Google wants to read you a bedtime story, and thanks to Google Assistant, the company can do just that. This Google Assistant feature, called Tell Me a Story, prompts Google to tell you a story through your phone. Which could be a Godsend for parents.

Hey Google, Tell Me a Story

In 2017, Google enabled a new feature enabling you to ask Google Assistant to tell you (or your kids) a story. Unfortunately, it only worked on Google Home devices. Making the same request on Android or iOS would just get you a quote or a joke, but not a story.

However, in 2019, Google rolled out this feature to more devices. So now, "Hey Google, tell me a story" will elicit the same response across Google Home, Android, and iOS. The response being that Assistant will read you one of the stories Google has curated.

How to Ask Google to Tell You a Story

On The Keyword, Google explained that Tell Me a Story allows you to hear stories like "Let’s Be Firefighters!" (Blaze and the Monster Machines) and "Robot Rampage" (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). You can also ask Google to read you a bedtime story instead.

Google launched Tell Me a Story to coincide with National Tell a Story Day, which is held on April 27 every year. However, reading should be a year-round activity, and the "Hey Google, tell me a story" command will, thankfully, work 365 days a year.

Tell Me a Story is available in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and India. All you'll need to make use of it is an Android or iOS device with Google Assistant installed on it, as well as the latest version of the Google Play Books app.

Download: Google Assistant on Android | iOS

Download: Google Play Books on Android | iOS

Parents Are Better Than Google Assistant

This is a neat Google Assistant feature, and another tool in a parent's arsenal when their little ones won't go to sleep. However, having Google Assistant reading a bedtime story to your child is no substitution for doing it yourself. Especially if you do all of the voices too!

If you have any problems, here's how to fix Google Assistant.

Image Credit: Marco Verch/Flickr