Amazon FreeTime cheat sheets educate parents on kids TV

Nobody will judge you for not watching Dora or the 43rd Frozen short on Amazon FreeTime with your kids. Problem is, you won't be able to talk about their shows, books or games with them if you have no idea what they're about. Thankfully, Amazon has launched a new Parent Dashboard that shows how much time your kids spend on their media, along with a list of the books they've read, shows they've watched, apps they've used and games they've played. Now, that last bit is key to having a fruitful discussion: that list gives you access to Discussion Cards, which contain a summary of what each show, book, game or app is about.

Each card also has suggestions on what you can ask your kids, as well as activities you can do together. For instance, if your child read National Geographic Readers: Cats vs. Dogs, the card will list question suggestions like "What's the difference between a canine and a feline?" In case your kid shows keen interest in dogs and cats, then you can take the card's advice to volunteer at the local animal shelter. The cards sound like a really great way to initiate conversation with your child without having to spend precious time Googling for info.