Your child isn’t ready to have free reign over your mobile phone, but telling your kiddo to keep his paws off your device isn’t your only option when you learn how to childproof your phone.
From restricting access with passwords to parental control apps that help you manage and monitor your phone, pick up these tips for making your smartphone safe to hand over to your youngsters.
Surf your settings
Preventing your child from deleting your contacts and downloading less-than-favorable apps has to be a proactive effort, beginning with your mobile phone settings. Android parents can set passwords to keep junior from getting into the phone altogether, while the iPhone includes settings to limit in-app purchases and access apps such as YouTube and your camera.
Put on protection
Kids and destruction are synonymous, so before you hand over your big-ticket mobile phone, you’d best be sure it’s safeguarded against little hands dropping it. Hard phone cases such as the OtterBox and the SharkEye will soften the blow should your tyke give your smartphone a toss, whether it’s intentional or not. And, spring for the screen protector when you purchase your phone — you’ll be thankful you did when your kids get a hold of your phone!
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Add in some apps
Many youngsters can manage to navigate through your smartphone like a pro despite the fact they can’t yet tie their shoes, so many of the latest phones boast a kid-safe app already installed. These types of apps restrict what your kiddo can access on your phone, but for more coverage, check out these apps that help childproof your phone:
As if the cute kid-centric interface wasn’t compelling enough to warrant downloading, the Kytephone (Free) app keeps your kids from wandering aimlessly through their android phone combined with parental power to manage their cell phone activity. Designed especially for youngsters boasting their own mobile devices, this child safety app will not only restrict your youngster’s access but also keep you in-the-know about their whereabouts and camera usage and can even be adjusted online when your child is away.
Check out these apps to help keep your kids safe >>
Uniquely designed for the teens in your household, the care4teen (Free) parental control app by care4teen inc. is available for your PC or Android phone. Remote access helps you keep an eye on your child’s internet, apps and games activity, making it easy to give your teen the responsibility of a cell phone. More importantly, when your teen tries to access a site not included in the care4teen database, it blocks it automatically until you, as a parent, allows access. Incredibly, you can also go back and see 10-second video snippets of what is on your child’s screen throughout the day by visiting the app’s online dashboard.
The Kids Place (Free) parental control and child lock app from Kiddoware allows you to let your youngsters play on your phone worry-free. There will be no unwanted upgrades, costly downloads or concern that they’ll send embarrassing texts or make calls. This parental control app also allows you to lock the home button and set a time limit or time of day they can access the phone.
The Famigo Sandbox ($4.99) app makes handing over your phone to your tot worry-free. By blocking ads, outgoing calls and texts and keeping your kiddo offline, your child can play away with your smartphone without screwing it up. You can also customize to prevent your youngster from hopping onto social gaming sites or authorizing in-app purchases. Famigo also offers a free trial version if you want to give it a spin.
Whether you wrap it in bubble wrap or download the most important parental control apps on the market, taking a few minutes to childproof your phone now can save you tons of headaches in the long run!
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