How to turn an android or fire tablet into a kid-friendly device with freetime

For all their many joys, mobile devices can expose your kids to content you’d rather they didn’t see. The good news is that your Android smartphone or tablet comes with built-in tools that can help you ensure your little ones can access only age-appropriate content – and, as we’ll discover, those tools are effective and straightforward to use.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how parental controls work on a standard Android smartphone. Note that some other Android-powered devices may have their own, manufacturer-specific parental controls. For example, the Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon has Amazon’s own versions of parental control software and an Amazon-exclusive parent dashboard. Plus, devices such as the Kurio Tab Connect have kid-friendly software overlaid on the main Android operating system. However, the screens you see here will apply to the majority of recent Android devices.

Here, we’ll look at two apps: the Google Play Store app, and the Google Family Link app. Although Family Link is primarily an Android app, you can also install it on iOS to create and manage user accounts. If your child is under 13, both the Android and Apple versions enable you to create Google accounts for them.

• The best smartphones for kids and the best tablets for kids

Open the Play app

Android’s parental controls live inside the Google Play Store app, so you’ll need to open that on the device on which you want parental controls to run. Depending on the specific version of Android you have, you’ll either see the three-line ‘hamburger’ menu icon in the search bar at the top, or you’ll have a tappable profile picture as shown here. Tap on it and then on Settings.

Find the Family

You should now see several options in the Settings page. The one we want is Family. Tap on the arrow at the right of the screen.

Expand the options

When you tap on the arrow it will expand the section, enabling you to see the available options and the current status of the parental controls. If someone hasn’t already set up parental controls for this device, it should say that parental controls are off. Tap on that option to continue.

Push the button

Before you can adjust the parental control settings, you need to turn parental controls on. You can do that by tapping the button at the top of this page. As you’d expect, you hit the same button if, for whatever reason, you want to turn parental controls off again.

Pick a PIN

Of course, there’s no point having a parental control system if the kids can simply swagger into Settings and turn it off. To prevent this, Android will now ask you to create a PIN. Don’t forget it: you won’t be able to turn off parental controls without it.

Select the content

You should now be returned to the Settings > Parental Controls page, this time with the message “Parental controls are on” at the top. You can now tap on the kind of content for which you want to add restrictions. In this example, we’ll adjust the settings for apps and games.

Set the age limit

As you can see, the limit system couldn’t be simpler: just pick the age rating you want to enforce and Android will do the rest. These ratings are PEGI ratings, which is short for Pan European Game Information. If you restrict games and apps to a particular age, it will also exclude apps that don’t have an age rating.

It’s important to note that the PEGI ratings apply specifically to apps, not necessarily the content you might encounter in them. Some apps with in-game advertising or content that comes from external sources – such as online multiplayer – may include content that isn’t appropriate for the age rating. In addition, you should know that the restrictions here block things in the Play Store app, but they don’t work retrospectively. So, if you’ve previously downloaded Gory Axe Murder Vendetta III, the parental controls won’t block it. If you’re using Google’s Family Link app then you can block individual apps from inside the app or via Family Link on the web.

Did someone say Family Link?

Install Family Link

If you want more complex parental controls, you need the Family Link app from the Google Play store or iOS App Store. This enables you to create a family group by inviting family members via their Google Accounts (or creating new ones, for under-13s), and once you’ve set it up, you can set limits on a per-account basis, not just one device.

Family Link enables you to set time limits and bedtimes, block or allow specific apps, locate devices, and hide specific apps altogether. It will also notify you if your family members try to download apps from the Play Store, allowing you to approve or deny the request.

That’s not all. Family Link can limit apps’ access to hardware features such as the microphone or camera, too; it can set the filtering preferences for the YouTube Kids app, and manage SafeSearch settings for Google web searches. You can do some of these things via the Family Link website (families.google.com), but features such as screen-time limits are app-only.

