Kids in Schools Are Skipping Lunch to Vibe Code

Vibe coding isn’t for the Gen Z developers anymore—it’s a playground viral trend. Kids are getting in on the action and catching the vibe-code fever like their grown-up counterparts. Recently, Lovable founder Anton Osika shared a post on X that said, “Kids might actually be better at using Lovable than adults. Unlimited creativity, no fear.”

Osika described how a software developer ran a ‘Create with AI’ session for 8–12-year-olds, where the kids got so deeply engaged that they skipped their break and kept working even after school ended. “The future is bright!” Osika added.

In another example, at a recent school session, kids got hands-on with vibe coding using v0. The outcome? A total win. They built 2D games and sleek user interfaces—all in a stress-free, fun environment that builds future-ready skills.

Vibe-coding is also turning out to be a fun child-parent activity. Another user on X posted that he and his nine-year-old son built 3D worlds and interactive games using Replit. “My son went to an escape room. When he came back, he wanted to buy the game. I said, let’s build it. And we went cranking. We built this using AI + Replit. It was so much fun,” said the user.

“Thank you for the tools OpenAI and Replit. So easy getting kids excited about STEM and AI.” 

Zhen Li, creator of Replit agent, shared another example where he built a 3D Pokémon Go with Replit Agent’s Gaming stack. “From 3D model generation to complete games—all through prompting on Replit. Vibe coding these games feels like a glimpse into the future. Imagine how much kids can learn when they code their own games,” he said.

For kids, though, vibe coding is less about mastering complex programming languages like Python or JavaScript and more about creativity, problem-solving, and storytelling. Instead of writing intricate code, a child could say, “Create a game where a robot collects stars,” and an AI tool like Cursor or GitHub Copilot would generate the necessary code, allowing the child to tweak and iterate.

The internet has countless examples of kids building their own video games using video coding tools. As AI tools evolve, they need to be included in the school curriculum as well, where children can play around with them. 

Schools Should Update the CS Curriculum

Schools should introduce AI-powered platforms like Cursor, Windsurf, or Replit in elementary curricula. These tools allow kids to start creating from day one, building confidence and excitement.

Tristan Rhodes, founder of Cherishable AI, recently participated in an industry advisory board at a university. One of the questions that came up was: When is the right time for university students to start using AI coding tools?

AIM spoke to a few high school students who are learning coding in schools. They are familiar with coding through ChatGPT, but haven’t adopted any AI tools yet. 

Pakhi, a CBSE class 9 student in Bengaluru, said they were taught C++ in sixth grade, HTML in seventh grade, and Java in eighth grade. However, she added that it was her father who initially taught her coding, not the school. 

While she’s not aware of the term ‘vibe coding’, the task that she does at school reflects something similar. “In school, we’re using ChatGPT to make websites,” she said, adding that AI is now part of their curriculum, and they are being taught and assessed on the subject. 

However, experiences vary between students. Aarav Mitra, another student, told AIM that their school doesn’t teach them how to use ChatGPT, but they are learning learning C++ basics. 

As AI tools like ChatGPT become more accessible, some believe schools should evolve their curriculum to reflect this shift. “I think there should be a curriculum which encourages vibe coding at different age groups. Like programming fundamentals, we should have something like ‘prompting fundamentals’,” Krishna Goutham, business consultant, Ideafolk.com, said in a post on X.  

He further added that kids should start as early as possible, with concepts of software development introduced later. “For university students, I think vibe coding as a curriculum should be introduced in the first year itself,” he said.

In India, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced AI as an optional subject for Class 9 students in the 2019-2020 academic year. However, despite the ambitious initiative, its implementation remains inconsistent.

Some are worried about the critical thinking aspect. Dr. Abhay Jere, vice chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), who works closely with CBSE to help students and teachers navigate AI tools effectively, says students are already using AI-powered tools like ChatGPT to write essays. “The real challenge is: How do we integrate these tools while still encouraging critical thinking?” Dr Jere asked while speaking at Tredence’s flagship event held in Bengaluru last month. 

The shift is already visible. A Reddit post recounted a father telling his 13-year-old son to skip traditional coding and just vibe code. Another user on X joked that kids dream of being YouTubers today, but as vibe coding tools get better, I think we’ll see more of them shifting their focus to becoming software creators.

However, vibe coding comes with its challenges. Hence, as kids create more software, schools must focus on the responsible use of AI, with a strong emphasis on data privacy and security. Vibe-coded apps can be vulnerable to hacks if not properly vetted, so schools will need to incorporate cybersecurity education alongside vibe coding.

While vibe coding is powerful, schools must ensure that students grasp core programming concepts to avoid over-reliance on AI tools. As Replit CEO Amjad Masad puts it, coding isn’t entirely obsolete—at least not yet. He encourages a strong foundation in programming as a way to build more universal skills.

“I would say learn a bit of coding… Learn how to think, how to break down problems… Learn how to communicate clearly, as you would with humans, but also with machines,” he said.