As someone who loves listening to music everywhere all the time, integrating Spotify into my home via smart devices has been a great way to make everything a bit more musical. From my kid’s bedrooms to the bathroom, here are all the ways I use Spotify throughout my smart home.
1 Echo in the Kid’s Bedrooms
One of the ways that I use Spotify the most in our home is through the Echo device in the kids’ bedrooms. I have two sons who pretty much always want to listen to music, even while sleeping, so there’s always something being played. But there are other benefits of using Spotify on the smart devices in their rooms—including establishing bedtime routines and setting up the oldest’s study environment.
I do this by setting up routines: one for the oldest which includes a specific time that background lo-fi music plays while he studies or reads, and another that links up to each child’s bedtime. Calming music, rain noises, or even listening to audiobooks on Spotify can help ease their transition into sleep and gives me a bit of a break at the same time.
Since the Echo Dot is voice-controlled, I can even let them choose their own favorite bedtime stories or sleep sounds so they can learn to be more independent at the same time.
2 Echo Show by the Door
Right next to the entryway into my home is our Echo Show which, on top of all the other benefits it has, is a great way to welcome everyone to the family home. By integrating it with Spotify, I have been able to create custom routines that automatically play “welcome-home music” at a scheduled time, or when I click a button from my phone in the car.
Now, this feature is the most useful on days when I am not home to say hello after school. The tunes are a fun way to transition from school or a doctor’s appointment, especially on a day that might have been a bit more stressful than normal. It is also fun to use the Echo Show’s screen to display fun lyrics or even music videos for extra entertainment.
3 Echo Dot in the Bathroom
This next one might not be for everyone but, as a music-loving family, it is one place I have to say the Echo Dot really gets its use. Before, I would have to turn my phone on to Spotify and try and pick a playlist, but now with the Dot, we can call out what we want to listen to while taking a shower or bath. It makes cleaning up a little more fun and is a lot easier than trying to control a device with wet hands.
Another way I can use it, apart from the showers and baths, is to help my kiddos with bedtime routines, such as washing faces and brushing teeth. There are plenty of cute little kid-friendly songs that help with these routines on Spotify so I just put one on and let them get through these nighttime regimens.
4 Echo Buds Around the House
I have always had a hard time balancing work commitments and personal time, but luckily, using Echo Buds synced to my Spotify account has meant I have a flexible audio solution wherever I go. I can be listening to music while I am working or putting on a podcast while working out—either way, they’re right there whenever I need them.
5 Echo Show for the Kitchen
In the kitchen, we tend to use our Echo Show as the centerpiece of evening entertainment whenever the television is off, which we try to do as much as possible around homework and dinner time.
Streaming music on Spotify is usually done during meal prep or even while eating, and sometimes during homework as well.
Why do I prefer the Echo Show for playing Spotify while in the kitchen? Well, have you ever had egg or hamburger meat on your hands while cooking only to have a song come on that you hate? Being able to tell my Echo to skip or go to a different album has been a huge benefit. Plus there are even certain Spotify songs and playlists that can help with cooking—I can even use certain playlists to cook perfect pasta with Spotify every time!
6 Smart Lights
One thing that I have done pretty much throughout the house is sync up Spotify to my smart lights. This lets me turn on music and lights in various ways, like having a morning routine with slowly brightening lights and soft music playing in the background. It is a lot better way to wake up than being yelled at by your parent, I can assure you.
I also cannot wait for the holidays to come. I have a whole Christmas playlist ready and waiting that is going to partner with all sorts of holiday lights that are going to make my house a real “winter wonderland”, regardless of the fact that I live in Texas!
At the end of the day, incorporating Spotify into my home’s smart devices has been a fun way to make boring routines so much more fun. It has been customizable and easy to do, and I’d recommend anyone who loves music to do the same!
