starts at 22:03)

• Family members collaborate with kids on songwriting; AI (Suno) turns lyrics and favorite family moments into a unique holiday song.
• How-to: Kids list names, traditions, jokes, pick a genre. LLM writes lyrics. Feed into Suno to generate song.
• Prompt Tips:
  • Ask for a clear chorus.
  • Avoid complex rhymes, which complicate music generation.
• Memorable Quote: “Imagine doing this every year over the scope of time. It just feels like a really cool artifact to have as something that you can look back on in the future.” (23:06)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the power of AI for kids:
  • "Done right, AI can be an incredibly creativity unlocking tool for kids." (01:22)
• On making personalized content:
  • "You can get hyper specific and niche in terms of your interests in ways that you're not going to find on Amazon..." (06:46)
  • "You want snow unicorns? Get snow unicorns. You want hot chocolate robots? Do hot chocolate robots." (10:55)
• On giving, not getting:
  • "Instead of getting, we're turning the focus to giving." (13:03)
• On the long-term impact:
  • "Imagine doing this every year over the scope of time. It just feels like a really cool artifact to have as something that you can look back on in the future." (23:06)
• On the show's growth and gratitude:
  • "From my gratitude perspective, I just wanted to say, of course, a great big thank you for all of your listening and watching and engaging over the course of 2025... Interacting with you guys, I am quite confident that on the dystopia to dream perspective, the chances that it ends up a dream are much more likely than I might otherwise have thought." (24:02)

Episode Timeline

• 00:00: Introduction, context, and holiday spirit
• 03:30: Activity #1 – Interactive "Year in Review" Website
• 06:00: Activity #2 – Gratitude Coloring Book
• 08:00: Activity #3 – AI-Generated Storybook
• 10:16: Activity #4 – Printable AI Holiday Cards
• 12:10: Activity #5 – Kindness Advent Calendar
• 15:20: Activity #6 – Underdog Ad Agency (Animal Posters)
• 17:25: Activity #7 – North Pole Insider (Elf Audio Update)
• 19:12: Activity #8 – Gratitude Radio Hour (Mini Podcast)
• 20:30: Activity #9 – Living Santa Letter (Animated Art)
• 22:03: Activity #10 – Family Holiday Song
• 24:02: Wrap-up, gratitude for listeners, teaser for next episode

Tone & Takeaway

NLW’s tone is upbeat, genuinely enthusiastic, and family-focused—a mix of playful and practical. Each activity centers on connecting with kids, embracing creativity, and using AI as a force for personal meaning and positive action. The episode is not just a list of projects, but a prompt for reflection, gratitude, and family bonding in the age of AI.

Suitable For:
Anyone looking to enrich their holiday family time with practical, beginner-friendly AI-powered projects—especially for parents of younger children seeking to instill gratitude, creativity, and generosity.

Listen for:
Practical prompting tips, warm personal anecdotes, and the contagious delight NLW exudes about blending technology, tradition, and togetherness.