No parental control system can prevent your kids from seeing 100% of unsuitable content – and, of course, it can’t stop them seeing inappropriate content on friends’ devices. But Google’s tools are very good and should give parents some much-needed peace of mind.

• The best smartphones for kids and the best tablets for kids

Contributor

Former lion tamer, Girls Aloud backing dancer and habitual liar Carrie Marshall (Twitter, Google+) has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to .net, MacFormat, Tap! and Official Windows Magazine as well as co-writing stacks of how-to tech books. “My job is to cut through the crap,” she says. “And there’s a lot of crap.”

Google’s Family Link app lets parents hand down their old Android gadgets to their kids without worrying about what they could end up downloading from the Play Store or finding online. They just have to create a Google account for their kids and download the app, which went public today. Until now, parents had to request an invite and hope that Google followed up.

Family Link allows parents to approve or block apps that their kids want to download from the Play Store, monitor their screen time and the apps they’re accessing, set device time limits, and remotely lock their kid’s device for bedtime or studying.

Google is directly targeting Amazon and its kid-friendly Fire tablets with Family Link. Amazon’s tablets always let parents set screen time limits, and it recently began letting parents retrieve more granular data on the apps their kids are using and even the books and websites they’re accessing. It also launched a new parent-oriented dashboard in April.

Google doesn’t seem to readily give parents that kind of access through Family Link, and it says some messaging apps and music players won’t be tracked completely. Still, parents likely have old Android phones and tablets they’d like to pass down to their kids, as opposed to having to buy a whole new kid-oriented tablet. Google is now giving them that option without the risk of their kids running rampant on the internet without any supervision.

The app is available for kids so long as they’re using a Android device that runs Nougat and higher. Certain devices running Marshmallow work, too. Parents can run Family Link on an Android device running Kit Kat or higher or an iPhone running iOS 9 or higher.

By now, a mobile phone that isn’t “smart” is about as hard to come by as a TV that isn’t high definition. As a result, members of older generations who were previously reluctant to purchase a newfangled smartphone have no other choice but to cave into the more recent trends when their old device finally breaks down.

When someone who is entirely unfamiliar with smartphones crosses that threshold, all of the capabilities that their new gadget offers can be overwhelming. So if you have an elder family member who is currently going through this rough transition, I’ll go over six tips you can use to help get them started with their new Android smartphone.

• Don’t Miss: Our Android Basics Series for Smartphone Beginners

Tip #1: Install an “Easy Mode” Launcher

One of the easiest ways to make a smartphone more approachable is to replace the stock home screen app with an “Easy Mode” launcher. Some devices will have one of these built in that you can choose during initial setup, but if yours doesn’t, there are a pair of great third-party options.

Wiser and Necta both operate by the same principle—a clutter-free home screen with large and simple icons should make smartphones easier to use for seniors. Once you’ve installed either of these free apps, simply press the device’s home button, then choose the new launcher and press “Always” to set it as the default home screen app.

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Tip #2: Minimize Apps on the Home Screen

If you’d prefer not to replace the default home screen app on your elderly relative’s phone, you can still apply one the main principles used in an “Easy Mode” launcher. To greatly simplify the user experience, remove all but the most commonly-used apps from the home screen.

Leave the phone app, the SMS app, the camera app, and a web browser. Beyond that, perhaps the gallery app and an email client would be useful. But the goal here is to not overwhelm your technologically-challenged relative with too many options, and instead, allow them to explore their phone and discover apps at their own pace.

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Tip #3: Disable Auto-Correct & Other Keyboard Settings

One of the biggest hurdles your elderly relative will have to overcome is the use of a virtual keyboard. As these are not tactile and the buttons themselves are rather small, it can be difficult for your relative to type things out on their device.

To minimize confusion here, disable auto-correct and other advanced keyboard options like gesture-based typing. Generally, this can be done by opening the keyboard app entry in the app drawer. From here, read through the various settings and disable options like “Show suggestions,” “Auto-correct,” and “Voice input,” as these will only serve to distract and confuse a novice user.

