Psychologist and author Catherine Steiner-Adair worries about parents using technology of any kind as a crutch. Related: Early iPhone designer calls on Apple to curb tech addiction She says to avoid letting smart speaker activity displace the kinds of family bonding routines that build social and emotional connections, like reading a book at bedtime or talking over dinner. She says listening to podcasts or books is likely a good way to encourage shared media time for family members, which helps kids better comprehend information.
The guidelines include recommendations for holding off on screen time until 18 months of age, and not using media as a way to calm children. Jenny Radesky, who helped write the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines for screen time, thinks there may be advantages to audio content but is skeptical of smart speakers.
Amazon buy podcast maker wondery tv#
They use Amazon Music and Spotify to replace Disney movies with soundtracks: "More often than not, getting away from the TV means turning on the music, dancing, and butchering the lyrics to a Disney favorite."ĭr. "Somehow Alexa gets more respect and has more control of my kind's actions than my wife and I when it comes to screen time," says Newell. Nick Newell, a tech worker and dad in the San Francisco Bay area, uses his Amazon Echo to help manage his five-year-old son's screen time, asking Alexa to turn the TV off or set timers.
Listening can also be a middle ground between screen time and going fully analog.
"In general, it's a more thoughtful experience." "Kids can be doing something with their hands, such as playing or coloring, and be productive," said Dan Hinds, creator of the Stories Podcast and a parent himself. The winning app, Kids Court, lets children settle arguments in an Alexa-run court while learning about the law. The retail giant has hundreds of kid-focused voice applications available in the US, and recently held a contest for developers to build new apps for children. (And of course, kids can just request their favorite songs, over and over.)Īmazon says kids' audio-apps are the fastest growing category that works with its voice assistant Alexa. Disney's Cars Adventure app lets kids give Lightning McQueen turn-by-turn directions in a race. The Sesame Street audio app uses sound hints for a game of hide-and-go-seek with Elmo. Smart assistants add an interactive layer to audio content. "My kids enjoy screen time more because they get to see some of their favorite characters, who they're partial to, but a podcast is not a hard sell at all," Kelly said. But during the afternoons and on car rides, Kelly prefers podcasts like "Sparkle Stories" or an audiobook. Seattle-based attorney and parent Heather Kelly - no relation to me - lets her children, ages 2 and 5, have up to an hour of screen time twice a week. Related: Amazon's new plan aims to get teens hooked Meanwhile, " Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child" is a music podcast of kid-friendly tunes that won't drive parents crazy. In the podcast "Dream Big," second grader Eva Karpman and her mom interview athletes, artists, scientists and philosophers. On NPR's " Wow in the World," hosts tackle fun scientific mysteries like, "What is a sea pickle?"
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The free "Stories Podcast" by startup Wondery features retellings of classic tales, such as Snow White and the Pied Piper, and original stories for kids. Audio-based options range from educational to rock.
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