Handing over your precious smartphone to your child can be intimidating. What will they get into? If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you can avoid this by giving them their own space in “Kids Mode”.
There are plenty of tools to help protect your child – and yourself from your child – but not many of them amount to Samsung’s Baby Mode. If you give your Samsung phone or tablet to your child a lot, it’s worth preparing.
Related: Why parents should use Google Family Link
What is the status of children on a Samsung phone?
Samsung describes Kids Mode as a “digital playground” and that’s pretty accurate. It is a special environment for children only. Basically, it’s a separate user profile that’s kid-friendly, just like you might find on your TV or streaming service.
Kids mode has a bright and fun theme that is simplified for kids. Your child can create characters and access apps and games designed just for them. Of course, it is not just a free program for everyone. Parents can set up controls, app usage limits, and screen time limits.
Think of Kids Mode like a phone designed specifically for kids who live inside your Samsung device. It can be withdrawn at any time.
How to turn on kids mode
Kids mode is accessed through the quick settings buttons, that’s where we’ll start. Swipe down from the top of the screen twice to see quick settings, then swipe right until you see an empty space with the + button.
Find the Kids button at the top and drag it down to Quick Settings. Press Done when the button is in place.
Now we can actually click on the Kids button from the Quick Settings to get started.
Press “Start” on the first screen to download all the necessary components for Kids Mode.
You will see a friendly introduction screen. Click Next to continue and enable Add Samsung Kids to Apps screen.
We are now in the Kids Mode environment. It works like a typical Android home screen. You’ll see a bunch of apps on the screen, but they haven’t been downloaded yet. You or your child can click on the apps or games they want.
The Galaxy Store menu will appear to confirm “Install”.
To access Parental Controls, click on the three-dotted menu icon at the top right and select Parental Controls.
You will need to use your fingerprint or other secure method to access the controls. Once inside, you will see the limits you can implement and information about usage and content your child has created.
When you’re ready to leave Kids Mode, tap the three-dot menu icon and select “Close Samsung Kids”. You will need to use your fingerprint or other secure method to leave.
That’s all the basics of Samsung’s Kids Mode. You’ll want to take the time to customize it to suit your needs. The nice thing about it is that even if you’re not crazy about making it, it’s a very limited experience for your child. Kids Mode is a great tool to use on any platform it has.
Related: How to set up and use Kids Mode in Microsoft Edge
