Screens, apps and play, sorted out by the grown-ups.
Plain notes for parents and app makers on choosing learning apps, family screen-time plans, in-app purchases and designing for children.
Choosing Learning Apps for Young Children
Store pages call nearly every app educational. A few questions, asked before downloading, separate the ones that teach from the ones that only keep a child busy.
For parentsMaking a Family Screen-Time Plan That Lasts
Rules made in a moment of frustration rarely survive the week. A short written plan, agreed in a calm moment, works better than limits invented on the spot.
For makersDesigning Apps for Small Hands and Early Readers
Children are not small adults. Interfaces that work for them account for developing motor skills, early reading and a very different idea of what a button looks like.
For parentsIn-App Purchases and Parental Controls
Many free children's apps make money from purchases inside the app. A few settings, switched on before the first download, prevent nearly every surprise bill.
For grown-upsGrown-Ups Have Screen Time Too
Children copy what adults do far more than what adults say. Planning your own screen time, including your own leisure, makes the family plan believable.
For grown-upsScams That Target Parents: Fake Support and Refund Messages
Busy parents are an attractive target for scammers. The most common tricks pose as customer support, often around an accidental purchase or a locked account.
For parentsLearning Through Play, Away From Screens
The best learning apps borrow their ideas from ordinary play. Knowing those ideas helps you choose apps, and reminds you how much happens without any device at all.