Tinkertales

Name: Tinkertales
Author: Emory University

Emory University

EVALUATED

Assessed for usability and quality

For:Educators & TeachersGeneral Public & EnthusiastsKids & YouthStudents

Free

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App Summary

Tinkertales is an interactive storytelling app developed by Emory University that supports children in collaborating with a conversational AI system through voice interaction and NFC-enabled toys to generate stories. The app was formally evaluated in two distinct studies, including a preliminary user study (N=10) that explored how conversation design shapes child-AI dialogue in co-creative settings. Assessed for usability and quality, this work highlights the potential of combining physical and digital elements in AI literacy, offering a safe and engaging way for children to learn how to effectively collaborate with AI.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Tinkertales is an AI-powered app developed by Emory University that facilitates interactive storytelling for young children. The system integrates tangible and speech-based interactions with AI through NFC chip-attached pawns and tokens, along with a speaker and microphone. Children select and define key story elements—such as characters, places, items, and emotions—using the pawns and tokens, providing further details to the AI and receiving assistance in generating stories.

Evidence & Research Context

Tinkertales was formally evaluated for usability and quality, with preliminary positive outcomes assessed across 2 distinct studies.
One study simulated several game sessions with a child AI agent to assess the quality and safety of generated stories from various perspectives.
A home-based user study with 10 children (ages 6-8) investigated how conversation design shapes child-AI dialogue in co-creative settings.
Findings from the user study indicated that prompt framing influences the form and consistency of children's narrative contributions, structuring their participation in co-creative dialogue with AI.

Intended Use & Scope

Tinkertales is intended for young children to engage in collaborative storytelling with an AI system. It aims to support narrative development and AI literacy. The app does not provide clinical interventions or therapeutic support. Users should seek guidance from qualified professionals for developmental concerns or educational needs.

Studies & Publications

2 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Usability Study

Tinker Tales: A Tangible Dialogue System for Child-AI Co-Creative Storytelling

Choi et al. (2026) · arXiv

The study found that prompt framing influenced children's narrative contributions and their participation in co-creative dialogue with AI.

Conversational AI agents are increasingly explored as creative partners, yet how conversation design shapes child-AI dialogue in co-creative settings remains underexplored. We present Tinker Tales, a tangible dialogue system for child-AI collaborative storytelling, in which educational frameworks (narrative development and social-emotional learning) are instantiated as conversation design, shaping how the agent engages children across four

Development/Design Paper

Tinker Tales: Interactive Storytelling Framework for Early Childhood Narrative Development and AI Literacy

Choi et al. (2025) · arXiv

Describes the design and development of an interactive storytelling framework for children.

This paper presents Tinker Tales, an interactive storytelling framework in the format of a board game, designed to support both narrative development and AI literacy in early childhood. The framework integrates tangible and speech-based interactions with AI through NFC chip-attached pawns and tokens, along with a speaker and microphone. Children select and define key story elements-such as characters, places, items, and emotions-using the pawns

In the Media

Helping children collaborate with AI through storytelling

Tinkertales is an AI-powered app developed by Emory University that facilitates interactive storytelling for young children. It works in conjunction with a physical board game where players use NFC-enabled game pieces (characters, objects, scenery, emotions) scanned by a mobile phone to guide the AI in developing a story. The app aims to teach children thoughtful AI collaboration, creativity, and reflection through guided experiences and reflective questions, with early testing showing it helps children expand their imagination and view AI as a collaborative "friend." Researchers plan to expand access to schools and libraries, with future developments including multi-child modes for social-emotional learning and customization options for older students.

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