Skip to main content

Prepare your kids — SpongeBob SquarePants is now an Alexa skill

spongebob
Ricky Brigante / flickr.com
Our children have already mastered the art of the touchscreen, deftly swiping their way across tablets and smartphones even before they’ve mastered the art of the crawl. And now, we’ll be able to introduce them to yet another marvel of modern technology — voice commands. Nickelodeon has unveiled the SpongeBob Challenge as part of its new Alexa skill meant specifically for kids. Because what better way to teach your kids to obey your commands than teaching them how to issue commands themselves?

In the SpongeBob Challenge Memory Game, children will find themselves in the midst of the SpongeBob SquarePants series, and will have the opportunity to become a new Krusty Krab restaurant employee. They may just emerge with a newfound respect for the service industry, as the game involves memorizing increasingly complicated food orders and relaying these orders to staff members, who include SpongeBob, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs.

To start playing the game, simply find your nearest Alexa-enabled smart speaker, and say, “Alexa, start The SpongeBob Challenge.”

“Nickelodeon is at the forefront of where kids will be playing next and our collaboration with Amazon to create The SpongeBob Challenge is the latest example of that,” said Matthew Evans, executive vice president of strategy, new business and digital for the Nickelodeon Group. “This brand-new kid skill combines our deep understanding of kids, and how they engage with technology, with one of our most iconic properties, SpongeBob SquarePants.”

The SpongeBob challenge boasts more than 70 unique characters and 80 challenges that span 25 levels, and promises to recreate both the soundscape and the environment of Bikini Bottom. But instead of having your kids sit mindlessly in front of a television, they can experience this world by way of a memory game that actually exercises their brains. Indeed, Nickelodeon claims that this new skill promotes memory recall, verbal skills, and listening comprehension.

“We’re excited for Nickelodeon to bring a skill to Alexa,” said Rob Pulciani, Director Amazon Alexa. “Now, kids can just ask Alexa to interact with some of their most beloved characters like SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs, and we think families will love playing and learning together with The SpongeBob Challenge skill for Alexa.”

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Best Ring Cyber Monday deals: Doorbells, security cameras, and bundles
Digital Trends Best Black Friday Ring Doorbell Deals

One of the most popular home security devices is the Ring Doorbell. It's super easy to install, and it keeps track of everyone that walks up to your door, day or night. They're not super expensive year-round, but right now they're even cheaper during Cyber Monday deals. We've singled out some of our favorite offers below from a wide variety of retailers.

Check out Nest Cyber Monday deals and Nest Thermostat Cyber Monday deals for similar discounts.
Best Ring Doorbell Cyber Monday deals

Read more
77 best Amazon Cyber Monday deals on laptops, TVs, and more
Digital Trends Best Black Friday Amazon Deals

You can make a strong case that Amazon won Black Friday. Now that we've moved on to Cyber Monday, Amazon is still looking strong. We've collected the best Cyber Monday deals on a wide variety of products. If you're interested in grabbing some new tech today, like an OLED TV, some smart home devices, or just a new coffee maker, check out the awesome deals below.

Best Amazon Cyber Monday TV deals

Read more
Best Cyber Monday power tool deals: DeWalt, Milwaukee, and more
A DeWalt drill being used.

A basic set of power tools is a necessity for every household, because you never know when you'll need any of them. If you don't have one yet, or if you want to upgrade from a rusty set, you should take a look at the ongoing Cyber Monday deals for bargains. To help you out, we've rounded up our favorite deals below.

One thing to note is that many of the tools below require rechargeable batteries to join. But getting rechargeable AA and AAA batteries won't help you here, instead we're looking at (typically) 20V batteries made by each brand for their tools. And that's why we're looking at these power tools on a brand by brand basis, because the more batteries you collect the more convenient the brand's tools become. In much the same way that iPhone users benefit from the synergy of more Apple devices, you will benefit from more tools from a given brand.
Best DeWalt Cyber Monday power tool deals

Read more