Hi parents, I thought I’d add a quick walkthrough of Xiaozhu (小竹), so you can see what the experience looks like for children and parents. A panda to talk to, with room for imagination Children speak to Xiaozhu in the app — about their day, a curious question, or a story they want to make up together. They can start in English or mix English and Mandarin. Xiaozhu responds in simple Mandarin and keeps the conversation going around their interests. [image: Xiaozhu child app — an imaginative conversation] Follow the conversation from the parent view Parents have a separate web dashboard. You can read the conversation and its English translation, see what sparked your child’s interest, and find something to chat about together afterwards. [image: Parent view — conversation with English translation] Add words you’d like your child to explore You can add words from everyday life or things your child is learning. Xiaozhu can bring them into conversations and stories, rather than just asking children to memorise a list. [image: Parent view — words to explore in conversation] See the bigger picture The parent overview brings together conversation topics, words practised and time spent chatting. It can also flag potentially concerning moments for you to review and follow up on with your child. [image: Parent view — activity overview and moments needing attention] These screenshots use illustrative demo data, not real children’s conversations. How to try it Sign in at https://xiao-zhu.xyz/ and submit a free trial application. Once approved, you can create your child’s profile and pair your phone with a code. The iOS beta is available through TestFlight, and Android through an APK. I’m building this and would love to work with a few families to improve it. I’d be especially interested in what your child wants to talk about, where the conversation feels natural, and where it needs work. Feel free to ask questions here or PM me! Thanks @thebottomsupblog for inviting me to share more about Xiaozhu here!