yet another iPad set up question: kid edition
July 14, 2013 12:15 PM Subscribe
What did you do to set up an iPad mini for your tween child?
What things did you do to make your kid's iPad safe but still easy and fun to use? My 10-year-old is about to receive an iPad mini, and I want to have it all set up and ready for use when he actually gets his hands on it. I've googled and found a few basic things about restriction passcodes, language settings, and in-app purchases. For example: this guide, and this one. I'm going to do those things, but I'm wondering what else I should do, particularly to protect his privacy. I'm leaning toward keeping safari available so he can browse the internet (within reason -- I'll try to set up safe search filters and the like), unless there is a compelling reason to not do so.
We're not an Apple household by any means, so I feel a bit lost here, though my husband and I are generally fairly tech savvy. (If/when needed, the iPad will be connected to a PC running Windows 7 Home Premium.) So tell me -- what do I need to know about getting this thing set up? What do you wish you had known beforehand?
What things did you do to make your kid's iPad safe but still easy and fun to use? My 10-year-old is about to receive an iPad mini, and I want to have it all set up and ready for use when he actually gets his hands on it. I've googled and found a few basic things about restriction passcodes, language settings, and in-app purchases. For example: this guide, and this one. I'm going to do those things, but I'm wondering what else I should do, particularly to protect his privacy. I'm leaning toward keeping safari available so he can browse the internet (within reason -- I'll try to set up safe search filters and the like), unless there is a compelling reason to not do so.
We're not an Apple household by any means, so I feel a bit lost here, though my husband and I are generally fairly tech savvy. (If/when needed, the iPad will be connected to a PC running Windows 7 Home Premium.) So tell me -- what do I need to know about getting this thing set up? What do you wish you had known beforehand?
Best answer: The links you've included certainly go a long way.
One thing that has helped us is setting up OpenDNS "Family Shield", that controls content at the router level. It does take some effort to get to know your router's settings and setup primary and secondary DNS servers, but nothing too complex. And having that router locked up will give a certain level of 'safe browsing', even if an inappropriate site is accessed by accident.
We used to be a PC household for many years, but my spouses' Mac Mini and related iPods have morphed in the past 3 years with iPads / iPhones to where my PC is now the minority. So it goes. :)
posted by scooterdog at 2:16 PM on July 14, 2013
One thing that has helped us is setting up OpenDNS "Family Shield", that controls content at the router level. It does take some effort to get to know your router's settings and setup primary and secondary DNS servers, but nothing too complex. And having that router locked up will give a certain level of 'safe browsing', even if an inappropriate site is accessed by accident.
We used to be a PC household for many years, but my spouses' Mac Mini and related iPods have morphed in the past 3 years with iPads / iPhones to where my PC is now the minority. So it goes. :)
posted by scooterdog at 2:16 PM on July 14, 2013
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Locking it down and treating it like any other computing device is all you need to do.
Perhaps set up an app and song allowance, even if informal, is a good idea as well.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:40 PM on July 14, 2013