Turn a chore spreadsheet into an app for twin 9-year-olds with Claude Code

WorkedEvidence: Described by posterPosted Jul 27, 2025Last checked Nov 1, 2026

Jesse Spevack's first Claude chore app became whack-a-mole bugs. A rebuild with Claude Code, a requirements doc and reviews worked.

Source checked Nov 1, 2026
Results shared

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Please turn this spreadsheet into an "app" that my kids can use on their iPads. It should be a single html file. They should be able to go day by day and check off their tasks. The directions at the top should be clear. What questions do you have?

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Optional stronger version

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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 chore tracker app for my kids from a spreadsheet, in small steps that I can test and undo.

Questions to ask me first:
- How many kids, and what devices will they use?
- What should the app do on day one (check off tasks, see the week)?
- Can you use version control such as Git?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Chore spreadsheet: [FILE]
- Kids' names and ages: [KIDS]
- Devices: [e.g., iPads]
- Must-have features: [FEATURES]

Rules:
- Start with a short requirements list and wait for my approval before writing code.
- Use version control and commit after each working change.
- Build one feature at a time and tell me how to test it.
- Keep files small and readable; don't put everything in one huge file.

Checkpoint: After the first working version, stop and let me test it with the kids before adding features.

If you get stuck: If a change breaks something, roll back to the last working commit instead of patching on top.

Verify before you finish: Run through every feature on the list after each change.

Output: A requirements list, a working app and short instructions for the kids.

Done when: The kids can check off their chores on their devices, and each change is saved and reversible.

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Chore spreadsheet

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Kids' names and ages

Devices

Must-have features

Your prompt

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 chore tracker app for my kids from a spreadsheet, in small steps that I can test and undo.

Questions to ask me first:
- How many kids, and what devices will they use?
- What should the app do on day one (check off tasks, see the week)?
- Can you use version control such as Git?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Chore spreadsheet: [FILE]
- Kids' names and ages: [KIDS]
- Devices: [e.g., iPads]
- Must-have features: [FEATURES]

Rules:
- Start with a short requirements list and wait for my approval before writing code.
- Use version control and commit after each working change.
- Build one feature at a time and tell me how to test it.
- Keep files small and readable; don't put everything in one huge file.

Checkpoint: After the first working version, stop and let me test it with the kids before adding features.

If you get stuck: If a change breaks something, roll back to the last working commit instead of patching on top.

Verify before you finish: Run through every feature on the list after each change.

Output: A requirements list, a working app and short instructions for the kids.

Done when: The kids can check off their chores on their devices, and each change is saved and reversible.

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Outcome

Software engineer Jesse Spevack wanted to turn a chore spreadsheet for twin nine-year-olds into an app the kids could use on their iPads, and asked Claude to make it a single HTML file. As new features were added, the code got longer and more convoluted, and with no version control, simple changes started breaking other features. After hours of this whack-a-mole, Spevack started over on chore tracker number three. This time Claude Code first helped brainstorm the app, which became a product requirements doc and then a database design, and the app was built in Rails one task at a time with code reviews along the way. That version met Spevack's quality bar, and each kid has a personalized theme.

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

Source

Posted: Jul 27, 2025 by Jesse Spevack (Very Normal)
Last checked: Nov 1, 2026
Method:: How we verify

https://verynormal.info/claude-code-vibes/

Context: The first attempts failed: Spevack used no version control and insisted on a single HTML file, so fixes kept breaking other features. The working version took an engineer's process.