Advice from the Squla & StudyGo Kids Panel

Just before 4 p.m., our office slowly filled with our young advisory team. They came from all over the country: from Eindhoven, to Houten, to Assen. The children got to know each other through an emoji icebreaker and a fun facts bingo. Afterwards, they got a behind-the-scenes look at Squla and StudyGo during a tour of the office. From our studios where videos are recorded, to the departments where new games are designed, and yes, even our famous snack wall was admired.

After a warm welcome from our director Jeroen Munk, it was time to get to work. Because being on the Kids Panel means thinking along, asking questions, being critical, and most of all: imagining how learning can be made even more enjoyable.

The topic of the first discussion was the future of Squla. Should Squla become even more playful, or add some more serious elements? The children were bursting with opinions and ideas.

“Learning can be fun, but Squla is still a learning app,” one child said. Another pointed out that when something is difficult, you sometimes need a bit of motivation, so it’s nice when learning feels fun.

“Squla learns with you,” one panellist said. “But it also needs to keep growing as you grow older.” Another suddenly came up with a creative idea: “It would be cool if you could build your own learning planet in Squla, where you could travel to Paris to build the Eiffel Tower.”

When it came to the transition from primary to secondary school, the older children had a lot to say. After the final exams, many kids “don’t feel like learning anymore.” Understandable! But some said they’d actually like to practise a bit before starting secondary school.

And one clever idea for StudyGo: add a “refresher” section with primary school topics for first-year students.

Then it was time for our second theme: Artificial Intelligence, or AI. We kicked things off with a quiz. Because what did the panellists already know about AI? Quite a lot, it turned out!

The kids said they mostly use AI to learn or to create things: writing summaries, generating pictures of pets, or preparing a presentation about Mount Vesuvius.
One child even admitted using AI “to complain about teachers.”

What stood out to us was that many don’t learn about AI at school. Also, they didn’t find AI scary or strange. Actually, most saw it as something positive, as long as it works well and stays fair.

They even came up with clever ways to use AI better in Squla and StudyGo: creating AI-powered games, for instance chess or a “Spot the Fake” quiz.

On one point they all agreed: if AI is used in Squla or StudyGo, it should be clear, safe, and fair. The panellists were very direct about communication: “There should be a message that says when it’s AI, and a page on the website explaining how you use AI and that it’s safe.”

It became clear how thoughtfully these children approach learning. They find AI useful, but they don’t want to leave everything to a computer. “You still have to think for yourself,” one child said.

After two hours full of ideas and discussions, it was time to wrap up. With pizza, of course!
At the end of the evening, the children proudly went home with backpacks full of inspiration and a glimpse of how their ideas might soon come to life on Squla and StudyGo.

It was an afternoon filled with energy, honesty, and imagination. Many thanks to these ten young thinkers! We now understand better what children truly value: learning in their own way, with joy, and with the right help from technology.

We’re already looking forward to March, when the Kids Panel will meet again.
Because one thing is certain: from the smallest thinkers come the biggest ideas.