It has become normal to see young kids spending time on their mobile phones. Every other kid seems to be engrossed with digital devices these days. Those who still have not gotten their own smartphones use their parents’ phones to play games or watch movies on them.
Even parents who resisted to get their kids and teens mobile phones are now tempted to give them their own devices so they can know whether their kids are safe during the day or wherever they are. Some of the parents also give in to the pressure of kids to get them phones just because they want their kids to fit in society.
The problem with giving Android smartphones to kids is that they can explore lots of information on their devices, both good and bad. To keep your kids away from harmful things and exploring dangerous content through their phones, you can install Android spy software and monitor their phone activity throughout the day.
Setting Up Your Kid’s Android Phone for Their Safety
With Android smartphones, kids can look up for information on Google and get help for their homework. They can also play online games with their friends, chat with them on instant messaging apps, upload and post their pictures and share with their friends and family members, and also watch their favourite movies and videos.
However, they may also be tempted to explore the dark side of the internet that can be harmful to their young minds. It is important that parents set up their kid’s mobile phone and install parental controls on it before handing them over.
Here is how you can give your kid their first smartphone and still make sure they are safe while using it.
Create a Google Account for Your Kid
If your kid is using an Android smartphone, you need to create a Google account for them. A Google account can only be created if a person is 13 years of age or older. In case you do not have a Google account, you can create one for your kid. If you already have it, then you can let your kid use the same.
Once the account has been created, it is not necessary for you to share the account password with your kid. It is advisable to enable the two-factor authentication for that account. It is pointless to say that the authentication should be linked to your smartphone and not to your kid’s.
Filters Apps on Google PlayStore
Default parental controls are available on Google Playstore that you can enable to prevent your kids from downloading and installing adult games or apps featuring explicit content. In order to set up parental controls and filter those apps, all you need to do is open the Google Playstore on your kid’s smartphone, tap the menu, head to the Settings, and then open Parental Controls.
You will be asked to enter a PIN—remember you need to set up a PIN that’s easier for you to remember but hard for your kid to guess. Once a PIN is enabled, your kid won’t be able to disable or turn off the parental controls on the Google Playstore. As soon as the PIN has been entered, you can choose the age restrictions for games, movies as well as music separately.
Control and Manager the Internet Use
When your kid gets hands on their own smartphone, they can tend to explore the bad side of the internet and may open sexually explicit and inappropriate sites. You need to control and manage your kid’s internet use on their smartphone.
To gain better control over your kid’s internet use and to prevent unsupervised phone usage, first of all, you need to turn off the WIFI router during the night or hours when you do not want your kid to use the internet. You can also disable the mobile data by tweaking the settings of your kid’s smartphone.
Once you disable the mobile data on your kid’s smartphone, your kid can only use the internet at home. Since you turn off the WIFI whenever you want, your kid’s internet use will fully be supervised and in your control.
Limit Screen Time and Restrict Adult Content
Another important thing to ensure your kid’s safety on their smartphone is to limit screen time and restrict adult content. You need to be aware of the games your kid has installed on their phone because sometimes the gaming apps may feature explicit content.
On the other hand, you also need to keep in mind how much time your kids are spending on their phones, playing games, and watching movies. Limiting screen time is important especially if you do not want your kid to become an addict and have severe health problems such as lack of posture, lack of sleep, and lack of concentration on school and other important aspects of their life.
You can set up the best free hidden spy apps for Android on your kid’s smartphone to monitor, control, and manage your kid’s mobile use. The same apps can be used to block/filter unsuitable apps and sites and to limit screen time for your kids.
Enable Additional Settings
Last but not least, you can set up the lock screen feature on your kid’s smartphone. By enabling a lock screen on your kid’s phone, nobody can gain entry into your kid’s phone especially their friends and classfellows.
Make sure you make all the above-mentioned changes and enable settings on your kid’s smartphone before handing them the device. The safer and secure your kid’s phone is, the better experience they will have while using it.