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Tip #4: Increase Font Sizes

One of the biggest complaints you’ll hear from seniors regarding any smartphone is that the text is too small. From Android’s main settings menu, head to the “Display” category, then tap “Font size” to change this. By default, this should be set to “Normal,” but changing it to “Large” or “Huge” can really help if your relative has eyesight problems.

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Tip #5: Install AppLock to Prevent Accidental Settings Changes

Now that you’ve got the phone set up in a manner that your elderly relative should find easy to use, you want to make sure it all stays that way. The only trouble here is that your relative might get lost in the interface and inadvertently change some settings, or the device’s screen may be left on at an inopportune time, leading to settings being altered with accidental pocket touches.

To prevent such issues, I’d suggest installing an app called AppLock, which does what its name suggests and blocks access to certain apps. After installing the app, you’ll be prompted to set up device administrator access. Once you’ve done that, set a PIN, then tap the lock icon next to options like “WiFi,” “Bluetooth,” and “Auto sync,” as well as any apps with dangerous options, then you won’t have to worry about having to come back and fix problems that the user accidentally created.

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Tip #6: Don’t Over-Explain

There’s an inherent temptation when teaching someone the ropes to press further and continue teaching—even well beyond the point where the learner has had his fill. When giving your elderly relative the grand tour of their new device, do your best to stick to the basics, because at a certain point, you’ll only undo any learning that has already taken place.

Show them how to wake their device and put it back to sleep, how to make phone calls or send text messages, and how to take a picture. Depending on the person, it might be good to point out the web browser app, but that’s about where you should draw the line. Before getting into topics like where to download apps or how to use “OK Google” voice commands, give your relative some time to get a grasp on the basics. Then, let their curiosity dictate how much further you want to expand their knowledge.

Are there any other tips that you would recommend for setting up an elderly family member’s smartphone? If so, let us know about them in the comment section below, or drop us a line on Android Hacks’ Facebook or Twitter, or Gadget Hacks’ Facebook, Google+, or Twitter.

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You can help prevent accidental purchases on your device from apps and games available outside of the Family section by turning on authentication (apps and games in the Family section automatically request authentication before buying).

Authentication means certain information, like a password, must be entered on your device to make a purchase. If needed, you can change or reset your Google Account password.

To approve purchases with your Google Assistant, learn how to set your payment info.

Turn authentication on or off

Except for your play.google.com settings and certain Google Assistant settings, which apply across devices, authentication settings apply only to the active account on the device where you add them. If you use your Google Account on more than one device, repeat the steps below for each device. If you use multiple accounts on your device, repeat the steps below for each account on the device.

1. Open the Google Play app .
2. At the top right, tap the profile icon.
3. Tap SettingsAuthenticationRequire authentication for purchases.
4. Choose a setting.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Tip: To change authentication settings you will need your Google password. Visit account recovery if you don’t remember your password.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say “Hey Google, open Assistant settings.”
2. Under “Popular settings,” tap YouPayments.
3. Turn Pay through your Assistant on or off.
4. Turn Confirm with fingerprint or face and Confirm with Voice Match on or off.

If you’re using the Play Store app on your Chromebook:

1. Open the Google Play Store app .
2. Click Menu Settings.
3. Click Authentication preferences.
4. Choose a setting.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Tip:

• This will only work if you’re using the Google Play Store app on your Chromebook. Find out more about how to use the Google Play Store on Chromebooks.
• To change authentication settings you will need your Google password. Visit account recovery if you don’t remember your password.

If your device allows fingerprint authentication, you can approve Google Play purchases with a fingerprint scan.

You’ll only be prompted for fingerprint authentication if the app requires it or you’ve followed the steps above to require authentication for purchases.

1. Open the Google Play app .
2. At the top right, tap the profile icon.
3. Tap SettingsAuthentication.
4. Turn on Biometric authentication.
5. Enter your password.
6. Tap OK.

