What if changing education was as simple as learning how to play? Today in the US, our education system does not focus on the most important period of child development - the first eight years - and children are not taught important skills like empathy, self control, and growth mindset. And while the use of technology in education is increasing (especially during the pandemic), screen time has a negative impact on developing brains. But what if we could replace screen time with speech? A voice-interactive toy robot that empowers kids to play the role of teacher could transform education forever.

Filmed September 20th, 2020 at Mia in Minneapolis. DeLonn Crosby believes voice technology will transform how young people learn. As CEO of SayKid he has combined conversational software with a plush toy robot to help kids learn in a screen-less, natural, and engaging way. The play-based platform empowers kids to play the role of teacher, fosters agency through unstructured interaction, and builds relationships through group play. DeLonn earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and has held leadership roles with Target, Deloitte, and Google. He lives in Mound, MN with his wife Maria and three kids, Ella, Callahan, and Will. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx