Alexa Commands Kids Will Love (or Hate)

Smart devices are fun and useful for the whole family. We tend to focus on how smart homes help adults, but there are plenty of kid-friendly smart devices on the market. So what can Alexa do for kids? Which commands will help kids stay on top of schoolwork, chores and extracurriculars, and which ones will just make them laugh?

Some of Alexa’s existing commands are already perfect. But you can download others from the skill store or customize your own commands with Skill Blueprints.

Use Alexa for School and Education

These days, almost all schoolwork requires technology. Whether you’re dealing with distance learning or a typical day of studying, Alexa can help. When kids are practicing reading comprehension, spelling and vocabulary, they can use these Alexa commands to be sure they have the correct answer:

• “Alexa, define ‘lexicon.’ “
• “Alexa, how do you spell ‘rhythm?’ “
• “Alexa, test my spelling.”

When they are learning history or geography:

• “Alexa, open Ultimate History Quiz.”
• “Alexa, start Geography Quiz.”

To study basic math, such as addition, subtraction and multiplication:

• “Alexa, open Smart Math.”

There are also more specific, customizable Alexa tools for kids to use when studying. Keep track of the whole family’s at-home school schedules in Blueprints. Or create flash cards and personalized quizzes to prepare for the big midterm exam.

Use Alexa for Kids’ Chores and Other Home Tasks

Chores teach kids how to handle responsibility and to share household work with others. However, it can be difficult to get kids to do their chores, whether they just forget or consciously choose not to pitch in. Alexa can help you assign age appropriate chores to each member of the family, and it can help kids keep track of their things-to-do list.

• Use Blueprints to create a chore chart.
• Assign a weekly to-do list with Task Tracker.
• Set reminders like “Alexa, remind me to take out the trash on Thursday at 5 p.m.”

What else can Alexa do for kids around the house? The benefits go beyond cleaning.

• Say “Alexa, start Chompers” to have fun while brushing your teeth.
• Set a morning alarm to Disney music for kids who like sleeping late.
• Say “Alexa, call Mom,” to add a last-minute request to the shopping list.

Alexa Games and Entertainment for Kids

While Alexa is great for kids to stay on-task and organized, it’s also plenty of fun to play with during free time. There are lots of Alexa games for kids. Start by saying “Alexa, let’s play a game.”

Try these free Alexa games for kids:

• Kids Trivia;
• The SpongeBob Challenge;
• Animal Workout.

To listen to an interesting topic or story:

• “Alexa, play a kids podcast.”

To laugh with the whole family:

• “Alexa, tell me a joke.”

To prevent sibling arguments over a toy:

• “Alexa, whose turn is it?”

After testing the waters with these Alexa commands for kids, play around with custom features. With the Echo Dot Kids Edition, it’s easy to set time limits and parental controls.