Alexa for 5 and 6 year olds

[Helpel]

Hello mumsnetters, my daughters are 5&6 and have started asking for an Alexa for Christmas after hearing about it from friends/kids youtube. Does anyone have any experience of getting an Alexa (echo dot) for this age child? Any concerns over inappropriate content? Or even what happens if they start asking "is Santa real?"!! Also I know they do a kids version - what are they like as an alternative?

[Ohdoleavemealone]

My kids have had them that young and been fine.
Worst thing they do is ask her to make fart noises.
Mostly it is used to tell stories and play podcasts.

[parietal]

I'd never get an Alexa for kids (or adults). It means Amazon is listening in to you all the time which is freaky. Keep some privacy in your home.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

The main additional benefits of childrens ones is the child settings are already on (but it took me a few minutes to put them on my childrens normal ones) and the access to the Kids Unlimited stuff.

I have seen them and can confirm the patterns are cute.

I can recommend Fun Kids Radio.

[Fredthefrog]

I'm getting a yoto player for my daughter ( a bit younger) but it is child friendly and ot I telnet enabled so they can listen to stories and pod casts without being listened to or able access dodgy content.

[TurnUpTurnip]

@parietal

I'd never get an Alexa for kids (or adults). It means Amazon is listening in to you all the time which is freaky. Keep some privacy in your home.

My kids was asking for one but I thought of this as well, I don’t want something that’s listening in to my conversations but I felt bad for saying no since everyone seems to have one!

[JurgensCakeBaby]

We've got DS a yoto rather than an Alexa , I don't trust that they wouldn't be able to access something inappropriate. If they want it for music and podcasts why not a yoto player? You can get audiobooks for them too that way

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

We hummed and ahhed about this but the listening in put me off.

Instead we bought a decent digital radio for their rooms which have bluetooth, so they can also use it with me connecting my phone and playing audiobooks etc. It mainly stays on Fun Kids Radio station, but they've moved over to Heart now the christmas music has started.

[SageRosemary]

So, I've just asked Alexa "is Santa real?" and I've just had the most delightful reply. I still believe!

[SleepingStandingUp]

@SageRosemary

So, I've just asked Alexa "is Santa real?" and I've just had the most delightful reply. I still believe!

I just tried to. #TrueBeliever

[Helpel]

Thanks for responses so far, not overly worried about the 'listening in' aspect, feel like if you have a smart phone and use Google Facebook and Amazon you're already tracked intensively! Of course only my opinion, understand others have more concerns.
More interested in the specific aspect of kids losing innocence/being exposed to stuff they shouldn't.

[Helpel]

@sage rosemary aah that's cool 🙂

[pastypirate]

They are brilliant tech for children I love ours.

[Triffid1]

We've got them for the kids and it's no problem at all. They absolutely love them. Do have to keep an eye on DS that he isn't using her to do his spellings . They use them mostly for Spotify, but they both have them connected to their lights (DD likes to play with coloured lights), and sometimes they use them for timers. DS has started setting a morning alarm (which he then sleeps through). DD and her friends also sometimes use it for games like musical statues and I think she's been introduced to a daily kids quiz.

DS has sensory processing disorder and went through a phase of using his to set rain sounds to help him sleep at night which was nice too. And the drop in function is useful.

A friends DD uses hers a LOT for audible books.

Basically, I think they're brilliant for kids. And a lovely reasonably priced christmas gift if you get the Dot in the sale.

[Mrsfussypants1]

We went for Yoto for gs (5 1/2) over the kids Alexa, mainly because none of the families Alexas respond to her voice very well at all which results in her getting frustrated. Lost count of how many times I've heard her say 'Alexa play Disney Frozen songs' and Alexa instead has told her the time, played a different song etc. She's got a nice clear voice too. Yoto has been a big hit though, may try Alexa when she's older.

[Stompythedinosaur]

My dc have had an alexa since that age with no probs. They play music and use the app that makes farting sounds. Nothing inappropriate has come up.

Remember to ask her what sound a hamster makes!

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

@SageRosemary

So, I've just asked Alexa "is Santa real?" and I've just had the most delightful reply. I still believe!

I was just going to ask someone with an Alexa to ask the question! Please can you tell us what the response was?

OP, I think Alexa would be like anything else - if they start using it inappropriately, then it gets taken away.
That said, I am always so tempted when at friends with an Alexa to say 'Alexa, play heavy rock music at 4am'. So far I've managed to resist.

I'd be surprised if you couldn't set some sort of parental controls?

[RedWingBoots]

Or even what happens if they start asking "is Santa real?"!!

Santa is real according to Alexa.

[switswoo81]

I'd say the people listening in to our Alexa have probably died of boredom!
Seriously my 6 yo loves ours and it's great for nursery rhymes and background music for younger kids

[DriftingBlue]

We were early adopters of the technology. Alexa had a real problem recognizing my DD’s voice. Just couldn’t parse the high pitch of a little girl. It’s much better now. I don’t know if that is age or an improvement in tech. My child is now 13 and still has an especially high pitched voice, but not as extreme as a few years ago.

[SleepingStandingUp]

@RockingMyFiftiesNot when yo u ask Alexa, Santa comes on and tells you he's real

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

[quote SleepingStandingUp]@RockingMyFiftiesNot when yo u ask Alexa, Santa comes on and tells you he's real[/quote]
Good old Santa. I try to tell my (adult) children every year that he's real but they won't have it - but bet they'd believe Alexa!

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

One of my favourite functions on Alexa is sending messages to the kids rooms such as stop jumping around ir its dinner time.

My phone Alexa App is called Supreme Overlord so it will announce "Message from Supreme Overlord: Your dinner is ready"

[ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast]

We have multiple and they are not put in their bedrooms. If they are using it, I'll know. They love to start spotify with it, and also ask Santa, jokes and random facts. I think the most important thing is supervision.

[ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast]

Santa count down is lovely by the way. There's also a lovely mince pie song by Santa.

[Hetyanni]

I want to get a dot each for my 2 (especially now they are £18.99!) But DH has said no because of the Amazon listening thing.