Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. But the Google Home, Google Home Mini and Google Home Max come with a wide variety of features to help parents keep their children entertained, monitored, active and more. Here are just 5 of the fun and useful things you can do with your device.
1. Helping with homework.
The Google Home helps kids find solutions to hard questions using just the sound of their voice. Whether your young student is stuck on a hard math question or looking to learn more about the American Revolution, Google Home can get them an answer from a trustworthy source. Just ask, "Hey Google, who was the first president?" or "Hey Google, how do you spell dinosaur?" and Google Home takes care of the rest.
2. Learning new skills.
Picking up a new language can be challenging, especially if it's not the primary language of your household. The Google Home makes the learning process easier, providing children with simple translations on the spot. Just ask, "Hey Google, how do you say hello in French?" or "Hey Google, what does "perro" mean?" And while, of course, it can't replace a teacher, kids can still use it to test their skills or add to their vocabulary.
3. Staying entertained.
Need a few minutes to start dinner or clean up around the house? Google Home provides children with hours of fun and entertainment. With games like Hangman, Mad Libs, trivia and more, it's never hard to get caught up in the excitement.
Want to give a new twist to story time? Just ask Google Home to tell a story and it recites a creative tale that's sure to captivate its audience. Say, "Hey Google, read along with (book title)" and Google Home will spice up your favorite stories with appropriate music and sound effects.
Adding background music is easy: with a Google Play Music subscription, you can add 50,000 songs to your personal collection. Create specialized playlists to help get your kids get moving or add an album of soothing lullabies for naptime.
4. Monitoring device usage.
Keep your kids active with fun reminders and alarms throughout their day. Set a timer for when it's time to get off their devices and go outside. Or automatically power off your Google Home by a specific time to make sure your kids aren't listening to music and asking questions too late into the night.
To monitor what your child is asking Google Home and looking up online, use the Family Link app from Google. Family Link allows you to create an account for your child and set the digital rules for their device. That way, your child only uses age-appropriate apps or hears kid-friendly songs. By using Family Link, you can tell your Google Home to lock your child’s device during mealtimes or after a certain point in the night. Say, “Hey Google, lock (your child’s) device.” After a 5 minute warning, the device will shut down until you decide otherwise.
5. Tracking schedules.
If you're tired of reminding your kids to brush their teeth, catch the bus or do their homework, Google Home might just have the solution. Set reminders for specific tasks. Then sync your calendar with Google Home so you never miss another soccer practice.
Make the most of your Google Home.
The Google Home has plenty of exciting features to help make your life easier. And Verizon carries plenty of other great kid-friendly products and smartphones. Visit our Family Tech page to learn more.
Sign your kid’s phone up to a family-friendly plan that gives you 5 GB of data and simple parental controls for a safer digital experience. Visit Verizon’s Just Kids Plan Page to learn more.