Tip: To set up fingerprint authentication you will need your Google password. Visit account recovery if you don’t remember your password.

Tip: To change authentication settings, you need your Google password. Visit account recovery if you don’t remember your password.

1. On your browser, go to play.google.com.
2. Click Settings .
3. Under Authentication Preferences, select a setting.
4. Follow the instructions.

Tip: To change authentication settings you will need your Google password. Visit account recovery if you don’t remember your password.

What authentication settings mean

If you turn off authentication for purchases, it may result in unauthorized purchases. You assume responsibility for all charges including unintended or unauthorized purchases.

You can select a payment method to make purchases through Google Play. Learn more about setting up and managing a family group on Google Play.

Tip:

• Authentication is always required for every purchase for an app or game designed for ages 12 and under, even if you have your settings set differently.
• When you create a family group on Google Play, your family members can use the family

For all purchases through Google Play on this device (default setting): Authentication is required for every digital content purchase through Google Play (including within apps).

Every 30 minutes (mobile device only): Every time you authenticate for a purchase, you can continue to buy all forms of digital content through Google Play (including within apps) for the next 30 minutes without authenticating again.

Never: Authentication is not required for any purchases.

Android tablets and smartphones are ever more popular. And that means your child might well get their small hands on one of them at some point.

While dedicated child tablets are available such as the Vtech Innotab 2S and LeapFrog LeapPad 2 it’s more likely you’re going to hand over an old phone or spare tablet.

Unfortunately even with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Google has failed to provide any comprehensive parental controls, so we’re going to add our own with apps and tweaks – and show you how, of course.

Paranoid Android

So what can you control with Android by default? Not a lot is the short answer. You are able to pin-protect the Google Play Store and assign Content restrictions through the Google Play Store settings menu. We strongly suggest you do this anyway – whether you have children or not – to stop anybody running up credit card purchases without your consent.

If you’re running a Google Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Nexus 4 or another Android 4.2 Jelly Bean device then you can create extra User Accounts via the Settings > Users menu.

While this does provide separation and protection for your personal account – as your security stays in place, while email, accounts and storage are separated – it doesn’t offer any way to lock down a new User’s account, such as disabling Wi-Fi, apps, settings or anything else. Fine for sharing with better-halves or friends but not so much with children.

Play thing: what do we want to achieve?

Always be aware of the research and NHS advice that indicates restricting toddler and young-children’s access to TV and computers is a good thing in terms of activity and developmental capabilities.

So what do we want to achieve here? The first level is a basic sandbox lock, that turns any Android phone or tablet into a simple play thing, locked until you can recover it from your darling offspring.

These are great for toddlers who want to play with mum or dad’s device. A step up from these are sandboxes that provide interactive games, learning apps and story books, again in a safe locked-down environment.

We’re still fans of the utterly basic and free Toddler Lock that fires up shapes, lines and sounds, as your toddler hammers away on the screen. For a little more graphical flare and annoying noises try Baby Rattle Toy that works in a very similar way but is far more colourful! Annoyingly, neither works in landscape mode.

For older children where you want to give them more access to a device, you can install something more comprehensive. Such sandboxes enable you to restrict access to specific apps, lock profiles, wireless networks and system settings.

A good option is the well-tested Famigo Sandbox. This implements a locked environment with parent-selected apps the only ones made available to your child. It’ll automatically add any apps already installed that it deems suitable too. It’s simple and works, there’s a seven day trial but there’s a one-off fee with additional charges for add-on apps. We did find they send you a few too many emails though.

If you fancy a more DIY sandbox take a look at Sandbox Kids Corner. This entirely locks down the phone or tablet and enables you to select the apps available to your children with a time limit. Interestingly the app also enables you to allow text messages and phone calls to only the contacts you select. There’s also GPS tracking, remote monitoring and photo sync to your account – so you can check the photos they take. So it’s pretty comprehensive and Orwellian at the same time.

