With an expressive facial display and animatronic movements, Moxie is designed to act as a kid's specialized best friend. Moxie focuses on a different theme each week, including kindness, friendship, empathy, and respect, and personalizes content to a child over time. While the $1,499 price tag is prohibitive, Embodied’s experts say that building interaction from 15-20 minutes a day to three to five times weekly helps to keep kids engaged. “Kids are quick adopters of technology,” says Paolo Pirjanian, Embodied co-founder. “And the pain points for the parents are super high. Especially if you have a child that’s on the spectrum – we started talking to some families and it was very clear that they needed a solution to help them.”

Gen Alphas are growing up with a digital imprint almost from birth, impacting how they communicate both online and off. And it’s redefining parenting – 76% of Gen Yer parents use smart devices to keep their children safe and well behaved. Moxie fits the bill by occupying kids’ time – a bonus that’s especially relevant during the pandemic. But with its focus on social-emotional development, Moxie is also catering to diverse needs, from neurotypical to those with learning difficulties. By prioritizing soft skills and neuro-inclusivity, Moxie is introducing skills that will be essential as Gen Alphas grow up. Toca Boca is another play-based smart toy that's proving effective for all children, by giving them the opportunity to explore and learn autonomously.

Sophie Robinson is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8. She has a degree in social anthropology from the University of Manchester and always tries to deconstruct stereotypes of normality. When not questioning why she’s watching a short film or writing a screenplay.