Smart Home Tech: How to Introduce Your Kids to It

With all the smart things available today, kids are constantly learning and using things such as their smartphones, tablets and similar devices for things that weren’t even possible when we were their age. Older generations used to have their fun outside, but today we’ve got kids using 3D printing to make their own toys.

Now, considering that kids grow with technology, few parents actually sit them down and explain how powerful and useful technology can be. While you certainly don’t have to explain everything, you definitely should when it comes to home security and smart home tech.

A lot of people rightfully believe that within 10 years, smart home technology will be just as common and popular as smartphones today are. Thanks to all the convenience, comfort and security you get from it, it isn’t going anywhere.

But in order for your kids to get the most of it when it comes to enjoyment, they should be able to understand how those things work. It’s a good idea to let them know why such devices are in your home, too, as it might help with them becoming accommodated with said devices. Therefore, join us as we take a look at a few ways to introduce the smart home tech in your home to your kids, and be sure they understand you well. 

Keep Things Age-Appropriate

When you have one kid or more but with their age within two to three years from each other, this isn’t a problem. But if you have kids with big age gaps between them, you should think about who should know what. For example, your teenage son should, by all means, be able to disarm the security panel when he gets home. But is it safe for your two-year-old daughter to know that same thing? No, definitely not. 

Image Credit: Unsplash | CC0 Public Domain

Therefore, it would be a good idea to see what kind of smart devices you have around home, and which one of your kids you would trust with them.

Let Them Try

Kids are naturally, and understandably, very curious. You might spend all the time in the world telling them how a certain smart device works, but they’ll learn best if they’re able to try it. It might be a cliché, but you can never learn until you try something.

If we were to take a look at something known as the “failure-learning method”, you will understand that your children will never fully grasp the possibilities of smart home technology until they’re given the chance to test out the devices on their own. This will also give them a chance to try and figure things out by themselves until they get it right.

What you could be doing, in this case, is reassure your kids that it’s perfectly okay to make a mistake. They’re learning, and you’re there to guide them, and that should make them feel a lot more comfortable. Once you notice they’re becoming more comfortable, you can cut back on the guidance, and allow them to learn.

Make the Learning Experience Simple

Your kids probably spend six to seven hours of their day at school. And when they come home, the last thing they want to be doing is need to listen to another lesson. However, if you were to remove the technical things by making them simpler, and make things engaging, they’ll actually enjoy learning more than you would expect.

Also Read: How to Turn your Android Phone into a Universal Remote

Use Terminology That’s Easy to Understand

Throwing around terms like “ZigBee” and “smart home ecosystem” to an elementary school kid isn’t the best idea if you want them to understand quickly. You should find fun ways to cut down on those complex terms in order for your kids not to lose interest. For example, you can tell them the Google Home device is a smart speaker that answers questions.

Image Credit: Unsplash | CC0 Public Domain 

Take Breaks, Often

The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your kids by throwing too much information their way in too little time. Everyone’s mind needs a break, and oftentimes 10 to 15 minutes are more than enough. It will give them a moment to understand the things you taught them previously and let them rest to prepare for what’s coming up next.

Turn the Lesson into a Game

Your kid very likely enjoys leveling up in games such as Minecraft. They can talk for hours about the latest things they’ve built. You can use these hobbies to make them understand things easier. For example, they’re used to being rewarded after a difficult level. Make a contest, a pretty harmless one, by rewarding them if they disarm the alarm panel on time, and correctly. It’s a lot simpler than you might think.