How To Set Up Alexa Dot For Child

Equally useful as Alexa is for adults, the fact is that kids also love the voice banana, and Amazon knows it.

The smart home specialist launched a kids edition of its speaker a couple of years ago, and we're at present onto the Echo Kids (fourth Generation). Based on the regular Echo Dot, the new smart speaker is available in cute panda and tiger designs (squad panda, btw).

As well as a new skin, Amazon has created an entire version of Alexa that'due south designed to be rubber for kids to collaborate with, and this kid mode tin can exist enabled for well-nigh existing Echo speakers, too.

One time turned on, you get full parental controls, including when the speaker can and can't be used, who your children can communicate with and what smart home control they can get (if any).

And, Amazon has updated Amazon Kids+ to include Alexa-specific content, and so your kids can observe new games and skills designed for their ages.

In that location's quite a chip to go through, but here we'll evidence you how to set a speaker for your kids and how to command what they can and tin can't do.

Best Alexa speaker for kids: Repeat Dot Kids Edition (4th Generation)

Buy now: Amazon | $59.99

While the first Kids Edition came out in 2022, the latest version is the best, the Repeat Dot Kids Edition (4th Generation).

Based on the electric current Echo Dot, the new version of the speaker is available every bit a beautiful panda or tiger.

This edition costs a little more than than the regular version, as information technology likewise includes a twelvemonth's subscription to Amazon Kids+ - a service that brings apps, games, audiobooks and skills to all of your Amazon devices, not just the Echo.

And, you get a two-year worry-free guarantee: if the speaker is broken in any fashion, Amazon will just bandy it out for a new 1, no questions asked. These 2 add together-ons make the actress well worth information technology.

If you have older kids, so regular Echo smart speakers can also be turned into kids 1, using a setting in the Alexa app - more on that further downward the guide.

Best Alexa gadgets for kids: Echo Glow

Buy now: Amazon | $29.99

The Echo Glow is a smart lamp specially designed for kids. It'southward non a speaker itself, but you can pair it with your child'due south Repeat Dot and they tin then command its color and brightness with their phonation.

The 100 lumens lamp emits a warm white and a rainbow of colors, which yous tin can use to help with kids sleep fourth dimension routine (cherry means stay in bed, green ways its time to get up), plow into a flickering bivouac lite for sleepovers, or as a sleep timer that gradually dims for bedtime and brighten when it's time to wake up.

How to plough on Kids mode on Echo smart speaker

Parental controls are split between the Alexa app, where you set upwards Kids mode, and the Amazon Parents Dashboard (bachelor through the Alexa app and through the defended website).

First, you lot need to turn on Kids mode on your child's Repeat smart speaker. To do this, open up upwards the Alexa app and tap Devices, and so select Echo & Alexa.

Gyre downwards to the Echo speaker that you want to command and tap it.

In the principal Settings, scroll downward until you encounter Amazon Kids, tap this and then tap the Settings cog (tiptop-correct of the screen) utilise the switch to set this to Enabled. You now take a Kids Echo smart speaker.

This mode allows the speaker to be controlled by parental controls, only it likewise disables some features by default, including voice purchasing. For effectively control, you need to dive into the parental control settings.

How to manage parental controls on an Echo device

From the Settings screen that you were just on, you can tap the Amazon Kids Settings pick, which volition prove you all of the bachelor profiles that you take to manage.

If you've non set up these upwardly before, you'll get a link that takes you to a website that will let you fix profiles for your home. Alternatively, you can just go to parents.amazon.com.

If this is your first fourth dimension hither, you tin can follow the guide through to create profiles for all of the children in your habitation. This includes setting the name and age of a child. Once you take profiles, you can manage them individually.

First, you need to select who the Echo device belongs to. Speakers can but belong to one child, and the restrictions and age ratings are limited to that profile. Devices announced nether your kid's profile, listed nether Your Kid Devices.

Tap an Echo device, and yous tin can change who it belongs to and yous can likewise manage a few settings.

Tap Music, and you lot tin turn on the Explicit Filter to prevent songs with swear words from being played. Note that this works for all music services including, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify on your Echo speaker.

However, there'southward a select box side by side to Amazon Music: if this is turned on, Amazon Music becomes the default music service, regardless of what you have set elsewhere.

Turn this off, and music volition play from your prepare default music service.

