Four formats, all four weeks long, all built around the same maker loop the standalone software runs on. Private 1:1 at $299, Single-track group at $496, Studio group (all four tracks) at $780, in-person Builder Camp at $695. Every cohort tuition includes the all-four software license and two months of the managed AI add-on — you do not pay twice. Apply through a 20-minute call; no application fee.
What a cohort is.
A cohort is the standalone software, plus a working creator who sits in the room with your kid weekly for four weeks, plus a small group of other families on the same shape of project. The mentor is not a tutor — they are a working game designer, screenwriter, web developer, or illustrator who can see what the kid is making and point at the next move.
The cohort exists because some kids finish faster with a human in the loop. Some kids don’t need it. The software is the same in both cases; the cohort adds pacing, accountability, and access to somebody who has built a thing before.
Every cohort ends with the kid publishing a project at a real URL they can share with their grandparents, classmates, or the internet at large.
The four formats.
Pick by how much human time your kid wants and whether you want the in-person experience.
Private mentor
A weekly one-on-one with a mentor matched to your kid’s track and interest. The most flexible scheduling; the most direct feedback.
- Four 1-hour weekly 1:1 sessions
- Mentor matched to your kid’s track
- Async feedback between sessions
- All-four software license included
- 2 months of managed AI add-on included
Single-track cohort
A small group (4–6 kids) all working on the same creative track. Mentors who have built a thing in that track. The pacing of a real workshop with the asynchronous flexibility of working at home.
- Four 90-minute weekly group sessions
- 4–6 kids per group, all on one track
- Mentor + co-mentor for the cohort
- Group demo night in week 4
- All-four software license included
- 2 months of managed AI add-on included
Studio cohort
A mixed group (4–8 kids) working across all four tracks at once. Best for kids who haven’t picked yet, or for siblings who want to cohort together on different tracks.
- Four 90-minute weekly group sessions
- Mixed-track group; track-specialist mentors
- Cross-track demo night in week 4
- All-four software license included
- 2 months of managed AI add-on included
- Sibling-friendly: $49 sibling license stacks
Builder Camp
Four in-person weekly sessions at a partner space in select cities. Same shape as the single-track cohort, with the camaraderie and energy of being in a room together. Pilot program; capacity is small.
- Four 2-hour in-person weekly sessions
- Hosted at partner makerspace / library
- Friday afternoon or Saturday morning slots
- Demo afternoon in week 4 with families
- All-four software license included
- 2 months of managed AI add-on included
- Pilot cities listed at application
The four-week shape.
Every cohort follows the same arc, regardless of format. The mentor adapts the depth to the group, but the rhythm is consistent.
Pick the thing.
Each kid lands on the project they’ll publish. The mentor helps them right-size the scope — small enough to finish in four weeks, big enough to be proud of.
Build the spine.
The core structure goes in — characters, mechanics, layout, scenes. The first AI-proposed change lands. The first keep / revise / undo decision gets made.
Make it good.
Iteration week. Playtest, readthrough, preview, scrub. Most of the kept-vs-revised decisions happen here. The mentor calls out craft moves they’d normally take a year to teach.
Publish it.
Final polish. Parent approval. Public URL minted. Demo night with the cohort — everyone plays / reads / watches / visits everyone else’s published work.
Who teaches.
Working creators with real bios you can read before you sign up. We do not use generic "instructor" headshots or LinkedIn-pulled stock photos. Every mentor has built a real thing in the track they’re mentoring — a game on Steam, a comic series, a website with traffic, a film at a festival.
Mentor profiles are visible at application. You see their portfolio, their teaching history (if any), and the cohorts they’ve run before. If the matching isn’t right after week 1, you can switch — we’d rather move your kid than have them in the wrong room.
Mentors pass a background check before they meet any kid, and every cohort session has a co-mentor or operator present. Solo time between a mentor and your kid only happens in private 1:1 sessions where the parent is also present or on-call.
What’s included.
Every cohort tuition covers, with no extra add-ons:
- The all-four standalone software license ($149 on its own).
- Two months of the managed AI add-on ($60 on its own).
- The four weekly sessions and any recordings.
- Async feedback in a private cohort channel.
- The mentor’s prep time, materials, and demo-night infrastructure.
- The public Tell and Show URL for the published project.
You do not pay twice. If your household already owns a Tell and Show software license, your cohort tuition is the same number; the duplicate license becomes a transferable gift you can hand to another family or to a sibling.
Schedule + missed sessions.
Group cohorts run on a published schedule (visible at application) so families can sync. Private 1:1 cohorts schedule weekly through the dashboard, with mentor availability shown two weeks in advance.
If your kid misses a session:
- Every group session is recorded and posted to the cohort channel within 24 hours.
- Missing one session is normal; the kid catches up async in the cohort channel.
- Missing two sessions triggers the mentor reaching out to figure out whether to catch up, reschedule a 1:1, or pause the cohort.
- Missing three sessions usually means we recommend pausing and rejoining the next cohort (without paying again).
Refund terms.
Cohort refunds work differently than software refunds. The software has a no-questions 14-day refund; cohorts have schedule and seat-hold dynamics that need clearer terms.
- Before week 1. Full refund, no questions, up to 48 hours before the first session.
- After week 1, before week 2. 75% refund. The software license you got with the cohort stays yours.
- After week 2. No prorated refund. The license still stays yours and you can rejoin a later cohort without paying again.
- If we cancel a cohort. Full refund, regardless of when.
- If we have to swap a mentor. The cohort continues with the new mentor; if you’re unhappy with the swap, full refund in week 1 / 75% in week 2 / no refund after.
The full refund policy lives at /refund. Cohort-specific terms are also shown at checkout.
How to apply.
Apply through a 20-minute call. The call is with a real parent already in the program plus the cohort operator. We talk about your kid, what they’re drawn to, which format fits, and what the next available cohort dates look like. No application fee. No commitment from the call.
Booking happens on Cal.com:
Twenty minutes. Honest questions.
We’ll talk about your kid, your schedule, and which cohort format fits. If we don’t have a good cohort for you right now, we’ll say so and tell you when the next one starts.
If the program isn’t right for you, we’ll tell you. That’s the deal.
FAQ.
Can siblings cohort together?
Yes. The studio cohort is designed for it — mixed tracks, mixed ages within reason, one tuition. Add the $49 sibling license at checkout. The mentor pairs siblings on parallel projects or helps them collaborate.
What if my kid is younger or older than the typical age?
Tell us at the call. The 6–8 band cohorts a little differently (more parent involvement, shorter sessions); the 12+ band cohorts more like a working studio (more autonomy, deeper craft moves). The mentor adapts.
Do I have to be on the sessions?
Not for group cohorts — the mentor and co-mentor handle the room. For private 1:1 cohorts with kids under 11, we ask the parent to be present or on-call. For older kids, optional.
What does my kid actually publish?
A real public URL at a Tell and Show subdomain. A game, a story, a site, or a short film — depending on the track. Their friends can play, read, or visit it. It stays live until you take it down.
Can I extend or repeat a cohort?
Yes. Many families re-enrol the same kid in a different-track cohort after the first one finishes, or upgrade from a single-track cohort to a studio cohort. Repeat tuition is the same number minus the software license you already own.
What if a cohort doesn’t have my track listed?
Email us. We add tracks based on demand. Story / Site / Movie cohorts run alongside Game when we have enrolled families.
Last updated 2026-05-16. Material changes are dated and announced via email to active families.