Amazon is rebranding its kids platforms and rolling out new educational features to better support children who are learning at home. Free-to-use Amazon FreeTime will now be known as Amazon Kids, while subscription service Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is changing its name to Amazon Kids+.
Both Kids and Kids+ are geared at kids ages three to 12, and feature thousands of books, TV eps, educational apps and games.
The name changes highlight the company’s focus on investing in the experience its youngest users will have with new content, according to a statement from Amazon. The bulk of the content will live on Amazon Kids+, and will include new game-playthrough videos, as well as PG-rated, live-action and animated shows from brands such as LEGO, Transformers, Carmen Sandiego, Angry Birds and Barbie. The service is also adding the ability to make announcements over a connected Alexa device, allowing kids to broadcast messages to everyone at home. Amazon Kids+ is available for US$4.99 a month for customers who aren’t Prime members, and US$2.99 for those who are. These changes will roll out in the coming months, with no exact timeline given by Amazon.
The company is also adding new features to its Alexa devices to help kids learn at home. The voice assistant will be able to connect to the learning platforms used in US schools, such as Canvas, Infinite Campus, Coursera, ParentSquare and Kickboard. Parents will be able to ask Alexa about their kids’ homework due dates, get reminders about school activities, and check class schedule details.
Amazon is the latest company to jump on the learn-from-home bandwagon. In recent weeks, online gaming platform Roblox launched a new digital civility curriculum to help kids spot unreliable information and stay safe online, while producer Genius Brands International expanded its OTT platform Kartoon Channel! with a new education-focused section titled Kartoon Classroom!