Under Advice, y'all can set whether the Echo device tin can use Drib In and Calling & Messaging. Only approved contacts tin can exist called or messaged (this is set up in the Alexa app, run into below for more information).

Back to the main profile, and you lot can alter some other settings. You can cull Daily Time Limits to select when Alexa is available, both on Weekdays and Weekends, so you can stop your kids from using their smart speaker when they should exist asleep.

If you lot want to temporarily disable Alexa, you lot can select Pause Devices from the child'due south profile page, which volition stop them from using whatever and all of their devices until you tap Resume.

At the lesser, select Smart Dwelling house Devices, and then you tin can choose if your kids can control your home or not. It'south just an on or off switch at the moment, and it's a shame that you tin't select which devices you'd similar them to exist able to control.

How to control which contacts your child can talk to

If you have messaging turned on, then yous can control who your child can call.

To do this open the Alexa app and tap Communicate, then tap the Contacts icon at the height correct. Find your child'south name in your listing of contacts and tap this.

You'll see a list of Approved Contacts.

Tap Add New Contact and you can add anyone that's in your list as someone that it's condom for your kid to contact, such as grandparents or friends.

You accept to repeat this stride separately for each kid profile you have.

How to disable voice purchasing or add together a pin

One of Alexa's greatest conveniences also holds the nigh potential danger.

Voice purchasing can brand replenishing paper towels a cakewalk, only you don't want desire to end up finding fifty Lego Death Stars at the door because your kids discovered that your Echo could be turned into an all-year Santa.

To enable or disable voice purchasing on all your Echo devices, or add another layer of security, do the following:

i. Open the Alexa app.
two. Tap Settings.
three. Tap Alexa Account.
4. Hit Vocalization Purchasing.
5. Y'all can toggle voice purchasing on/off. You lot can likewise add together a pin code that will need to exist read out earlier Alexa processes any transactions.

Best Alexa skills for kids

Besides equally the excellent array of kids specific content with Kids+, in that location are too some brilliant Alexa Skills that will work on whatsoever Alexa smart speaker that are smashing for children.

Sesame Street

Kids tin chat to Elmo (tin we accept a get?) who loves to talk about his letter of the solar day and can even play hide and seek. Audio clues might reveal where he is – and kids can shout out where they retrieve he might exist.

Just say: " Alexa, ask Sesame Street to call Elmo".

SpongeBob Challenge

SpongeBob and the crew at the Krusty Krab are having a busy twenty-four hour period flipping burgers, and have a lot of orders to recollect. Kids tin can listen and repeat back the orders – and try and remember as many as they can.

Just say: "Alexa, kickoff the SpongeBob Challenge".

Amazon Storytime

Short stories aimed at kids ages five-12, and it's all in conjunction with Audible and then the quality is really stiff.

Just say: "Alexa, ask Amazon Storytime to read me a story".

Chompers

Struggling to get the kids to brush their teeth? Chompers makes teeth time fun with jokes, riddles, songs and more, keeping children brushing for the full two minutes. It also keeps track of your brushing streaks, giving kids a reason to stick to the routine.

Just say: "Alexa, starting time Chompers from Gimlet".

Brute Game

Think of an animal and then play yes/no until Alexa guesses which one you're thinking of.

Just say: "Alexa, play Animal Game".

Wake up Clock

This might have a slim chance of working, but we'll try anything to go on early risers in their beds for an actress hour. You set the time when information technology'southward ok for your child to exit of bed. When they wake up they just demand to ask whether it's time to get up yet.

Just ask: "Alexa, inquire My Clock if it is time to wake up".

Lego Duplo Stories

Interactive stories designed to boost the imagination, Lego Duplo Stories are like a choose-your-ain-adventure sound volume. Your kid is the helm of a pirate ship or a flying bird, choosing where they go and the adventures they set out on.

Merely say: "Alexa, open Lego Duplo Stories".

The Magic Door

Another interactive story game, The Magic Door lets kids made choices as they explore a fantasy world, collecting items, and meeting talking rabbits forth the mode.

Just say: "Alexa, open the magic door".

Moshi Twilight

Less interactive, the makers of Moshi Monsters provide bedtime stories with ambience sound effects, design to assist piffling ones drift off.

Simply say: "Alexa, ask Moshi Twilight to play a Sleep Story."