Recently, I launched the AI Parents Interviewer — a conversational research tool designed to better understand what parents actually experience when searching for activities, parks, and development programs for their children. The goal is simple: uncover real pain points, identify gaps in the current system, and gather ideas for building better solutions in the future.
If you’d like to participate and share your own experience, you can try it here:
👉 https://chatgpt.com/g/g-690e3ff211608191b94abf4fa338b75b-parent-research
The preliminary results are already revealing strong patterns.
The Biggest Pain Point: Cost
Cost appears again and again. Parents describe high registration fees, expensive memberships, hidden charges, and the constant need to choose between activities because they simply cannot afford everything. Even families who value enrichment often limit participation to one activity per day — or skip opportunities altogether.
Affordability is not just about lower prices. Parents want transparent pricing, simple membership models, and clear value for what they pay.
Distance and Logistics Are Exhausting
The second dominant issue is logistics. Activities are often located in different cities. One child may have gymnastics in one place, robotics in another, and sports somewhere else entirely. Coordinating drop-offs, managing traffic, and balancing work schedules create daily stress.
Many parents admitted they skip activities not because they are uninterested, but because the distance makes them unrealistic.
“Everything Is in Different Places”
This theme came up repeatedly. Parents want math, reading, sports, coding, tutoring, art, and creative play in one location. The fragmentation of the current system forces families to act like full-time coordinators.
The strongest repeated request was clear: an all-in-one center.
Variety and Changing Interests
Children’s interests change quickly. Parents report that activity parks and centers are exciting the first few visits but quickly become repetitive. Programming often does not rotate or evolve.
Families want changing activities, seasonal themes, new zones, and flexible formats that keep children engaged over time.
Safety and Trust Matter Deeply
Safety concerns surfaced in multiple interviews. Parents mentioned sanitation, poorly maintained equipment, insufficient supervision, rude or disengaged staff, and lack of vetting. Some explicitly said they would prefer membership-only environments where visitors are screened.
Trust is a decisive factor. Without it, even affordable and convenient programs will not attract families.
Information Overload and Low-Quality Content
Some parents described frustration with paywalls, misleading marketing, and difficulty identifying credible providers. Searching for programs often happens late in the evening after work, when parents are already exhausted.
They want trusted recommendations and curated options, not endless scrolling.
Weather and Facility Limitations
Outdoor parks are too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Families consistently asked for indoor or hybrid indoor-outdoor facilities. Air-conditioned environments and year-round usability are highly valued.
What Parents Actually Want
When asked to imagine an ideal center, families described remarkably similar visions:
- A large multi-zone complex
- Math, reading, tutoring, and academic support
- Sports and fitness facilities
- STEM labs and coding programs
- Science and museum-style exhibits
- Indoor playgrounds
- Interactive technology and gaming
- Programs for different age groups
- Camps and weekend activities
- Babysitting or supervised areas for younger children
- Areas where adults can relax
- A simple, affordable membership plan
- A safe, vetted environment
The most powerful recurring idea was this:
A safe, affordable, all-in-one center near home that supports holistic development and reduces logistical stress.
A Deeper Insight
Parents are not simply asking for more activities. They are asking for integration.
They are tired of:
- Driving everywhere
- Paying separately for everything
- Managing fragmented schedules
- Watching children lose interest due to repetition
They want consolidation, safety, variety, and affordability within a trusted ecosystem.
These are only preliminary findings, but the patterns are already strong. The AI Parents Interviewer will continue collecting insights, and the next phase will involve testing potential solutions based on these real-world needs.
If you are a parent and want to contribute your perspective — and help shape the next generation of child-friendly spaces — try the AI interviewer here:
👉 https://chatgpt.com/g/g-690e3ff211608191b94abf4fa338b75b-parent-research
Because the future of children’s infrastructure should not be built on assumptions — it should be built on listening.