Amazon’s New Alexa For Kids Helps Ease Many Parental Fears

My kids have figured out how to run Alexa. Apparently they have learned by watching how my husband and I do it. My oldest even knows what setting to turn the receiver on so that it goes over the surround sound in our family room.

I used to think it was cute that Ella would say, "Alexa play Garth Brooks" (Obviously she has seen me use it the most), but I no longer appreciate my daughter's new found skill. (I'm convinced Alexa responds to the command "play the most annoying songs ever").

Besides having to hear the same annoying kid songs on repeat, my kids' Alexa abilities has me fearing they will "accidentally" order uber-expensive toys without us knowing. Thank God Amazon now has parents' backs...

This week Amazon launched their new Alexa for Kids along with a new Echo Dot Kids Edition that eases so many of my parental fears.

According to Today.com;

With the new Alexa for kids, though, kids can't shop or order an Uber with their voices. Amazon launched the new product, formally called Alexa FreeTime, on May 9 along with an Echo Dot Kids Edition.

The new version of Alexa gives kid-friendly replies to questions with bits of information to help them learn. For instance, when a kid asks Alexa FreeTime how many planets there are in the solar system, it names the planets and explains why Pluto is a dwarf planet. Regular Alexa just says there are eight.

If a kid says "please," or "thank you," the new Alexa rewards them for being polite. It also comes with hundreds of kid-friendly audio books and a Spongebob Squarepants alarm that wakes them up in the morning.

So wait, this new Echo Dot Kids Edition not only stops my daughter from order 50 My Little Pony Fashems, but it also teaches her things and encourages proper manners?!? I'm sold!

The Echo Dot Kids Edition retails for $80, and comes with either a blue, green or red casing and a 1 year subscription to Free Time Unlimited where kids can get all that fun, educational content.

Just in case you're wondering if you have to buy the Echo Dot Kids Edition to be able to use Alexa for Kids services, the answer is no. You can can use it on your current Echo product after you enable the new skill.

Thank you, Amazon. Now, if you could just abolish the Baby Shark Song, I would be one happy parent.

Catch Lil Zim on ‘Q98.5 Mornings with Lil Zim & JB’ on Q98.5 from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook