8/10
Open rating explainerInformationWIREDEasy for kids to use. Lets you add routines and chores. Syncs with Skylight Calendar. No subscription required for main features. No camera or microphone in the device, so it’s safe for a kid’s room.TIREDA couple of features need a subscription, but they’re not essential. The night-light is very dim and sound-machine options are limited. Designed for one device per child, so multiple children can’t have their own routines.Like many 4-year-olds, my son is stubborn. He'll do his best to distract and resist basic activities, like getting in the bath, brushing his teeth, and lying down for bed. The Skylight Buddy—the new kids’ device from the makers of the popular digital calendar—promised to engage him and keep him on a schedule without me needing to nag.
I was dubious that the Skylight Buddy could make good on its claims. The device is designed for kids 4 to 10, and because my son only recently turned 4, I figured he'd probably still be a little young for it. Also, regardless of age, empowering little kids to autonomously stick to their routines and chores is a tall order. However, after almost two weeks of testing, my son has been so excited to use this device and complete the tasks it shows him.
The Skylight Buddy works by reminding my son of his morning and evening routines, like brushing his teeth. It uses both words and picture icons, which is crucial because he can't read yet. Now, his favorite part of the day is when the device congratulates him on his completed tasks at bedtime. While some features are paywalled, you don’t absolutely have to subscribe for your kids to enjoy the Skylight Buddy. Plus, there's no microphone or camera in the device, making it a safe addition for a kid's bedroom. It also works seamlessly with Skylight's digital calendars if you happen to already use one in your home.
Meet Buddy
Photograph: Nena FarrellThe Skylight Buddy sits at just under 7.5 inches tall, with a 1024 x 600 resolution touchscreen. It has a big, yellow half-circle “select” button and volume controls on the top. There are two speakers (one on each side of the device), and the bottom base doubles as a dim night-light. The only other included piece is a power cord that isn't particularly long, so you'll need to place it on a tabletop near an outlet in your child's room. You can also add on a silicone case ($20) if you're worried about your kid knocking it off the table (or you want to give it a pop of color, as the cover comes in purple, green, and blue, while the device itself only comes in white).
For setup, you’ll use the Skylight app, which is the same one you'd use if you have Skylight's digital calendars or photo frames. The Buddy has its own section of the app, separate from the calendar. But because I also use the calendar, my son’s tasks from the Buddy appear in both the general Skylight menus and the specific Buddy menu. Every to-do I've created for my son lives in the Tasks section, and when I created each item, the app had me choose whether the task in question was a chore or routine. Chores have many details you can fill in; you can also mark them as up for grabs if you’re happy for any family member to complete them. Routines let you choose how often a specific routine should repeat and what time of day it should happen.
ScreenshotSkylight app via Nena Farrell
ScreenshotSkylight app via Nena FarrellI focused on routines for my 4-year-old, since I’m not ready to track chores for him. He likes to help flip the laundry loads and “wash” the dishes (mainly spray them with water, but he does get most of the food off!), though for now, I’m more interested in him building consistent habits. The routines I created pop up on the screen under “Morning” and “Evening,” but there’s also an “Afternoon” option for routines you assign for that time of day.
The Buddy also has sound machine and wake-up features, plus a little night-light at the bottom of the device. You'll set this up in the app under the Sleep & Wake menu, which lets you add sleep sounds and a night-light for bedtime, along with a morning alarm. I tried these features, but they’re not ultimately going to replace the Hatch Baby in my son’s routine. The Buddy’s sound options are more limited and not as nice as the music from the Hatch Baby. And not only is the night-light dim, but my son looks forward to his Hatch turning green when it's time for him to wake up. Still, the Buddy has a nice set of options if you need a sound machine or an alarm clock for your kiddo.
Onscreen Satisfaction
Photograph: Nena FarrellI didn't think my son would particularly care about this device, but the second we unboxed it, he wanted to use it. He immediately started pushing buttons and trying to scroll around on the screen. The first night after I set it up, I explained the tasks and what each on-screen icon meant, and he actually ran to brush his teeth so he could check it off.
That excitement has stuck around for almost two weeks and counting. My son loves tapping the round corner checkbox to complete his routine items. I do have to remind him sometimes that he hasn't yet completed something, which prompts him to uncheck the box and complete the task with me, like putting on pajamas, and then running to check it off again. His favorite part is clicking all the tasks as done and seeing a shower of emojis (which change each time) rain down as recognition of a job well done. He likes to activate that congratulatory feature before he actually finishes the tasks, just to see it. Then he un-clicks the unfinished tasks so that he can make the emojis rain again upon actually finishing his list. I get the appeal—I wish my laptop's Notes app did this when I finish my long to-do list each day.
Photograph: Nena FarrellVideo: Nena FarrellIf you have a Skylight Calendar, it’s nice that the Buddy syncs to it. This capability lets your kid alternate between where they physically check off their tasks—and all changes are reflected on both devices. This is convenient if you have a multi-floor layout, as I do, because running upstairs to check off a morning task may become more of a hindrance than a help.
Speaking of the larger Skylight Calendar, if you have one in your home like I do, I recommend opting into the Skylight Plus subscription. This gets you the photo frame feature, plus other capabilities, like rewards and meal planning. With the Skylight Buddy, a subscription gets you rewards, timers, and nudges, though the company shares that more subscription features are coming soon. Rewards are definitely handy for older kids who can earn stars for tasks and chores, but I just want my 4-year-old to get excited about completing the tasks. So far, he hasn't needed any extra features to stay engaged, and he suddenly likes brushing his teeth so he can check it off his daily list.
The Skylight Buddy also has its own subscription, Buddy Plus, for $39 a year if you want those extra features but don't have a Skylight Calendar. It's cheaper than the Skylight Plus. The Buddy itself is available for $120 when you buy it with a free month of the Plus Plan, or $140 for the device alone.
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