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Easily create your own Amazon Alexa skills in minutes
If you’ve been trying to create Alexa skills from scratch but have found yourself struggling with the more difficult coding concepts, we have good news: Alexa Skill Blueprints exist, and they will take you from struggling skill creator to expert skill master in a matter of minutes.
These skill blueprints are templates that allow you to customize a ton of different skills to use with your Alexa by simply filling in a few blanks — no coding experience required.
You can customize a ton of different skills, from trivia contests to personal workouts, all in a matter of minutes. Let’s take a look at what Alexa Skill Blueprints are, how they work, and what’s available.
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What is an Amazon Alexa Skill Blueprint?
Unlike other skills that you can create for your Alexa from scratch, Alexa Skill Blueprints provide a template to make the process simple. These blueprints expedite the creation process by simply requiring you to fill in the blanks.
You can use the skill blueprints for just about anything. There are blueprints for skills to help you get organized, entertain your kids and even a few to help you plan fun quizzes or games for bachelorette parties or trivia nights.
Customize and few and you’ll be yelling “Hey, Alexa” before you know it.
How to use an Amazon Alexa Skill Blueprint
The best part of using the Amazon Alexa Skill Blueprints is that everything is laid out for you. Most of the blueprints use a template filled with sample content to guide you through the creation process. You can edit, delete and create to your heart’s content.
Here’s how the blueprint customization process works:
- Choose a skill. Browse the various blueprints offered by Amazon and choose the ones that stand out to you.
- Decide how you want to personalize it. Once you’ve found a blueprint you’d like to work with, check out the placeholder examples to get ideas on how you’d like to personalize your skill. Keep in mind who you’re writing the skill for, such as friends and family. Go for a personal touch in your skills. If you’re using the Family Jokes blueprint, try using personal inside jokes and phrases. It’ll make your skill unique and useful, and put a smile on your loved one’s face.
- Pick a name for your skill. Two or three words work best,. Other than that, go crazy!
- Customize your blueprint template. When you open a blueprint, it’s filled with sample content to help guide you through the creative process. If you find something you want to keep, feel free to keep it. Otherwise, edit and delete to your heart’s content. Some blueprints create a format you can follow, and others — like the ones in the Storyteller category — will prompt you to edit every part of the story to your liking.
- Try out your skill. If it isn’t quite what you want, customize it again! It’s so easy to do.
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A few cool Alexa Skill Blueprints to try
So, now that you know what Alexa Skill Blueprints are and how they work, we’ve got a few suggestions for fun blueprints to get started with.
Kids Fortune Teller
What will the future hold? Nobody knows. Well, nobody but Alexa.
You can turn your Alexa into an all-knowing genie with answers about what the future holds by creating a Kids Fortune Teller skill, which is surprisingly simple to do. Your kids will think it’s a blast to learn their “futures” from Alexa — especially if you add in some funny fortunes.
For inspiration, take a look at this sample Kids Fortune scenario, which showcases how witty the fortunes you program into your Alexa can be:
“Alexa, open Kids Fortunes.”
Alexa: Hello. I know the answers to the mysteries of life. The fates are revealing one to me now. In 10 years, you will be 3,650 days older than you are right now. Do you want me to ask the fates for another fortune?
“Yes.”
Alexa: Your next friend will be named Skinnerdoodle Humblybum. Say hi for me.
If you want to entertain your kids (or yourself) with the Kids Fortune Teller skill, here’s how to set it up.
How to create the Kids Fortune Teller skill
- Let the sample fortunes available in Alexa or the ones you’ve seen in fortune cookies (especially the one above, which is just perfect) inspire you.
- Pick a name for your skill.
- Create a list of your own answers to the mysteries of life.
- Edit your skill any time to add more fortunes.
- Give your child access to this skill in FreeTime. Go to Amazon Parent Dashboard and tap on the “Settings” icon next to your child’s name. Select “Add Content.” Go to the “Alexa Skills: tab, and then toggle your “Blueprint” skill on.
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Double Trouble
Prove your couple knowledge with “Double Trouble.” The Double Trouble skill allows you to compete in a trivia game, “Newlyweds” style, against your couple friends to prove who knows their partner best.
While this skill may be off-limits during the coronavirus quarantine (the no gatherings rule is important — even if it includes your favorite couples), it will be a blast once things are back to normal.
So, brush up on your couple knowledge during quarantine and add this skill to your Alexa in anticipation of what’s to come. Everyone likes a little friendly competition, right?
How to create the Double Trouble skill
- Pick a name for your skill.
- Customize the sample questions.
- Leave the answers for players to provide.
- Manage how Alexa hosts the game.
Family Jokes
Laughter is the best medicine, and it’s especially important when you’re stuck indoors during the COVID-19 quarantine. Customize “Family Jokes” with your best one-liners and dad jokes.
