Amazon expands Echo ecosystem with Sleep Studio for children
The Sleep Studio tool leverages smart speakers and night lights to automate bedtime routines, drawing on content from Headspace, Moshi, and Calm.
Amazon has introduced Sleep Studio, a new feature designed for its Echo and Echo Kids smart speakers to assist children in winding down and falling asleep. The service is available to subscribers of Amazon Kids Plus at no additional cost to the standard $5.99 monthly fee. The launch represents an expansion of the company’s smart home offerings into the digital wellness space, leveraging existing hardware to deliver structured bedtime routines.
The feature provides access to bedtime stories, meditations, and sounds sourced from third-party platforms including Headspace, Moshi, and Calm. Content is managed through the Amazon Kids Parent Dashboard, which is accessible via a dedicated website and mobile applications on iOS and Android. Parents can configure curated playlists and set specific sleep schedules, ensuring that the content aligns with household routines.
Automation is a key component of the service. Echo devices will automatically trigger a half-hour wind-down routine 30 minutes before a child’s scheduled bedtime. Alternatively, children can manually activate the feature by using the voice command “Alexa, play Sleep Studio.” This dual approach allows for both parental control and child-led engagement with the bedtime process.
Integration with the Echo Glow night light adds a visual layer to the audio experience. The device uses colour-coded lights to provide cues for sleep and wake times, indicating when a child should be dozing and when it is time to get out of bed. This hardware synergy aims to reduce the stress of bedtime transitions for caregivers while making the routine more engaging for children.
Amazon is offering a free one-month trial of the service to new users. Additionally, purchasing an Echo Kids device includes a complimentary six or 12-month subscription to Amazon Kids Plus. Fergal Walker, vice president of partnerships at Calm, highlighted the importance of sleep in a statement regarding the partnership, noting that Calm has developed a library of meditations and stories specifically for children.
