With an Echo smart speaker, you can access Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant which has a huge range of voice commands for completing daily tasks as well as having a little fun (see the full list here).
Alexa skills are like apps for the Amazon Echo. Alexa has thousands of different skills for all ages, these can add helpful features to Alexa or could be a simple game to play with your voice. They are made by third parties and activated by a certain command.
In this article, we’ll share 25 kid-friendly skills for toddlers and babies that are not only tailored for the kids' enjoyment but also let the whole family get included in the fun.
Christmas Kindness
Going right with the holiday season, this is one of the skills that teaches kids to be kind to each other. This skill provides you with a random daily act of kindness to try in your own life. By saying “Alexa, Open Christmas Kindness,” Alexa will provide a random idea.
Spelling Bee
This skill is designed for children in grade school and is available for different levels. If your child needs assistance with their spelling, Alexa is able to actively listen with precise accuracy to help out.
To open Spelling Bee, say “Alexa, Play Spelling Bee,” and proceed from there.
Ditty
This skill will take any spoken message and turn it into a short song. It gives you the option of taking the song and sharing it on Twitter if that is something you are interested in. It’s recommended to use around 5 words for the best results.
To use this skill say “Alexa, Open Ditty,” followed by your message you would like turned into a Ditty.
Guess the Number
This Alexa guessing game will keep bored kids occupied. It is a very simple game that will give kids some entertainment when they are bored. Numbers range from 1-100. To open this skill, say “Alexa, Open Guess the Number.”
Laugh Box
This Alexa skill has several different laughs that your baby or toddler is sure to get a kick out of. Ranging from baby laughs to evil sinister laughs, your child will get some laughs out of this skill. Saying “Alexa, Open Laugh Box” gives access to this skill.
4A Fart
If you want an Alexa skill for toddlers that is guaranteed to make them laugh time and time again, what better than a childish sound like a fart.
Saying “Alexa, Open Animal Farts” produces a variety of different fart sounds. Allows children to blame Alexa in place of a real one!
The SpongeBob Challenge
This is a memory game that includes a SpongeBob Squarepants theme for the whole family to play. It includes themes from the Krusty Krab and new levels featuring Patrick. Simply say “Alexa, Start SpongeBob Challenge” to play the skill game.
Sesame Street
“Alexa, Open Sesame Street” will start up this skill for children. This skill allows children to talk directly to Elmo as they wish. Elmo will interact with the child by doing fun things with the letter of the day. Elmo also has a game of hide and seek within the skill where he gives clues as to where he is hiding and you have to find him.
This allows your kid to enjoy adventurous play and learn new words at the same time. “Alexa, ask Sesame Street to call Elmo (find Elmo, to play Hide and Seek)” are all voice options within the skill.
Amazon Music
Alexa has the ability to open up Amazon Music and play your child’s favorite songs or lullabies. The “Shush My Baby” skill is a constantly repeating stream of shush noises for your child. Just say “Alexa, shush my baby” and Alexa will start with the shushing.
Music Bop Adventures
Stating “Alexa, Open Music Bop” opens up this skill within Alexa. The adventurous game includes 4 different themes to explore. The first one, space, allows your child to sing along and dance while it uses the planets as a learning tool.
The “Under the Sea” theme allows your child to go on an underwater exploration while singing along to the music. The jungle is another theme that centers around a jungle adventure with a sing-a-long also. “Weather” is an adventure that lets you tackle the different weather types as they are presented.
Newborn Baby
This allows parents to keep track of diaper changing and also baby feeding times. Record and recall all the events of your child’s activities to stay on top of things by saying “Alexa, Open Newborn Baby.”
Lullabies
If you want some background music to soothe your child into sleep, you can do so using the Amazon Echo to play lullabies. Saying “Alexa, Play Instrumental Lullabies” will start the music for your child’s nighttime sleeping journey.
Sound Machine
“Alexa, Play White Noise” is a skill that many parents use to play background noise so their child can fall asleep easier and quicker. There are different colors of noise you can choose from to see which one works the best for your child. This feature is very similar to the lullabies skill.
Baby Monitor
Alexa has a skill for parents that can be pulled up by saying “Alexa, drop in on the nursery” or something similar based upon what you have named your Amazon Echo location. Using the Echo as a microphone, you can check on your baby and use it as a monitor instead of some more expensive options that are on the market.
Timer
Using the Alexa skill for a Timer is essential to keep track of not only diaper changes and feeding, but also sleep times as well. Having a schedule planned out is important over the course of the baby's younger years. Saying “Alexa, Set the Timer” with the appropriate amount of time allows you to set this option.
Baby Stats
The Baby Stats Alexa skill for parents of young babies includes several options for keeping track of your baby’s activities. It keeps track of feeding, pumping, and sleeping. It also keeps track of any bathroom breaks your child takes for your convenience so you know when it’s time for the next change.
Keeping track of your child’s stats such as height and weight are also popular features within the skill.
Mad Libs
Taking an adjective, noun, or verb that you have chosen, Alexa will play the phrasal word game of Mad Libs. This assists your child with working on their vocabulary by collecting chosen words from your child and turning them into a delightful story.
Bedtime Story
A strong bedtime routine with a story is a surefire way to get your kid to fall asleep faster. This Alexa skill can be activated by saying “Alexa, Tell Bedtime Story to <name>.” This will deliver a personal bedtime story to your child with their name included within it.
This skill comes with the option of being able to upload your own bedtime stories if you choose to do so. You can get as creative as you want when choosing new bedtime stories.
Hide and Seek
This skill started with “Alexa, Play Hide and Seek” begins a timer that gives your child time to hide within the room that Alexa is in.
After the countdown, Alexa will begin to select random places that are normally found in a common room such as “behind the couch” until Alexa accurately guesses the location. If Alexa fails to guess the location, the child has won!
Baby Connect
This is used by saying “Alexa, Tell Baby Connect To <do something>.” This skill allows you to record and log a dirty diaper every time your child uses one. This skill also will keep track of your feeding schedule with your baby, much like other skills do.
You can also select the ability to keep track of your nursing schedule and which side you used while doing so. Other important things Baby Connect will keep track of are pumping, potty, and sleep schedules.
MyPlate
This Alexa skill will give helpful tools and tips on what to feed your baby based on the child’s age group. Enable this skill by saying “Alexa, Enable the MyPlate skill” and then use it by saying “Alexa, Open MyPlate.”
This skill includes science-based nutritional advice to set up your child with great eating habits. This skill is for children between the ages of 4 and 24 months.
Animal Workout
This gives kids the opportunity to pretend to be the animal that Alexa chooses through imitation. This is a great way for your child to get some physical exercise and get some good sleep for nap time or at night. “Alexa, Open Animal Workout” gives you access to the skill.
Chompers
“Alexa, start Chompers” is a convenient skill that plays a song for 2 minutes. This is done while your child is brushing their teeth and ensures they brush for the full 2 minutes while the song is playing. This makes the tooth brushing experience more fun for your kid and ensures healthy habits.
Mommy-gram
“Alexa, launch Mommy-gram” is a neat skill for toddlers that is available if your child is old enough to be able to speak the command. This skill allows your child to speak a message into Alexa, and it will relay the spoken message to the Mom via text message.
If your child hasn’t reached the age where they are able to operate devices such as a cell phone, this is a great starter for communication.
Freeze Dancers
This skill, used by saying “Alexa, play Freeze Dancers” will play music for your child and encourage them to dance while doing so. The music will play until it abruptly stops, in which everyone in the room might continue to dance or stop. Alexa will then interact with the children asking who kept dancing and who stopped.
