TLDR Review: Echo Show 5 Kids
Verdict
The Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids is thoughtfully designed with strong parental controls and kid-friendly content, making it a compelling smart display choice for children. However, usability issues like unresponsive touchscreens, spotty Alexa performance, and fragmented settings management may cause headaches for some families. If your priority is a well-rounded, safer smart device with solid parental oversight—and you can tolerate some quirks—this model fits the bill. Otherwise, be aware that managing lists and customizing content can be limiting, and the volume controls may not be ideal for sensitive ears. If the touchscreen responsiveness and voice accuracy are major concerns, you might want to explore alternatives or wait for an update that addresses these flaws.
- Top pro:
- Strong parental controls tailored specifically for kids, ensuring a safer smart device experience.
- Top con:
- Alexa’s voice recognition is often unreliable, frequently misunderstanding commands or not responding.
Pros
- •Strong parental controls tailored specifically for kids, ensuring a safer smart device experience.
- •Includes 1 year of Amazon Kids+, providing curated kid-friendly content and features.
- •Quick and mostly straightforward setup process, making it easier for parents to get started.
- •Music playback supports Amazon Music and Bluetooth pairing, offering decent sound quality.
- •Alexa can carry on conversations without repeating the wake word, which enhances usability compared to some rivals.
- •Allows customization of screen content, with options to disable ads and unwanted news for a cleaner display.
- •Functions well as a smart home controller and provides useful info like weather and shopping lists.
- •Seamless integration of home assistant and AI chatbot features with smarter follow-up command handling.
- •Compact and cute design, a comfortable size for kids to handle.
Cons
- •Alexa’s voice recognition is often unreliable, frequently misunderstanding commands or not responding.
- •Touchscreen is reported as poor and unresponsive, which frustrates kids and parents alike.
- •Parental controls and device settings are fragmented across multiple apps, complicating management.
- •List management is limited; you can’t delete or share lists, and there’s no cross-device syncing.
- •Some kid-friendly content like popular franchises (e.g., Percy Jackson, Harry Potter) may be missing.
- •Lowest volume setting is too loud; lacks a true low volume option suitable for kids.
- •Clock display customization is confusing and sometimes fails to show properly.
- •Experiences of dropped video calls and inconsistent app interfaces add to user frustration.
- •Support has been reported as long and unhelpful, with unclear instructions.
- •Turning off Amazon Kids+ increases device functionality but brings back unwanted news headlines on screen.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. How ShopSavvy makes money
How we researched this
About this review: it summarizes the professional reviews and customer ratings ShopSavvy collected for this product, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
Download ShopSavvy App
Compare prices across tens of thousands of stores, set price alerts, watch for deals by keyword, and much more.
Install ShopSavvy Browser Extension
Compare and track prices automatically while you shop online at thousands of websites.
