“Alexa, let’s read!” Now your favorite AI helper has one more trick up her sleeve: reading with your child. Amazon’s new Reading Sidekick might help shape the future of literacy and it’s available for families everywhere by Friday.
The Sidekick works on both the Amazon Kids-enabled Echo device or the Amazon Kids+ app on a tablet and supports hundreds of books, both physical and digital. Once your child says the prompt, Alexa will ask how much they want to read: a little, a lot or taking turns. From there, Alexa will either read most of the pages, let the child read most of the pages, or alternate paragraphs or pages.
To keep the fun going, Alexa will offer support, like “Way to stick with it!” or “Amazing job!” And if your child gets stuck on a word, she can fill in the blank, too. The product is designed to complement the time you spend reading with your children and to support independent reading.
You’ll need to purchase an Amazon Kids+ subscription to get started, which is $2.99 a month. But you can start with a one month free trial to make sure it’s a fit for your family. Reading Sidekick offers a wide range of books, from early readers to chapter books. It’s one more way to bring your favorite stories to life and develop an essential skill!
—Sarah Shebek
All images courtesy of Amazon
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