Alexa, Homeschool the Children! How to Use Alexa in Your Homeschool
Do you use Alexa for school? If you have an Amazon Alexa, your kids may have already discovered a few fun skills they love like playing hide and seek or listening to their favorite songs. But Alexa is more than a music player or novelty, it’s an exciting new way to learn at home.
Alexa can be used to research topics for lessons or projects, practice spelling with the kids, read audiobooks when your voice is exhausted, and act as a dictionary or calculator when needed. Plus, there are tons of exciting homeschool Alexa skills that will help kids engage in lessons and practice what they’re learning in fun new ways.
How can Alexa help with homeschooling?
Using Alexa to help with your homeschool lessons is like adding a super fun teaching assistant. Here’s a few scenarios where Alexa schooling can definitely save your day:
How do you spell …?
Asking Alexa how to spell words is fun and it helps my children build independence. Instead of coming to find me to ask how to spell hundreds of words, they can just ask Alexa. Bringing Alexa to the table during writing exercises has made it possible for us to get through our homeschool day without being asked “how do you spell …” over and over again.
The Clean Up Song
Ok, so maybe this one is more of a mom lifesaver than just a homeschool help. The magic clean up song has helped motivate kids to tidy their things for years. Need kids to clean up art supplies or manipulatives in order to move to the next task quickly? Ask Alexa to play the clean up song and watch as your kids begin to put away their things without any fuss or dawdling.
Audiobook Read Alouds
I love reading aloud, but sometimes my voice just can’t. Sometimes I need a break or there’s something else I need to be doing. Alexa can read aloud to kids giving them the benefit of read alouds without a screen. Kids can follow along in their own book or listen. It’s a fun new way to do audiobooks in your homeschool.
How To Use Alexa for School
Alexa schooling is an exciting new way to learn at home with kids of all ages. I’ve started incorporating Alexa into our homeschool routines and lessons in all kinds of fun ways. If you’re wondering how to use Alexa for School, check out some of our favorite activities:
20 Questions
Have you ever played 20 questions? Trivia games like 20 questions are a great way to review what you’ve been learning and check to see what your kids remember about the lesson. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
Akinator
Kids think of a character (real or fictional) and Alexa will try to guess who their character is by asking yes or no questions kids must answer. Trying to fool Akinator is a fun way to review important historical figures and check for reading comprehension with your kids. Alexa can usually determine who the character is whether it’s a famous author, president, or Nobel prize winner, or even Scooby Doo.
Animal Workout
This Alexa skill is a fun way to give your kids a movement break or burn some energy on a rainy day. Plus, Animal workout can help kids understand how different animals move. It makes a fun addition to unit studies with preschool or early elementary learners. Encouraging physical activity will quickly make Animal Workout a favorite in your homeschool Alexa skills.
Bamboo Books
Bamboo Books is a fun new Alexa skill meant to help with teaching from home during the pandemic. Homeschoolers can use Bamboo Books to read stories aloud and check for reading comprehension with exercises and questions for kids to answer. Plus, there are 3 different skill levels to make this Alexa schooling skill helpful for lots of reading levels.
Bamboo Math
Similar to Bamboo Books, Bamboo Math was created to help kids learn from home. Homeschool Alexa skills can be really helpful with practicing important math concepts. The Bamboo Math skill has a million free exercises for kids from kindergarten all the way through fifth grade! Plus, parents can track their children’s progress and use it with up to 6 different kids using cool code names like “monkey” and “tarantula.”
Mad Libs
Mad Libs are one of my favorite ways to practice parts of speech. I love all the silly giggles that come with these stories. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage reluctant writers. Alexa schooling with the Mad Libs skill, Alexa will ask your kids a series of questions and use their answers to make a super silly story.
Name that Animal
This homeschool Alexa skill is a fun way to learn about Animals and their habitats by trying to guess which animal Alexa is pretending to be. This guessing game is from National Geographic so it’s filled with tons of facts!
Spelling Bee
Do you remember the spelling bee? Most of us can still remember which word we failed to spell. You can add the excitement of the spelling bee to your homeschool lessons with this cool Alexa skill that goes beyond just asking Alexa how to spell words. This fun skill can be adjusted to your child’s age, so it will challenge them to a spelling bee that’s on their level and a really fun way to practice their spelling skills.
Alexa Routines for Homeschool
You can use Alexa to help you build routines for your homeschool day too. If you have an Alexa, you’re probably already using the timer feature a lot! But there are lots of other great ways to use Alexa to help you build routines. Try setting up a morning routine with Alexa. You can include the weather, an update on current events, inspirational quotes, and listening to classical music. It’s a totally new way to do the morning basket!
Have you tried using Alexa schooling yet? What’s your favorite Alexa skill to use during your homeschool day? Don’t forget to check out the Alexa skills included in my homeschool curriculum unit studies. Share your favorite Alexa skills for homeschool learning in the comment section so we can try them at our house this week!