Echo Dot- safe for kids room?

smss

Sun, May 17 2020, 6:54 pm

Considering getting this for my kids' room. What I want is a "speaker" that can play Spotify music, Audible audiobooks, and Torah Anytime stories (and I don't want to connect just any old bluetooth speaker to my phone, because I want to be able to use my phone myself after they're in bed) - can I do this with the Echo dot?

Is it safe for young children in terms of what they can access? Like does the Alexa feature enable them to access ANYTHING on google or are there safeguards in place?

Anything else I should know before buying it for young kids? (ages 5-7)

boat

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:07 pm

I wouldn't, afaik there are no filters.
Highly recommend naki radio though.

smss

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:13 pm

boat wrote:

I wouldn't, afaik there are no filters.
Highly recommend naki radio though.

I keep hearing that but it's SO expensive. Really worth $130?

amother

Cerise

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:15 pm

That’s the problem, why are kosher options always so expensive?

amother

Coral

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:20 pm

smss wrote:

I keep hearing that but it's SO expensive. Really worth $130?

Totally worth it imo. They can do anything with the dot, including order stuff, listen to any music, ask it any question etc.
There are parental controls but they're super easy to turn off.
I wouldn't do it.

boat

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:22 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

That’s the problem, why are kosher options always so expensive?

Agree its frustrating.
Any small fish manufacturer will have much higher expenses compared to the big names as they operate on a much smaller scale.

amother

Cerise

Sun, May 17 2020, 7:28 pm

boat wrote:

Agree its frustrating.
Any small fish manufacturer will have much higher expenses compared to the big names as they operate on a much smaller scale.

Yea I get why, but it’s so frustrating especially when it comes to Jewish books. No way am I buying my kids Jewish books rights now.. spending enough on cheap ones from Amazon as it is.

doctorima

Sun, May 17 2020, 8:28 pm

I've seen the Naki radio for much less than $130. That was a few months ago, but if you shop around, you may be able to find it for cheaper.

amother

Plum

Sun, May 17 2020, 8:51 pm

I love my echo but I would not put it anywhere besides a common room. I have no idea what they can access and I want to be supervising. As of now my kids enjoy listening to their favorite music all the time, and they occasionally play games. I also set daily reminders for them (time to daven, set up for zoom, etc). Plus they use it when they need a timer, like for kriah homework. Probably other stuff that I'm forgetting. We have a naki radio too but for some reason my kids never really got into it. I think they like having more control, which the echo gives them.

cnc

Sun, May 17 2020, 9:25 pm

smss wrote:

I keep hearing that but it's SO expensive. Really worth $130?

I have it since Chanukah and it’s worth every single penny. I think it’s $100 plus tax ....

malky800

Sun, May 17 2020, 9:57 pm

No!! I got it and I found out my kids were playing games with it(All right silly ones) at crazy hours of the night.
No matter what I blocked my kids got around it.

amother

Coffee

Sun, May 17 2020, 10:00 pm

Quote:

I have it since Chanukah and it’s worth every single penny. I think it’s $100 plus tax ...

We also got ours Chanukah and love it. I am not a spender, and this is well worth the money!
And I loved, loved, loved the 24 hr acapella music during sefira - was amazing

smss

Sun, May 17 2020, 10:07 pm

Ok guys so tell me what you love so much about the naki. I heard they don't have a lot of current music? What kind of stories do they have - do I need to worry about scary stuff?

cnc

Sun, May 17 2020, 10:35 pm

smss wrote:

Ok guys so tell me what you love so much about the naki. I heard they don't have a lot of current music? What kind of stories do they have - do I need to worry about scary stuff?

I actually love that they have the old stuff.
My kids love listening to the things I grew up with, like Country Yossi!

They have storytelling by Rabbi Erps and many others.

There's a huge variety and there's always something to listen to.

Ima4therecord

Sun, May 17 2020, 11:55 pm

You can look into the echo dot kids version. It has a lot of protective features, but check if it can play torahanytime... it might limit too much that you don't get what you need. I love the echo dot... but one time my daughter said sing happy birthday, and a rap song that was innapropriate with cursing came on called the birthday song or something... lol! but this wouldn't happen on the kids echo dot version.

dddpssu

Mon, May 18 2020, 2:38 am

I know of a boy that got hooked on listening to secular music because his mom innocently gave them an echo dot to listen to sports games. And it’s very hard to stop that train...don’t put an echo dot in a kid’s bedroom unless you don’t care how far it goes.

dddpssu

Mon, May 18 2020, 2:40 am

@cnc
My kids love listening to the things I grew up with, like Country Yossi!

Where do you find Country Yossi on the Naki radio? I would love for my kids to listen to good old fashioned humor.

amother

Beige

Mon, May 18 2020, 9:29 pm

dddpssu wrote:

@cnc
My kids love listening to the things I grew up with, like Country Yossi!

Where do you find Country Yossi on the Naki radio? I would love for my kids to listen to good old fashioned humor.

Scoop Kids often plays. My kids get so excited when it comes on!

singleagain

Mon, May 18 2020, 9:31 pm

Ima4therecord wrote:

You can block explicit stuff in the settings of the echo app.