One of my favourite uses of AI as a parent has nothing to do with getting more work done.
It is much simpler: use a family photo to turn your child, mum and dad into the heroes of a children’s story.
Start with a classic, make up an adventure, or create a story about something your child is going through now: starting school, a new sibling, fear of the dark, or a trip to the dentist. Seeing their own family inside the story makes it feel much more personal.
What you need
Just two things:
- A clear photo where the family is easy to recognise.
- A story, a short summary, or a few lines describing an idea.
Upload the photo to ChatGPT, paste the prompt below, and replace the final field with the story you want to adapt. You do not need to paste a whole book; a short summary is usually enough.
For example:
Adapt The Three Little Pigs. The family meets the pigs as they build their houses. The wolf arrives, and the child, mum and dad help build a brick house. The wolf cannot blow it down, and everyone celebrates teamwork.
Reusable prompt
Read the full English prompt
I want you to turn the uploaded photo into a HIGH-QUALITY illustrated children’s comic inspired by the reference story I provide below.
IMPORTANT:
- The uploaded photo is the main identity reference for the protagonists.
- Recognise and preserve the people in the photo as a real family:
- the child
- the mother
- the father
- Keep their faces, facial features, hairstyles, skin tones, and general identity recognisable, while naturally adapting them to the visual style of the comic.
- Do not make a literal copy of the photo. Use it as an identity reference and naturally integrate the family into the story world.
- The result should feel like a professional children’s picture-book comic: warm, adorable, expressive, and visually consistent.
- All text inside the comic must be in ENGLISH.
- Text must be large, clean, legible, and well distributed.
- The narrative should be clear, warm, family-friendly, and suitable for young children.
OBJECTIVE:
Create a 2-page vertical comic.
Each page should look like a complete page from an illustrated children’s book / comic.
Each page should contain approximately 5 large, easy-to-read panels.
Together, the two pages should tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and ending.
VISUAL STYLE:
- premium children’s comic / illustrated storybook style
- warm, bright, endearing, and colourful
- highly detailed but easy to read
- expressive and adorable characters
- clean composition
- clear black borders between panels
- rounded dialogue balloons
- storybook-style narration boxes
- an attractive page design
- a modern children’s-book feel
- polished, professional finish
- complete visual consistency between panels
- keep the child, mother, and father visually consistent in EVERY panel
STORY ADAPTATION:
Adapt the reference story so that:
- the child, mother, and father are part of the story
- they interact with the main characters in the story
- they help solve the main conflict
- they have an active, leading role
- the story preserves the essence of the original while being personalised around the family
REQUIRED COMIC STRUCTURE:
PAGE 1:
1. A large opening panel with the title of the adapted story.
- The title should follow a format such as “Mario and …” or “Mario in …”, or something similar that best fits the story.
- Show the child, mother, and father entering the story world.
- Add a narration box that sets the scene.
2. A panel where the child discovers something surprising.
3. A panel where the main character from the story appears.
4. A panel where the problem or conflict is explained.
5. A final panel where the family decides to help and the adventure begins.
PAGE 2:
1. A panel where they search for clues, move forward, or try to solve the problem.
2. A panel with an important moment of discovery or difficulty.
3. A climactic panel where the problem is solved thanks to the child and their family.
4. A celebration, reunion, or emotional moment.
5. A final panel with a lovely ending, a positive message, and the feeling of a completed story.
COMPOSITION REQUIREMENTS:
- Vertical, storybook-page format.
- Deliver 2 separate images: Page 1 and Page 2.
- Put a page number at the bottom of each page (“1” and “2”).
- The title must be large and prominent on the first page.
- Use a balanced mix of:
- narration boxes
- speech bubbles
- wide scenes
- emotional close-ups
- The pacing must be very clear for a child.
CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS:
- The child must be the emotional centre of the story.
- Mum and dad should appear frequently and consistently.
- The three of them should look affectionate, close, and natural.
- They must fit naturally into the story world as if they had always belonged there.
- If the story has non-human or fantasy characters, they should coexist naturally with the family.
TONE:
- warm
- family-oriented
- fun
- adventurous
- kind
- positive
- happy ending
- include a gentle lesson or moral if it fits
VERY IMPORTANT TEXT REQUIREMENTS:
- All text must be correctly written in English.
- Avoid long blocks of text in each speech bubble.
- Use short, natural sentences that young children can easily understand.
- Make the content emotional, beautiful, and easy to follow.
I WILL NOW GIVE YOU THE REFERENCE STORY.
Adapt it freely to the format above, keeping its essence while personalising it around the family in the photo.
REFERENCE STORY:
[PASTE THE STORY OR A SUMMARY OF THE STORY HERE]A good use of AI
AI does not have to be only about working faster. It can also be a tool for inventing together, talking through the things children experience, and keeping a family memory. Always review the result before sharing it with your child, and only use photos you have permission to upload to the service you choose.