Blocking toddler from downloading apps

[polaris777]

How do I stop my toddler from downloading apps? Not just the paid ones but the free ones too. The problem is the in-app advertisements and developer links..

 

[justboy]

How do I stop my toddler from downloading apps? Not just the paid ones but the free ones too. The problem is the in-app advertisements and developer links..

Ha, good question. I just don't let my toddler use my phone. Apple's way around it is by requiring your password for everything, but that is a real pain. My toddler is always on my iPad but fortunately it does stop him from downloading apps.

 

[AngryHatter]

Give a toddler an appropriate toy?
A stuffed animal, not a phone worth several hundreds of dollars?

 

[Deleted User]

Hi..

My sister and I researched this a few months ago as her toddler loves the phones. We tried a few apps etc but found flaws with most. Interestingly, despite this being a tech forum she got some parenting advice too when she posted looking for other user's experiences

The easiest and safest thing we have found is to set the phone on airplane mode when he is playing. We also created his own homescreen with his games (Kids piano, Angry Birds, Bubbles etc) are in one place and he knows to tell us if he sees something he doesn't recognise and to press the "home" button to get back to his screen if he gets away from it some how. In all the time doing this we have only had one problem where he locked his dad out of his Samsung Galaxy requiring a factory reset.

Gg

 

[ari-free]

Give a toddler an appropriate toy?
A stuffed animal, not a phone worth several hundreds of dollars?

Many parents want their kids to be familiar with technology even from an early age.

 

[Saltine713]

Many parents want their kids to be familiar with technology even from an early age.

Or they are just idiots and want the phone to do the parenting for them. I've seen 6 and 8 year olds with iPhones and Droid's.

 

[RadicalDog]

My first reaction was 'keep an eye on the toddler' too, but not in any malicious way.

I don't think this is the place for a parenting discussion. Some families are raised to believe that eating meat is bad, or that monogamy/polygamy are the only ways to live, or that being homosexual is a curable disease. The world holds a lot of people, and compared to things that matter, whether or not your child plays with a phone is completely insignificant.

A phone forum is not the right format for a parenting debate. Let's try actually solving the problem at hand.

 

[2manyPHONES]

I use an app locker to stop my daughter from getting into the market and download anything. In order for the market to open she needs my pin number to unlock it. She's used to an iphone where it asks for a password and will look thru the apps in the apple store and ask if she can get something. She's 4 and i haven't had any problems with her downloading random stuff paid or free and she's been using my phones for over a year.

 

[itsallgood]

Don't let them use the phone. They have children tech. toys that you can buy, if you want to teach them about technology. But, if its a must, try "Kid Mode" from the market.

 

[mundane24]

try 'Smart App Protector (applock) Free' - Protect your installed applications using a password or pattern!

 

[AngryHatter]

Many parents want their kids to be familiar with technology even from an early age.

Then perhaps a speak and spell.

Would you hand a toddler a weapon? No.

 

[amlothi]

My bigger concern would be that the child causes physical damage to the phone (drops it, throws it, etc.) There is no app that can protect from that.

IMO, if the phone is important (i.e., you need it for business) it shouldn't be a toy. However, if the phone is a luxury you can risk living without (or you bought an extra one for the child) I can understand the need for an app to prevent access to certain features.

 

[mikedt]

Stop letting your toddler play with your phone, give him/her another toy appropriate for age, like an assault rifle or something.

 

[SporkLover]

There isn't a good setting to prevent it.

Don't worry about the unsolicited parenting advice. These new technology gadgets have good educational value, and many of these folks are making baseless assumptions (IE using it as a parenting device....).

 

[A.Nonymous]

I just use App Locker. My nieces play with my Android tablet all the time. I turn on App Locker with a widget on the lock screen. Once I do they can't even open the Market if they wanted to.

 

[LNMoton]

Just turn off your data. That is what I do when I let my nieces and nephew play on my phone. They won't be able to download because the internet connection is off. Or you could let your toddler play with his/her own toys.

 

[ari-free]

On my phone I have this app called kidzone with all kinds of settings (for example, requiring a password to unlock the phone)

 

[2manyPHONES]

The OP asked about any apps that would prevent a child from doing certain things on a phone not whether or not anyone here felt it was appropriate or not for a child to use a phone or any piece of technology. So if you have a suggestion related to the original question at hand great, on the other hand if you want to offer your parenting advice of the year may i suggest a parenting forum where you can start a debate on the impact technology has on child and whether it's appropriate for them to touch phones/tablets/computers etc?

Please keep it on topic.

 

[AmitX123]

Do you want the toddler to be able to do everything apart from install apps? what about making calls, etc..

Havent tried it but try bloatfreezer and freeze "Market" app

(or use titanium backup to do it).. Dont know if it will work or even if it can be done.. you need a rooted phone. Worth a try..

Of course if the toddler is smart enough, he can unfreeze market.

 

[ari-free]

I hate when people question the question instead of just giving an answer.

 

[JRich8389]

I'd say just turn off the wireless/3g. That way he/she can click on as many adds as he/she wants and won't be able to download anything.

 

[polaris777]

Thank you to advice from all who stayed on topic. For those with parenting advice the android device I have (and its iphone3g predecessor) have fantastic educational apps which are aimed at toddlers. I agree that they should not do the parenting for you but ten minutes here and there is fine with me. When you have children yourselves (you'll need a girlfriend first) you will understand! Next thing you'll be saying is that locking them in the attic with only a bucket of fish heads for sustenance is inhumane. Some people!

 

[ari-free]

It's interesting because just the other night I decided to use my phone to check out pbskids.org to see if any of the games worked. Many of them did but there were a few issues.

 

[Kelmar]

If I'm not mistaken, the latest version of the Market allows you to "lock" the market so that apps can't be downloaded.

Unfortunately, I don't know when the market with that version will make it to your phone or where you can get it ahead of time.

 

[itsallgood]

Thank you to advice from all who stayed on topic. For those with parenting advice the android device I have (and its iphone3g predecessor) have fantastic educational apps which are aimed at toddlers. I agree that they should not do the parenting for you but ten minutes here and there is fine with me. When you have children yourselves (you'll need a girlfriend first) you will understand! Next thing you'll be saying is that locking them in the attic with only a bucket of fish heads for sustenance is inhumane. Some people!

I and I'm sure others do understand, where your coming from. I have three teenagers and an 8 yrs old. I don't let my kids play on or use my phone. I do however, from time to time, let them use my old backflip phone for games and stuff, since its not activated. My Dad left his phone unattended and my 11 yrs old nephew tried to unlock it and messed things up. My Dad had to factory reset his phone to get it working again. My wife let our 13 yrs old see her phone, and he was going to internet sites he shouldn't have. My sister let her kids play with her phone and most of the time something gets broke on it.