Check out Alexa’s new Reading Sidekick!

Reading aloud is one of the best ways for kids to practice and learn to read. 

With Reading Sidekick, kids can read aloud with Alexa in a cool, fun and interactive way. In addition to providing practice and encouragement, Reading Sidekick also allows kids to read independently whenever they want. It’s geared to kids ages 6 to 9.

Here’s how it works:

1. You’ll need an Amazon Kids+ subscription, along with an Amazon Kids-enabled Echo device.
2. To get started, the child can say “Alexa, let’s read.” Then via prompts they will tell Alexa the book’s title, and how much they want to read: a little, a lot, or taking turns.
3. If the child says “a little,” Alexa will do most of the reading and ask the child to read shorter pages.
4. If the child says “a lot,” they’ll read four sentences, paragraphs or pages (depending on book and age level) for every one read by Alexa. 
5. With “taking turns,” the child and Alexa will trade off equally. 

Along the way, Alexa will offer words of encouragement to keep things fun. If the child gets stuck, Alexa can help by giving the next word to help them along. Pretty neat!

There are hundreds of books available on Reading Sidekick, and new ones are being added each month. 

Pro Tip: Younger kids love to read to a friendly face. Check out the kid-friendly designs, including Dots that look like tigers or pandas. You can also find cool stands on Etsy, like an Echo Dot stand shaped like a unicorn.