Increased requests for Indian folktales like Akbar Birbal, Tenali Raman and Panchatantra
Kid-friendly features of Alexa include interactive games, quizzes, nursery rhymes, and its ability to answer questions about spellings, general knowledge, history and science
Smart home and productivity features on Alexa can help parents make daily tasks simpler
Alexa and Echo smart speakers have been part of Indian households for six years now and continue to delight customers with its myriad uses. Amazon has shared that Alexa is very popular among parents with young kids under 8 years. These households demonstrate twice the level of Alexa interactions as compared to other users.
Weekends are family time with Alexa – last year there was a 15% increase over the weekends in requests for music with many of them being for kids’ music. The top five, most popular songs for kids on Alexa are: Baby Shark, Lakdi Ki Kathi, Johnny Johnny Yes Papa, Wheels on the Bus, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Indian folktales, like Akbar Birbal, Tenali Raman, and Panchatantra stories, see high interest from customers, especially in Hindi. In 2023, customers asked for these stories on an average of 34 times every hour.
Whether it is asking Alexa for rhymes, stories, games, and general knowledge, or taking its help to manage day-to-day tasks like smart home control, alarms, reminders, and more – the ease and convenience of using simple voice commands with Alexa has made it a popular companion for kids and parents alike.
“Parents often tell us how Alexa has become a companion in their parenting journeys. The option to access a number of useful kid-friendly experiences with simple voice commands makes Alexa a convincing addition for a young family,” says Dilip R.S., Director and Country Manager for Alexa, Amazon India. “While it is a great learning and entertainment tool for kids, Alexa can help parents manage their lives too. Whether it is controlling smart home appliances with voice while juggling numerous tasks or asking for a bedtime story as part of their child’s daily routine, Alexa’s right there to help them.”
A study amongst parents conducted by Kantar for Amazon* revealed that Alexa has helped to reduce screen time among kids and enabled them to learn in a fun and engaging manner. The study also surveyed parents who actively use Alexa smart speakers at home; 95% of them agreed that having Alexa at home has helped reduce screen time and it has become a true companion for their kids. 90% of them felt Alexa helps their kids stay mentally active, learn new things, and become more independent.
With numerous voice-first engaging experiences for kids, parents can introduce their children to Alexa smart speakers like Echo Dot or Echo Pop that are safe because of on-device privacy settings and control over personal data usage via the Alexa privacy hub.
For young parents looking to introduce Alexa to their children, here are some things to try:
Improve kids listening skills and their attention span
Kids can listen to bedtime stories in both English and Hindi. Parents can just say, “Alexa, tell me a bedtime story”, “Alexa, open Amazon Storytime”, or “Alexa, बच्चों की कहानी सुनाओ”. Introduce them to animal sounds with Wild Planet by just asking, “Alexa, make lion sound” or “Alexa, बंदर की आवाज सुनाओ”.
Keep them engaged and entertained with kids’ music and nursery rhymes
Parents can ask Alexa in English, Hindi, and Hinglish to play popular nursery rhymes including Baby Shark, Lakdi ki Kathi, Nani Teri Morni, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. From kids’ music to mainstream hits, parents can put up songs for their kids to dance, sing, and have fun at home.
Encourage curiosity about the world by asking for information
Parents can nurture their children’s inquisitiveness by asking Alexa questions about history, science, general knowledge, geography, sports and more. Asking for information is as easy as saying, “Alexa, what is the capital of Spain?”, “Alexa, how far is the sun?” or “Alexa, how do I spell technology?”.
Make learning fun with conversational games and quizzes
Just say, “Alexa, open games for children” and choose from a range of games for kids including Animal Game, Chhota Bheem Adventures, Number Guessing Game, True or False, and more. By asking, “Alexa, open 1-2-3 Math” or “Alexa, teach me English”, parents can help kids apply mathematical concepts and hone their vocabulary and grammar.
Alexa anniversary deals
Celebrate Alexa’s 6th anniversary – visit www.amazon.in/alexaanniversary from 9 – 11 February 2024 to grab up to 50% off on Echo smart speakers, Fire TV Stick, and Alexa smart home combos. Some of the exciting deals are: Flat 49% off on Alexa smart home combo – Echo Dot 4th Gen (with clock) + Wipro Simple Setup 9W smart bulb at ₹3,899; Flat 59% on Echo Pop Gift twin packs with Wipro Simple Setup 9W smart bulb – buy it for ₹4,898, and Flat 40% off on the best-selling Fire TV Stick – get it for ₹2,999 only.
*Survey done by Kantar for Amazon in March, 2023, among 750+ parents with young children (3-8 years) across 10 metro and non-metro cities of India.
