Amazon Alexa launches FREE science-backed bedtime story to help kids fall asleep faster

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The story has been unveiled as research from Amazon shows 25% of UK adults struggle to put their children to bed regularly, with 12% reporting consistent difficulties. These bedtime challenges affect carers, with 48% experiencing increased stress, 52% delaying their own sleep, and 45% feeling tired the next day.

Help is on the way with the all-new story, Tumbles and Stripes, which follows two young tigers going through their own bedtime routine with their mother. The story was inspired by Vogue’s 6-year-old son Theodore, who is animal-obsessed.

Professor Helen Ball advised Vogue on the key ingredients needed in the story, including incorporating soothing themes, the passage of time, repetition of phrases and decreasing volume.

These factors are crucial as they enable kids to process the events of their day as they identify with characters’ pre-sleep rituals, helping them to unwind and physically and mentally prepare for sleep.

Vogue comments, “I know first-hand that getting the little ones to sleep is no easy feat, and parents really do need all the help they can get when it comes to bedtime for their kids. ‘Tumbles and Stripes’ on Alexa is a super accessible helping hand for parents experiencing these nighttime struggles and it’s been a gamechanger in our house... so give it a go!”

Glenn Millard, Head of Amazon Kids, UK added: “We’re always looking for new ways to expand on our extensive Amazon Kids offering, and we recognise that good quality sleep is essential for children and their development. That’s why Tumbles and Stripes is a fantastic addition to our catalogue of services, and we’re confident that parents and children alike will reap the benefits of Vogue’s wonderful new story.”

To listen, customers simply need to ask “Alexa, help my child fall asleep” and Vogue’s dulcet tones will begin to narrate the sleep story. Amazon has also launched a supporting bedtime Alexa Routine.

When activated and paired with a customers’ smart home, the routine can automatically play Vogue’s sleep story, turn on brown noise and dim the lights. Customers simply need to activate the new routine through this link here or by scanning the QR code.

A consistent bedtime routine can have a huge influence on how long it takes a child to fall asleep and impact their energy, learning and development.

Professor Helen Ball comments, “A consistent and effective bedtime routine is crucial for any child, and in turn will make parent’s lives easier too. Through working with Amazon and Vogue, we’ve managed to curate a story that incorporates scientifically backed components that will lead children to a peaceful sleep, which is even more effective when paired with the all-new bedtime routine on Alexa.”

Through limiting a child’s exposure to bright and blue light before bedtime when the brain expects darkness to bring on sleep, their circadian rhythm (the 24-hour internal body clock that regulates essential functions processes like sleep) will be supported even further.

A key sleep-disruptor many British parents will have marked in their calendars is next week’s February half term, with over half (58%) of parents claiming school holidays as the main factor affecting their child’s sleep.

As children’s daily routine is disrupted and they are less tired from the mental and physical challenges of the school day, they often have more energy and are more resistant to sleep. The same goes for their return to school after the holidays, as a further 44% of parents mention children’s sleep is affected when they go back-to-school.

The Tumbles and Stripes bedtime story and bedtime routine are available on Alexa-enabled devices from today. Additionally, the Amazon Kids+ subscription also gives customers unlimited access to the sleep sounds skill and lullabies specifically for children. This includes kid-friendly books, videos, apps, audible stories and more across all of their compatible devices.