Amazon has launched Sleep Studio, a new bedtime feature for its Echo smart speakers aimed at families. The feature packages bedtime stories, relaxing sounds and guided meditations from partners including Headspace, Moshi and Calm, and lets parents build playlists and set sleep schedules through the Amazon Kids dashboard.

Sleep Studio content plays on Echo devices already in homes. Parents can control playback and schedules from the Amazon Kids mobile app or the website. If a child uses an Echo Glow speaker, Sleep Studio can trigger color-coded lighting to signal sleep and wake times.

“Healthy sleep habits are critical for kids, but we know bedtime isn't always easy,” Eric Kuhn, general manager of Amazon Kids, said in a statement. “We designed Sleep Studio to make bedtime a little easier for everyone: simple scheduling, stories and sounds kids love, all on a device families already have at home. When kids sleep better, parents sleep better, too.”

Sleep Studio is not a standalone purchase. It is available only through an Amazon Kids Plus subscription, which the company lists at $6 per month. New users can try Amazon Kids Plus free for one month on compatible devices. Select Echo Kids models include extended subscriptions: Echo Pop Kids devices come with six months of Amazon Kids Plus, while Echo Dot Kids and Echo Show 5 Kids include a full year, per Amazon.

The feature expands Amazon's family-oriented content and parental controls on its smart-speaker line. Amazon positioned Sleep Studio as a convenience for parents who want to centralize bedtime content and routines on devices they already use at home.

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Tags: Amazon Echo, Sleep Studio, Amazon Kids Plus, bedtime routines, smart speakers

Topics: Mental wellness & meditation, Sleep technology, Mental health technology