Build a math flashcard game for a 4-year-old with Claude Code

WorkedEvidence: Described by posterPosted Oct 26, 2025Last checked Nov 3, 2026

With no Swift experience, Michael Marcal built an iOS math flashcard game for a 4-year-old with Claude Code in a weekend.

Source checked Nov 3, 2026
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I'm an experienced engineer but new to Swift and iOS. Help me build a SwiftUI addition flashcard game for my 4-year-old: big tappable answers, XP and levels, current and longest streaks, a stats screen with accuracy, separate profiles for two kids, and a settings menu hidden behind a triple-click so a small child can't open it. Explain the Xcode steps as we go.

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ChatGPT Gemini Grok Claude

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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish.

Goal: Build a simple iPhone or iPad learning game for a young child and help me run it on our own device.

Questions to ask me first:
- How old is the child, and what skill should the game practice?
- Which device will it run on?
- How much iOS or coding experience do you have?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Child's age and skill: [AGE AND SKILL, e.g. addition to 20]
- Device: [IPHONE OR IPAD]
- Number of player profiles: [NUMBER]
- Rewards to include: [e.g. XP, levels, streaks]
- My experience: [EXPERIENCE]

Rules:
- Use large buttons and very little text.
- Hide parent settings behind a gesture a small child won't find.
- No ads, accounts, purchases or internet needed.
- Explain each Xcode step in plain words.

Checkpoint: Show me the screen list and feature list and wait for my OK before writing code.

If you get stuck: If the build fails, show me the exact error and one fix at a time; don't rewrite everything.

Verify before you finish: Build it, run it in the simulator, answer a few problems and check that stats and streaks update.

Output: The project files, steps to install it on my device and a short list of possible next features.

Done when: The child can play on our device and the stats screen shows their progress.

AI tool

Claude Code

Outcome

Michael Marcal, a software engineer of about 15 years with no Swift or iOS experience, spent about 24 hours of part-time weekend work with Claude Code and ended up with two working iOS apps. The first, built in about 8 hours, was a practice app to learn Xcode, the simulator and deploying to a test device. The second was a math flashcard game for Marcal's 4-year-old son, with XP, levels, streak tracking and achievement celebrations, multiple profiles so the younger brother can play, and a settings menu hidden behind a triple-click that a 4-year-old can't find. The stats screen showed 41 problems attempted, 40 correct, 97% accuracy, a current streak of 10 and a longest streak of 30. Marcal's son loves it and is getting faster at addition. Marcal is honest that the weekend didn't teach much Swift itself, and the slow iOS simulator meant testing most changes by hand and pasting errors back to Claude Code.

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Source

Posted: Oct 26, 2025 by Michael Marcal (blog)
Last checked: Nov 3, 2026
Method:: How we verify

https://michaelmarcal.com/learning-swift-in-a-weekend-with-claude-code/

Context: The exact prompt isn't quoted, so the prompt here is recreated. The 24 hours covers both apps. Marcal says the weekend didn't teach much Swift itself.