For a totally DIY option follow the walkthrough below were we pick out apps and how to use these to create an Android device that’s flexible enough to grow with your child. We’ll customise, lock-down and create a safe way to browse the internet.

To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.

To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.

In an ideal world, your children would be playing Red Rover with the neighbors, or rolling hoops down the road with a stick. But these days, both younger and older children can find a Wi-Fi-enabled tablet to be a useful and entertaining device. For research purposes (and yes, to get a little free time to write this), we set our own kids to typing and tapping on many different devices. You can read our full guide to kids tablets, but below are the two best contenders.

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The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is a worthy tablet—not necessarily for the hardware, which is solid enough, but for everything that comes with it. The device includes a one-year subscription to Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited (a $36 value). The service ensures that every one of the 2,000-plus videos, apps, games, books, Audible books, or websites that your child encounters on the 8-inch screen is age-appropriate. Parents can monitor their kids' usage on their own phone with a dashboard that lets them set time limits and other restrictions. The two-year warranty comes in handy when Thing 2 drops the Fire in a puddle.

The Mini is a more versatile device that's best for older kids who want to do more than just consume books and videos. Sure, Apple's parental controls will let your child safely download whatever apps and Apple Arcade games you approve, and kid-friendly streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, PBS Kids, and Disney+ are all in the App Store. Plus, they'll look great on the Mini's superior 7.9-inch display. But the Mini also works with the Apple Pencil ($99) and has the computing brawn required to run creative apps and host high-quality video chats. If your pretween likes to draw her own comics, record her own dance videos, and FaceTime Grandma, the Mini is the better pick.

Setting up the device with the proper parental controls will let you block apps, set time limits, and review any game, app, or video your child tries to purchase. Follow these device-specific steps.

Amazon Fire tablets: Set them up with an Amazon FreeTime account, which will let you manage their access from any web browser. Surf to parents.amazon.com to restrict content and time spent.

Android phones and tablets: Create a Google account for them, then keep tabs on their usage and set restrictions with Google's Family Link mobile app, which you install on your own phone.

Apple iPhones and iPads: Give your child their own Apple ID, then set up Family Sharing. On any iPhone, iPad, or Mac, go to Settings > (your name) and add Apple IDs for your kids. Set rules for each family member.

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Equipped with a most impressive-looking 7-inch tablet screen, a long battery life and considering its obvious portability, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD is really a top-notch on-the-go entertainment device for browsing, playing, reading outdoors. There are several ways for you to transfer a variety of content from a Windows or Mac computer to your Kindle Fire HD. Here I will throw up three methods to transfer music, photos and videos to your Kindle Fire HD Tablet, you can pick the method that’s best for you.

Method 1: Drag & Drop — USB Wired Transfer
You can transfer content files from a Windows or Mac computer to your Kindle Fire HD device, including books, music, video, photos, and documents, using the USB cable that came with your Kindle. Both Macintosh and Windows users can download and transfer compatible content files from a computer to Kindle Fire HD device using a compatible USB cable. When your Kindle Fire is plugged into your computer, it will appear as a removable mass-storage device. This method is highly recommended.

System Requirements to transfer files:
* Windows-based: Windows Vista or later. Windows XP users may be required to update their copy of Windows Media Player. Visit the USB Transfer Tools page for details.
* Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or later. Note: Mac users need to install a free app, Android File Transfer, to complete a USB transfer. Visit and follow the onscreen instructions.
* USB port: An available port or an attached USB hub with an available port.

Step-by-step Instructions:
1. Connect Kindle Fire HD to your PC via USB.
2. Once you’ve connected your Kindle Fire HD to a computer with a USB cable (sold separately), your Kindle Fire HD will appear in the same location as external USB drives usually appear. For Windows users, this is typically in the “Computer” or “My Computer” menu.
3. Open the Kindle drive; you will see several folders inside. You may need to unlock your Kindle Fire HD before it can be opened on your computer.
4. Locate the downloaded file and drag and drop it into the applicable content folder, such as Video, Music, or Pictures.
5. Safely eject your Kindle Fire HD from your computer and unplug the USB cable.

