👨👧 KIDS TIP
Build a Debate Bot with Google Gemini: A Hands-On Prompt Engineering Project for Ages 10 to 16
Kids write a custom system prompt, test it against different debate topics, and learn how AI behavior changes based on the instructions it receives
April 2, 2026 | By Pierre Bradshaw
What kids will build and learn:
What a system prompt is and how it changes AI behavior
How to write instructions that produce specific, consistent outputs
How to test and improve their prompt by observing what breaks
Why the same AI can argue both sides of any topic
A working Debate Bot they can share with classmates
What the Project Is
This project teaches kids how prompt engineering works by building something genuinely useful and interesting: a Debate Bot. The bot argues one side of any topic the user gives it, defends its position with three specific points, and responds to counterarguments. The child writes all the instructions that make the bot behave this way.
The tools: Google Gemini (free, no account required for guests on gemini.google.com) and any browser on a phone, tablet, or laptop. No downloads, no subscriptions, no code.
The learning: by writing, testing, and refining a system prompt, kids directly observe how AI behavior changes based on instructions. They see what happens when instructions are vague versus specific, when they leave edge cases undefined, and when they add rules the AI must follow. This is genuine prompt engineering, not a worksheet exercise.
⏱️ Time to Complete
30 to 45 minutes for the full build. Kids who enjoy it can spend another 30 minutes improving and testing edge cases. No supervision required beyond an initial 5-minute walkthrough of what Gemini is and how to access it.
Step 1: Open Gemini and Understand the Starting Point
Go to gemini.google.com on any browser. Type: "What is today's most debated topic in schools?" This gives kids a warm-up and helps them pick a starting debate topic that feels relevant.
Then try typing: "Argue that homework should be banned." Notice how Gemini responds: it will likely give a balanced answer or add qualifiers. Now they can see the problem they are about to solve: how do you make an AI commit to one side and stay there?
Step 2: Write the First Version of the Debate Bot Prompt
Have the child start a new conversation and paste this starting template, editing it themselves:
STARTER TEMPLATE (KIDS EDIT THIS)
"You are a debate coach who always argues the PRO side of any topic. Your rules: 1. Always give exactly 3 reasons that support the PRO side. 2. Each reason must be 1-2 sentences. 3. If I push back with a counterargument, you defend your position but acknowledge ONE fair point from the other side. 4. Never switch sides. 5. Start every response with 'My position is: [topic].' Now debate this topic with me: [their first topic here]."
After pasting this, they test it. Does the AI follow all 5 rules? Which rule does it break first? That broken rule is the next thing they need to fix in their prompt.