It’s really simple to customize this blueprint and can help lighten the mood with grumpy teenagers and antsy little ones alike.
Create a list of your favorite jokes for when you need a laugh.
How to create the Family Jokes skill
- Let the sample jokes inspire you.
- Add your own one-liners or cheesy dad jokes.
- Pick a name for your skill.
- Edit anytime to keep the laughs coming.
Create a ‘Chore Chart’
The Chore Chart blueprint likely won’t be a big hit with the kids — chores aren’t nearly as fun as an Alexa fortune, after all — but it will help you keep your home running smoothly and help everyone know what their tasks are for the week.
With the Chore Chart blueprint, schedule and track weekly chores for your entire household, so you’ll know who’s on trash duty and who’s unloading the dishes. Think of it as an upgraded and sophisticated version of that paper chart on the fridge.
How to create the Chore Chart skill
- Name your skill.
- List the members of your household.
- Build a list of weekly chores. You can include any and everything you normally assign out to family members in your home.
- Assign and schedule the chores for the week.
- Edit any time to change assignments or add more chores when you’re ready.
How to use the Chore Chart skill
- You can teach each member of your household to use this skill on your home devices so they are always up to date on what their duties are for the week.
- Provide them with a list of questions Alexa can answer about their chores.
- Keep track who has completed the most chores by asking for the “chore score.”
Whose Turn
If your household prefers taking turns for chores or other duties, you can customize the Whose Turn blueprint and have Alexa choose whose turn it is for you. It’ll get you off the hook when you’re asked things like, “Whose turn was it to clean out the fridge?” or “Whose turn is it to make dinner?” — or anything else under the sun.
How to create the Whose Turn skill
- Create a list of household members or friends for Alexa to choose from.
- Customize how Alexa introduces the chosen one, by optionally editing the sound effects and phrases. Customize to your heart’s content.
- Name your skill.
How Many Days
Is your kid always bugging you about when something is going to happen? Yeah, join the club. And create this Alexa skill so she will help them count down to the event.
Use this for any important date — a birthday, a visit, a present or another major milestone. It will allow them to repeatedly ask Alexa — rather than you — about how many days are left until the big day arrives.
All they’ll have to say is “Alexa, how many days until …” to find out where they are in the countdown. This skill could be especially useful right now, when kids are stuck indoors, stir-crazy, and looking for any reason to be excited.
How to create the How Many Days skill
- Name your event.
- Choose the date of your event.
- Customize Alexa’s phrases and sounds.
- Name your skill.
Personal Trainer
Yes, it’s several months into 2020, but it’s never too late to start a new(ish) year, new you plan with “Personal Trainer” — a blueprint that allows you to create and schedule your workout routines for the week.
If your goal is to get fit or just increase your activity level, use this skill to tailor workouts to your skill level and needs. It will also motivate you during your workout if you set that up, so you’ll have a virtual personal trainer to cheer you.
How to create the Personal Trainer skill
- Create custom workouts by choosing exercises and how long you’ll do them for.
- Create a weekly schedule of workouts.
- Customize how Alexa motivates you during your workouts.
- Name your skill.
- Edit any time to add variety, change the duration, or increase/decrease the difficulty level.
Burns
If you’re bored, why not compete in a good old fashioned burn fest with your friends and family? That’s right — you can create an Alexa skill that will roast your favorite people (or your least favorite, either will work) with some lighthearted burns.
Got some hot roasts you want to try out on your loved ones? Add them into the blueprint for Burns and watch them sizzle as Alexa doles them out to unsuspecting victims in your household. It’s sure to amuse you and the people you’re burning, though they might not admit it.
How to create the Burns skill
- Let the sample burns get you going.
- Add your own sweet burns to the blueprint.
- Pick a name for your skill.
- Edit anytime to add more.
Showcase your useless knowledge with ‘Trivia’
If you’re a wanna-be quiz master, you should know that Alexa Skill Blueprints have an option for you to create a multiple-choice trivia game on any topic. Any topic!
You can customize this template to include trivia questions that you want to ask — anything from the history of land formations to music trivia or the anatomy of a fruit fly.
It works like this: Once your blueprint is up and ready to go, Alexa will ask one player a question and offer four choices. They answer and Alexa will confirm whether it’s right or wrong, then offer a fun fact related to the trivia question. Pop open a beer and you’ll have impromptu in-home bar trivia, courtesy of Alexa.
How to create the Trivia skill
- Use the skill blueprint to add Trivia to your Alexa by clicking “Enable” here.
- Write your own custom questions
- Fill in four possible answers
- Customize how Alexa runs the quiz
- Pick a name for your skill
For more information and a list of all the Amazon Alexa Blueprints you can customize and use, tap or click here.
Have fun, and create something for you and your family!
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Tags: Amazon, Amazon Alexa, coding, customization, devices, templates
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