Your content will appear within the corresponding content library on your device:
●Books will appear in the Books library.
●Personal documents will appear in the Docs library.
●Music will appear in the Music library.
●Pictures will appear in the Gallery app.
●Videos will appear in the Gallery app. Note that videos transferred via USB will only be available in the Gallery app. Only videos from the Amazon Video store are shown in the Video library.

Method 2: Downloading Content from the Cloud – Wireless cloud service
Your content libraries — like Apps, Books, and Games — include content that’s available both in the Amazon Cloud and content you’ve downloaded to your device. You can choose to access your content through the Cloud while your Kindle Fire HD is connected via Wi-Fi, or to download your content to your device for easy access even when your device isn’t connected wirelessly.

Step-by-step Instructions:
To download content from the Cloud to your device:
Confirm that your Kindle Fire HD is connected to Wi-Fi.

1. Tap the Cloud tab within the Games, Apps, Books, Music, Videos, Newsstand, Audiobooks, Photos, or Docs libraries.
2. Tap an item in the Cloud to download it to your Device tab.

Method 3: DoubleTwist—USB Wired Transfer
Manage and sync your iTunes music, photos and videos with this popular and lightweight software. It’s easy to use and completely free. Also supports wireless sync with the Air Sync client ($4.99 on Google Play). This method not only syncs your media, but also your playlists and track ratings.

Requirements: Visit doubletwist.com for additional details.

1. Download DoubleTwist from Google Play on your Kindle Fire HD.

2. On your computer (PC or Mac), use your browser to go to doubletwist.com, and use the link to download DoubleTwist. Follow the installation instructions.

3. Follow the instructions on the app on your device and the computer to set up synchronization between DoubleTwist on your computer and Amazon Tablet.

Tips for synchronizing videos/movies to Kindle Fire HD
Better Put Kindle Fire HD friendly videos to the device. If you’ve got the Kindle Fire HD specs, you will get to know that Kindle Fire HD video format is limited to MP4, 3GP, VP8(.webm). Thus, if you want to copy videos to Kindle Fire HD in other formats like MKV, WMV, AVI, FLV, MTS, M2TS, MOV, MPEG, MPG, MOD, TiVo, VOB, etc, you will need reformat these video files first. You can try this professional Kindle Fire HD Video Converter to batch convert videos in various formats up to 1080p to the Fire HD playable format (e.g. MP4).

Don’t put copy-protected contents onto the Kindle Fire HD Tablet. Movies purchased or downloaded from online (e.g. iTunes, BBC iPlayer) are restricted to specific computers and devices only. Unfortunately the Android devices have not get a license to play DRM contents which means Kindle Fire HD is not granted to play DRM-protected videos. To have the device play these movie purchases, get yourself a DRM removal tool first (e.g. ChewTune ).

Compress/convert your HD videos when necessary. By necessary I mean when the Amazon Tablet pops up an error message saying unsupported file or plays video in slow motion.

If you have the intention to transfer Blu-ray, DVD movies as well as your personal HD video files to Kindle Fire HD, you’d better get the best all-in-one video convert tool Blu-ray Video Converter Ultimate to have fastest and most effective conversion.

You know toddlers: The more expensive and precious an object is, the more likely they’ll grab it. My 15-month-old daughter loves nothing better than to get her drooly little hands on my iPad—and when she does, she (naturally) skips the PBS Kids and Barney apps and makes a beeline for Safari and my Mail inbox. Great.

Now, you could always get a baby-friendly case for your Android or iOS device, but be warned: They’re big, they’re bulky, and while they (typically) lock down the “home” and sleep keys, most 15-month-olds I know can pick the lock of a baby smartphone case in 10 seconds flat.

