If you’ve ever watched your child get stuck on a single idea—whether it’s for a story, a project, or even a game they’re designing—you know how hard it can be to help them think differently. That’s where the SCAMPER technique comes in. And now, thanks to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, SCAMPER just got a powerful upgrade.
In this article, we’ll show you how your child can combine SCAMPER, a classic creative problem-solving tool, with AI to generate more ideas, faster—and more creatively than ever before.
What is SCAMPER?
SCAMPER is a simple but powerful acronym used to guide creative thinking by asking questions from different angles:
Substitute – What can be swapped out?
Combine – What can be merged together?
Adapt – What can be adjusted to fit a new use?
Modify – What can be changed in size, shape, or function?
Put to another use – How else could this be used?
Eliminate – What could be removed?
Rearrange – What can be flipped or reordered?
These prompts help kids look at problems or ideas from many different angles. But sometimes, it’s still tough to get those mental gears turning—especially if a child is unsure where to begin. That’s where AI can help.
How AI Supercharges the SCAMPER Process
ChatGPT (or any creative AI assistant) can act as a thinking partner for your child—asking SCAMPER-style questions, suggesting possibilities, or offering examples to get the creative juices flowing.
Here’s how you might guide your child to use SCAMPER with AI:
🎮 Example: Reimagining a Toy Using SCAMPER + AI
Let’s say your child wants to invent a new version of a yo-yo. Here’s how they could work with ChatGPT:
Substitute
Prompt: “What could I substitute for the string in a yo-yo?”
ChatGPT might reply: “What if the string was a retractable magnet chain instead of a string?”
Combine
Prompt: “What could I combine with a yo-yo to make it more exciting?”
ChatGPT might reply: “How about combining it with a light show that activates when it spins?”
Adapt
Prompt: “How could I adapt a yo-yo to be used underwater?”
ChatGPT might reply: “You could use waterproof materials and design it to float and spin in water.”
… and so on, through each SCAMPER letter. The AI provides options, and your child chooses which ones spark their interest.
Benefits of Pairing SCAMPER with AI
Idea Expansion: Kids often have one idea and stop there. AI helps them generate ten.
Confidence Boost: With a thinking partner, the fear of “wrong ideas” goes away.
Self-Direction: Kids learn to guide their own creative thinking process using prompts.
Fun Factor: Brainstorming becomes a game, not a chore.
How Parents Can Support
You don’t have to be an expert in SCAMPER or AI to help your child. Try these tips:
Co-create prompts with your child. (“Let’s ask ChatGPT how to modify your idea.”)
Use voice or typing—whatever is more natural.
Explore together, but let your child make the final creative choices.
Try It: Free SCAMPER + AI Prompt Sheet
We’ve created a kid-friendly prompt sheet your child can use to guide their ChatGPT brainstorming session. [Download it here].
Final Thoughts
SCAMPER helps kids look at ideas in fresh ways. AI helps them do it faster, and with more fun. Together, they form a powerful team for sparking imagination and creative problem solving. At Create2Discover, we believe that when kids learn to think differently, they can build anything—apps, games, inventions, or even their own future.
Additionally, if you are looking for more examples of how to use the SCAMPER technique, we have an earlier article that provides more examples of each part of SCAMPER. You can find it here.
Want more creativity tools like this? Check out our classes where kids turn ideas into real-world projects every week.
Other Articles on Creative Thinking and AI
Helping Kids Learn Independently with Roblox Creator Hub and AI
Why Kids Should Practice Divergent Thinking
Helping Your Child Master the Art of Brainstorming
Creative Problem Solving For Kids: Random Words
