STG News
Amazon has recently announced an all-new Alexa experience for families in New Zealand and Australia.
Amazon Kids on Alexa, available on Echo smart speakers and Echo Show devices, has been designed to help kids learn, play and grow, while being entertained at home.
The experience will allow kids 12 years and under to discover fun, child-directed content with Alexa, from sing-alongs with Amazon Music, to playing games, and telling jokes, while ensuring parents can fully manage and control the experience.
“While Alexa’s been keeping Kiwi homes organised, entertained and connected, the youngest members of the household have increasingly become curious and interested in engaging with Alexa in their own way,” said Kate Gooden, Head of Product, Amazon Alexa ANZ. “We’re excited to launch Amazon Kids on Alexa in New Zealand, joining the 20 million kids and parents around the world who are already using the service. We can now provide Mums and Dads peace of mind in knowing that their kids are getting child-directed content, and new kid skills in an environment that parents can easily manage via our Parent Dashboard tools.”
Designed just for parents and kids, Amazon Kids on Alexa brings child-friendly Alexa features, content, settings and parental controls to Amazon Echo smart speakers or Echo Show devices, including:
- Block Songs with Explicit Lyrics: Automatically filter songs with explicit lyrics from Amazon Music, Apple Music or Spotify — so children can discover new songs or listen to their favourite tunes.
- Time Limits: Set bedtime and time limits to prevent kids interacting with Alexa late into the night, or simply pause Echo devices for dinner or homework time.
- Add or Remove Services and Content: Use the Parent Dashboard and Alexa app to choose which services and skills kids can use. Voice purchasing is blocked by design.
- Household Communication: Amazon Kids on Alexa also allows for household announcements, calling, messaging, and Drop In within the home – no more shouting through the house that dinner is ready.
- Activity Review: The Parent Dashboard also allows parents to see their kid’s Alexa activity, plus review their voice recordings in the Alexa app.
Kids can also ask Alexa questions about their favourite school subjects like science, maths, or geography or request guidance on spelling or word definitions while they’re working through homework. Since Alexa is built in the cloud and always getting smarter, it continues to learn every day. With Amazon Kids on Alexa, kids can also enjoy fun experiences from ABC Kids, Kinderling Kids, Nickelodeon, and more.
Amazon has a longstanding commitment to preserving and building trust with customers and their families. As with all Amazon devices and services, Amazon Kids on Alexa is designed with privacy and security in mind. The Parent Dashboard allows parents to choose which services and skills kids can use, and review their child’s activity.
Parents and their children will always know when Alexa is listening to a request because a blue light indicator will appear on the Echo device. Parents can mute the microphones on the device with one press of a button, and most Echo Show devices also come with a built-in shutter to cover the camera. Parents can go into the Alexa app at any time to check their privacy settings and make adjustments as needed.
Parents have access to all voice recordings and can choose not to have voice recordings saved or delete them at any time. To learn more about the features providing transparency and control over your Alexa experience, visit the Alexa Privacy Hub or the Amazon Children’s Privacy Notice.
Amazon Kids on Alexa will be available for Australian and New Zealand customers to enable via the latest version of the Alexa app on compatible Echo devices, through a software update on September 22, 2022.