Android and iOS devices both have parental controls, but you can’t just turn them on with the flick of a switch. It’ll take a few minutes to block web access, messaging, app purchases, and other grownup features—plus a few minutes more to turn them all back on again. That’s fine when it comes to permanently kid-proofing a hand-me-down phone or tablet, but not super-convenient if you’re dealing with your own device.

Instead, let’s focus on a pair of features—one for Android, another for iOS users—that’ll quickly and temporarily lock down your handset, perfect for giving your tots some quick screen time without having to take a deep dive into the Settings menu.

Android: Pin the screen

The latest Android phones (specifically, handsets running on Android 5.0 “Lollipop” or better) make it easy to lock—or as Google puts it, “pin”—an app onto the screen, disabling the Home, Back and multitasking controls until you tap the right combination of buttons.

Ben Patterson / IDG

Tap the green “pin” button to get started with pinning the screen on your Android phone.

First, launch the app, then tap the multitasking button (a.k.a. the “Overview” button) in the bottom-right corner of the screen. (If you don’t see the button, swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal it.) When the multitasking screen appears, scroll down to the app’s floating card, then tap the green button with the pin.

Now, go ahead and hand your phone or tablet to your kid, secure in the knowledge that she can’t switch to another app.

Ben Patterson / IDG

To unpin the screen on Android, tap and hold the Back and Overview buttons at the same time.

When you’re ready to “unpin” the app, tap and hold the Back and Overview buttons at the same time. (Hopefully, it’ll be a few years before your little one figures out that trick.)

If you like, you can set your Android device to require an unlock code to unpin an app. That way, if your child does manage to tap the Back and Overview buttons at once, she won’t have the run of your phone. Tap Settings > Security > Screen pinning, then enable the Ask for unlock pattern before unpinning setting.

iOS: Guided Access

iPhones and iPads have their own version of Android’s screen-pinning feature. With iOS’s Guided Access feature switched on, you can disable the Home key, the volume buttons, the sleep button, and even specific zones of the touchscreen that you trace with your fingertip.

Ben Patterson / IDG

iOS’s Guided Access mode lets you trace an area of the screen that won’t respond to taps, perfect for keeping little ones from tapping a specific on-screen button.

Once you have Guided Access configured for a particular app (and yes, iOS will remember the Guided Access settings for multiple apps), you can turn it on by triple-clicking the Home button.

To get started, tap Settings > General > Accessibility. Scroll down to the Learning section, tap Guided Access, then flip the “on” switch.

Next, you should lock Guided Access with a passcode, using either a short numeric PIN or Touch ID (assuming your newer iPhone or iPad has a touch-sensitive Home button). If you don’t set a passcode lock, your kid will be able to turn off Guided Access herself by triple-tapping the Home key—and believe me, she’ll figure it out. Tap Passcode Settings, then either tap Set Guided Access Passcode or flip on the Touch ID switch.

Ben Patterson / IDG

Tap the Options button on the Guided Access setup screen to pick which buttons (like the volume buttons) or inputs (like the keyboard) to enable or disable, or you can even set a timer.

Head back to your home screen and open an app that you want to baby-proof, like the oldie-but-goodie Pocket Pond. (My little girl loves feeding the fish.)

Triple-tap the Home key, then circle any areas of the touchscreen that you want to disable. For example, Pocket Pond has a tiny settings button in the bottom corner of the screen that always seems to get tapped. Just circle it with your fingertip to kid-proof that section of the screen.

Now, tap the Options button in the bottom-left corner of the setup screen. When you do, a series of options will slide up. Flip a switch on to keep a particular setting or button—anything from the sleep/wake button to motion sensitivity—active during Guided Access mode. You can also set a timer, perfect for putting a lid on iPad or iPhone time.

Done? Tap the Start button, then hand your iDevice to your child with confidence (drooly fingers aside). To reclaim your handset, triple-click the Home button, enter your passcode and tap End, or simply press the Home button once and use Touch ID.

Ben Patterson / IDG

If your child tried to unlock Guided Access mode too many times with the wrong passcode, you could be locked out of your iPhone for up to three minutes—so, careful.

