Use Guided Access for iOS Devices
If you own an iPhone, know that Guided Access is the best way to restrict your children to one app at a time. The feature also disables hardware buttons and parts of the screen that users don’t need to access while using certain apps. In other words, turning on Guided Access limits your children to the things you want them to do. You can let them stay entertained with games without worrying that they will access other parts of your device.
Apple has made it easy for parents to turn on Guided Access. You can set up the feature by tapping Settings > General > Accessibility > Guided Access. Turn on Guided Access, and choose a passcode that will stop your kids from leaving it while playing.
The next time you hand over your iPhone, just open the app you want your kids to use, triple-click the home button, make any adjustments you like and tap Start. That’s all it takes to protect your phone and your children.
Make Restricted Profiles on Android Phones
Android offers a similar feature called Restricted Profiles. As long as your device uses 5.0 Lollipop or a more recent version of Android, you can use Restricted Profiles to pin a single app to your phone’s screen. Once you pin an app to the screen, no one can access a different feature until you enter your passcode.
To turn on Restricted Profiles, open Settings > Security > Advanced > Screen pinning. At this point, you can use the Overview button to browse apps and select one that gets pinned to the phone’s screen.
Restricted Profiles won’t prevent your kids from seeing inappropriate content online. If you give them access to an Internet browser, your kids can view anything they want; you can, however, install a parental-control app that blocks adult content.
Get a Sturdy, Waterproof Case to Protect Your Phone
Few kids respect how fragile electronics are. They treat devices the same way they treat their toys, which means they may use your smartphone as a baseball or dunk it in the toilet. Somehow, children can find ways to destroy practically anything.
Putting your phone inside a sturdy, waterproof case will make it difficult for even the unruliest of kids to break your mobile device. Companies like Dog & Bone, Pelican Marine and Otterbox make reliable cases that work amazingly well. You spent a lot of money on your phone, so don’t skimp when buying a case. It’s the only thing standing between your smartphone and child-inflicted destruction.
You rely on your phone to get through the day, and keeping the kids entertained is one of your device’s skills. As long as you follow these tips, you don’t have to worry that letting your kids play with apps will cause any harm.