First App Sprint Teen AI App Lab

Free founding sprint · Summer 2026

Ship your first app with AI.

Bud and Titus help teens turn one messy idea into a working app they can click, test, improve, and demo. Not a lecture. Not a coding bootcamp. A guided two-day sprint that ends with a student saying, “I built this.”

Apply for the free cohort See how it works
Format2 days
Per session2 hours
Founding price$0
Result1 working app

the kind of app a student ships on day two ↓

quest-generator/index.html

Quest Generator

One user. One problem. One screen. One button.

Press the button to get today’s quest. Built with HTML, CSS & 30 lines of JS
index.html · 74 lines tested by 3 strangers · 0 bugs open

01 The problem

Most kids use AI like a vending machine.

Type a question. Get an answer. Move on. That is useful, but it is not the big opportunity. The better skill is learning to make AI help you build something real — and that is a loop, not a transaction.

The vending machine
Ask→Answer→Move on

Nothing gets built. Nothing gets learned twice.

The builder loop — what we teach
Idea→Brief→Build→Test→Fix→Demo

↻ Then run it again on the next idea.

02 What they learn

The first app is really a confidence machine.

Students learn a simple builder loop they can reuse for school projects, hobbies, family tools, games, and future businesses.

1
Choose a tiny problem.A useful app starts with one person, one problem, one screen, and one action.
2
Write the app brief.Describe the user, the inputs, the button, the output — and what not to build yet.
3
Ask AI clearly.No magic prompts. Just specific constraints, simple files, and one next step at a time.
4
Run the app.Open the project, click it like a real user, and notice what actually happens.
5
Debug without panic.Bugs become information: what did you click, what did you expect, what happened instead?
6
Demo with confidence.Explain what you built, who it helps, how it works, and what you would improve next.

03 The mechanism

The Tiny App Rule.

Big ideas are exciting. Big first projects are where beginners get stuck. We teach students to shrink the idea until it can ship.

THE HUGE IDEA “an app for everything” SHRINK today’s homework checklist SHIPS FRIDAY ✓
One user.A real person the app is for.
One problem.A tiny pain, choice, habit, game, quiz, or task.
One screen.No giant platform. No menus that never end.
One useful result.Something changes after the user clicks.
Open the prep checklist

04 The two days

Four hours, start to demo.

Day one2 hrs

From wild idea to app brief.

  1. Idea stormStudents write messy ideas without judging them too early.
  2. Idea shrinkingA giant game becomes a quest generator. A huge school platform becomes today’s homework checklist.
  3. First promptThey write the constraints AI needs to create the first simple version.
Day two2 hrs

Build, test, fix, demo.

  1. Make version one workPlain is fine. Clickable beats imaginary.
  2. Click like a strangerNotice the screen instead of assuming the app works.
  3. Package the demoEach student leaves with a working app, screenshot, or short recorded demo.

05 What students can build

First apps should be small enough to finish.

We give students lanes so they are never staring at a blank screen wondering what counts as an app.

RandomizerWorkout picker, writing prompt machine, chore spinner, quest generator.
QuizBible memory quiz, history review, sports trivia, photography terms.
TrackerReading log, habit streak, practice tracker, savings goal.
CalculatorMini business pricing, allowance planner, recipe scaler, event budget.
Decision helperWhat should I do today? Which project first? Which book next?
Tiny gameClick challenge, memory match, simple score game, luck-based adventure.
Family toolMeal chooser, packing list, family vote, sibling scoreboard.
Creative toolStory starter, character builder, video idea generator, color palette maker.

06 For parents

Safe, practical AI use that does not pretend the internet is harmless.

Beginner apps do not need payments, public comments, private data, API keys, or social features. We keep the first build local, simple, supervised, and understandable.

✕No private data.Students should not put addresses, passwords, school logins, or private family information into the project.
✕No giant installs.We prefer browser-first tools and simple files so class time goes to building, not setup drama.
✕No fake guarantees.The goal is a working first app or recorded demo, not a startup-grade product in four hours.

07 The offer ladder

Free now. Paid next. Course later.

This is intentionally built like a real product, not a one-off afternoon. The founding cohort sharpens the live class. The live class becomes the online course.

Now — open

Founding Sprint

$0

Small invite-first cohort for proof, feedback, and student demos. The first run is free because we want testimonials and better teaching footage before we sell the paid sprint.

Apply for a free seat
Next

First App Sprint Live

$297–$497

Small-group live sprint where each student ships a first app.

Later

Home Edition

$97–$197

Recorded lessons, workbook, prompt cards, starter files, and certificate.

08 What is included

Not just class time. A complete starter kit.

Everything a beginner needs to keep building after the sprint ends.

Live teachingBud handles strategy and safety. Titus brings peer proof and builder energy.
WorkbookStudents map the app before asking AI to build anything.
Prompt cardsCopyable patterns for first build, debugging, design polish, and demo prep.
Starter filesA rescue path if a student gets stuck or needs a simple remix.
CertificateA polished First App Sprint builder certificate for students who finish and demo.

09 Good fit / not fit

This is for curious builders.

The right student does not need coding experience. They do need a laptop, a login plan, and enough patience to test what they make.

Good fit

  • Curious teens who like making things.
  • Beginners who can type, copy, paste, and use a browser.
  • Students willing to start small and test their work.

Not a fit yet

  • Students who need a childcare format.
  • Projects needing payments, accounts, public chat, or private data.
  • Families who cannot prepare a laptop or parent-approved AI access.

Bring this

  • A laptop and charger.
  • Parent-approved AI access.
  • Three rough app ideas.
  • A willingness to make the first version smaller.

10 FAQ

Questions parents ask before saying yes.

Does my teen need coding experience?

No. They should be comfortable typing, copying/pasting, using a browser, and following instructions. Curiosity matters more than experience.

Can this really work in two days?

Yes, if the app is small on purpose. Four hours is enough for an app brief, first version, testing, a few improvements, and a demo. The future paid version may add a third day for polish.

What AI tool do students need?

Codex is preferred. Claude or another AI coding tool can be a backup. Parents should approve and set up access before class.

Will students publish publicly?

Only when appropriate and parent-approved. A saved local project, screenshot, or recorded demo is enough for the first sprint.

Is this safe?

The first apps avoid accounts, payments, public comments, databases, and private data. Students should not share passwords or sensitive information with Bud, Titus, or AI tools.

What happens after the free founding cohort?

The plan is to use the founding proof to sell a paid live First App Sprint, then package the best teaching into First App Sprint: Home Edition.

Last call

The first win is not learning code. It is becoming the kind of kid who builds.

If your teen leaves with a working first app, a calmer relationship with bugs, and a clear next idea, the sprint did its job.

Apply for the free cohort Official class page