Smart Things at Home
Have you ever asked a speaker to play your favorite song, or watched a porch light turn on by itself when it gets dark outside? Those are "smart things" — everyday objects with a tiny computer inside that can sense the world, connect to the internet, and respond all on their own.
What You'll Learn
- What makes an everyday object "smart" - Real smart devices you might have at home - Why grown-ups should help set up new smart devices - How to find and describe smart things in your own house
What Makes a Thing 'Smart'?
A smart device usually has three parts: a sensor that notices something (like light, sound, or temperature), a connection to the internet or to your phone, and a way to respond. A smart thermostat senses how warm your house is and can turn the heat up or down by itself. A smart doorbell has a tiny camera that lets you see who is knocking, even from your phone at the grocery store.
Smart Helpers Around Your House
A smart speaker listens for a special "wake word," like a name, and then answers questions or plays music. Smart light bulbs can change color or turn on and off from an app on a phone. A robot vacuum uses sensors to build a map of your floor so it can clean around furniture without bumping into everything twice.
Smart speakers only start listening closely after they hear their wake word, but they are still connected to the internet all the time. Always ask a grown-up before setting up a new smart device.
Match each smart device to its job.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
What are the three parts most smart devices share?
Why should you always ask a grown-up before setting up a new smart device?
Smart Device Scavenger Hunt
Walk through your home with a grown-up and find up to 3 smart devices (examples: smart speaker, smart TV, smart thermostat, smart doorbell). For each one, draw a picture and write one sentence describing its job — what it senses and how it responds.
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