One thing to keep in mind, though: If your little one triple-clicks the Home key and taps in the wrong passcode (and yes, she will), you’ll have to wait 10 seconds before trying to unlock Guided Access mode again. If she tries and fails again, you’ll have to wait 60 seconds—and if she tries again, you’ll have to wait three minutes. In other words, you should probably repossess your iPhone or iPad if you spot your child messing with the passcode too often.

If your kiddos have an Alexa speaker in their room, it’s a good idea to enable parental controls. Here’s how.

Back in April, Amazon announced the new Echo Dot Kids Edition . Aside from Alexa having a more playful tone and simplified language, Amazon also packed in a much-needed feature for parents: FreeTime.

At its core, FreeTime is parental control for Alexa and other devices, like Kindles, Fire tablets and Amazon services on Android and iOS devices.

Here’s how to set up FreeTime and other parental controls on Alexa devices.

Enable FreeTime

For starters, you will need to enable FreeTime on a per-device basis — so not every Alexa device around your home responds with dad jokes when you tell it, “Good morning.”

To enable FreeTime:

• Open the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
• Tap the hamburger button in the top left to expand the left menu and select Alexa Devices.
• Select one of the devices from the list.
• Scroll down and select FreeTime under General.
• Tap the toggle to the right of FreeTime.
• Select Setup Amazon FreeTime [sic].
• Type in your child’s first name, select a gender and enter the birthdate.
• Choose an icon and select Add Child.
• Tap Continue, then enter your Amazon password and tap Sign in. It may also ask you to confirm it’s you through two-factor authentication.

Once it’s enabled, you can disable FreeTime by returning to this menu and simply tapping the toggle next to FreeTime.

The best Alexa skills to distract your kiddos

Disabling features

Once FreeTime is enabled, you will be able to toggle different Alexa features on and off, depending on what you want to allow your children to use on their Alexa speaker.

To do this, go to parents.amazon.com. Devices you have set up with FreeTime enabled will be listed there. In this menu, you can adjust the age filter, disable access to smart home devices and manage what music services they can access. You can also disable Calling & Messaging, Drop In and Amazon Music, or enable an explicit filter to block songs or entire music services on that particular device.

If your child has a tendency to continue using the Alexa speaker after bedtime, you can pause the device for anywhere between one and 12 hours.

Another helpful feature is Daily Time Limits, which lets you set a maximum allowed time for things like apps, Audible, reading books or watching videos.

Specifically for Alexa devices, you can manually approve content, such as skills you’ve previously enabled or Audible books. For Kindles, Fire tablets and other Alexa devices, you can manually control what content is approved, like individual apps, videos and books.

You can also monitor your kids’ usage and see call and message history.

FreeTime Unlimited

Access to parental controls is part of the free tier of FreeTime.

However, you can step things up a notch by upgrading to FreeTime Unlimited. Pricing in the US ranges from $4.99 per month for a single child to $9.99 for up to four children. In the UK, a Fire for Kids plan starts at £1.99 per month; amazon.com.au mentions Parental Controls but doesn’t seem to advertise a subscription.

Alternatively, you can pay $119 annually for an entire family. There is no annual plan for a single child.

If you are a Prime member, you’ll pay $2.99 for a single child, $6.99 for up to four children or $83.99 for an annual membership. For the UK Fire for Kids plan, it’s £3.99 for one child and £7.99 for up to four children, or £1.99/£4.99 with prime.

FreeTime Unlimited is essentially a subscription service that gives your children unlimited access to content Amazon deems safe for kids in certain age groups (3-5, 6-8 or 9-12). They’ll be able to access over 15,000 apps, games, videos and books and other educational content. And using the Parent Dashboard, you can control exactly what they’ll have access to. Don’t like a specific TV channel or app? You can block it.

On Alexa devices, FreeTime Unlimited will grant your kids access to ad-free radio stations, hundreds of Audible books, kid-friendly Alexa skills and other features.