Do you scowl at the thought of purchasing another shaving kit, an assortment of gourmet nuts, or new clothes for dad this Father’s Day? If your dad’s not an easy one to shop for, consider turning to your Amazon Echo or Google Home smart speaker for help. Here are a few ways the voice assistants are there for you and your Dad on the big day beyond the usual shopping and scheduling.
Amazon Alexa
1. Create dad-specific Alexa Skills with Blueprints
Blueprints is a new Amazon portal that lets anyone make Alexa skills. Amazon released a skill template for Mother’s Day, and is now doing the same to celebrate dads. The Father’s Day templates are World’s Best Dad, which allows you to create a list of customized compliments for your dad; All About Dad, which is a personalized story that you can create about your dad; and Dad Jokes, a list of your favorite dad jokes in one place. Let the fart jokes begin!
2. Get the family together to play games
Perhaps the thing your dad wants most is some quality time with loved ones. In that case, look through the Alexa Blueprints options for making a family-oriented game, including some newly added possibilities like Three Word Sort and Story Quiz.
Alternatively, existing game-based skills let you and other people in the household battle it out while playing Jeopardy!
3. Be his bartender for the day
What better way to thank your dad for all the hard work of fatherhood than with a cold pint of beer or a few measures of pungent whiskey? Assume a role as his personal bartender and serve him all his favorites without requiring him to get up from the couch.
You can beef up on your beer-related trivia with the Craft Beer Facts Alexa skill and let your dad know more about the specialty brews he’s consuming.
Is your dad a whiskey fan? You’ll delight his taste buds with the Johnnie Walker skill, which includes a guided tasting option.
On the other hand, you might want to whip up some Father’s Day cocktails. Get more confident by enabling The Bartender, a skill that provides delicious recipes for mixed drinks.
4. Help your dad become a master of the grill — or make him a meal
Since Father’s Day happens in the summer, it often offers an excellent opportunity for a cookout. Numerous Alexa skills can help dad’s next grilling session bring tasty results.
The Meat Thermometer skill tells dad the correct temperatures for well-cooked meats. Alternatively, if you’re ready to try some new grilled or barbecued recipes this Father’s Day, look no further than the Allrecipes and Ask Stubb skills.
5. Plan a fun getaway
Alexa also offers skills from top travel providers. When you want to surprise dad with a trip to a destination he’s always wanted to explore, iron out the details with an Amazon smart speaker. Try the Kayak and Expedia skills as starting points.
Google Assistant
1. Listen to true tales about fatherhood
If you think back to some of your fondest memories, some of them were probably with your dad. If you say, “Hey Google, tell me a story about fatherhood” or “Hey, Google, tell me a Father’s Day story,” your Google Home device will treat you and your dad to some real-life tales about fellow fathers.
2. Let Google Home make your dad chuckle
Earlier, you learned that it’s possible to make an Alexa skill with Blueprints that tells your dad jokes. The Google Home does something similar with the Best Dad Jokes feature. Access it by asking your Google Speaker, “Hey Google, talk to Best Dad Jokes.”
3. Ask Google Home for some appropriate quotes
The Google Home speaker can also give you quotes that might make sense for writing in a Father’s Day card. For example, you can say, “Okay, Google, give me a love quote.”
Make your father feel fabulous on his special day
Beyond what’s listed above, technology can help you manage your to-do-list, make reservations at a restaurant, get directions to said restaurant, shop last-minute for that grill he’s always wanted, and overall make this Father’s Day a memorable success. Whether you own smart speaker from Google or Amazon, it’s fun and simple to make that gadget help dad feel valued.
