I love my niece, Maya. She's six, hilarious, and obsessed with purple dinosaurs.
But I’ll be honest: I didn't know how to play with her.
I'd go over to visit, and after about five minutes of "How was school?" (answer: "Good"), she would drift toward her tablet, and I would drift toward my phone. We were in the same room, but worlds apart. I felt like the "boring aunt."
I wanted to connect, but I didn't know how to enter her world without feeling silly or intrusive.
The Barrier
The problem was that I was trying to entertain her, or interview her. Neither works well with kids. They don't want to be watched; they want to be joined.
I realized I needed a project. Something we could do together.
The Experiment
One Tuesday, instead of asking about school, I asked: "If you had a pet dragon, what would you name him?"
She looked up. "Sparkles. And he would eat pancakes."
I grabbed my phone—not to check Instagram, but to open Pixloo, a story-making app I’d heard about.
"Okay," I said. "Let's make a book about Sparkles the Pancake-Eating Dragon."
The Shift
Suddenly, the dynamic changed. We weren't aunt and niece making awkward small talk. We were co-authors.
She dictated the plot ("He needs to fly to the moon to get moon-syrup!"). I typed it in. She chose the art style. I handled the navigation.
For 20 minutes, we were a team. We debated plot points. We laughed at the generated images. We were completely locked in on a shared goal.
The Result
When the story generated, we didn't just read it once. We read it three times. She showed it to her mom. She was so proud—not just of the story, but of the fact that we made it.
The "cool factor" wasn't the AI. It wasn't the iPad. It was the fact that her ideas were being taken seriously by an adult.
The Power of a Shared Digital Canvas
Connecting through a project—whether it's building a fort or baking—changes the dynamic. In my case, I found that digital storytelling was the perfect bridge.
Creative apps like Pixloo can be a helpful catalyst for this. By letting my niece lead the plot mientras I helped with the "tech," we became co-authors. It wasn't about the screen; it was about the fact that her ideas were being taken seriously.
The "Wait, That's Me!" Moment
The turning point was when she realized she could influence the story in real-time. "Can the dragon have a purple hat?" she asked. When I typed it in and the image updated, she didn't just see a picture; she saw her choice come to life. This is the "agency" that builds deep connection.
Bridging the Generational Gap
As an adult, it’s easy to forget how to "speak kid." We tend to ask logical questions about their day, while they are living in a world of magic and subtext. Co-creating a story gives you a common language. You’re no longer the authority figure asking about homework—you’re the sidekick in their epic adventure.
Start your own co-creation session. Create a story together with Pixloo.