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7 Must Do Steps Before Your Kids Touch the New iPad

iPhone iPAD Tips

Many families will have a new iPad during the holiday season. What to do with a new iPad? Especially if you have kids, will you let the kids access the iPAD? I can tell you, even you don’t want to, kids will get on it sooner or later. So it is better to be prepared as parents. How to make sure the iPad will be ok after kids accidentally drop it? How to keep kids safe online? Here are 7 must do, but easy steps for parents to set up the new iPAD to be kids safe and kids friendly.

What to Do With a New iPAD – A Parent’s Guide

What to do with a new iPAD? A must read parent's guide on new iPad. How to set up the system so there will be no accidental downloads; how to lock the screen so kids can't get out of the app; how to ensure online safety? how to choose good educational apps, including free apps; and more. Practical parenting hack from a tech savvy mom.
If this is your first time using an Apple device, you will need to set up an Apple ID. You will need it to download new apps, games, music, and more. You will also need it when setting up security features and accessing your content in the Cloud. If you have used iTunes, the email address you used to connect to iTunes is your Apple ID.

If this is an iPad for kids, you may consider setting up the account with a gift card, instead of credit card. This way you will have a better control of spending.  To find out how, please read How to Set Up App Store Account without Credit Card Information.

2. Child-proof your iPAD if you have kids.

It is easy to download apps by accident. To prevent accidental downloads or accidental deleting apps, you need set up some safety measures.  For detailed instructions, please visit How to Child-proof iPAD.  iPhone and iPod follow the same instructions.

Many parents of young children find guided access a very helpful feature. What it does is to lock screen within one app, so kids can’t get out of the app you want them to be on, until you unlock the screen. For instructions on how to set up this feature, visit How to lock iPAD screen so kids stay within the app.

3. Invest a good iPAD case that is child safe.

Depends on kids age, the younger the kids, the more protection features you need from a case, and in general, the case is more expensive. iGameMom has done some research, and have recommendations based on kids age and maturity. For toddlers and pre-school age kids, you can find some really good cases at How to Choose Baby Friendly iPAD Cases. For older kids, visit How to Choose Kids Friendly iPAD Cases.

4. Download some good educational apps for kids

There are tons of apps targeting at kids, some are even free. However, they are not necessarily good. You want kids spend time on high quality apps that are educational. iGameMom has put together lists of educational apps based on kids age and subjects. Find the app recommendations at Best Educational Apps for Kids – Grouped by Age and Subject.

5. Explore iPAD features that will make your life easier

iPAD can do a lot for you. There are features that are not well known. For example, you can write on a PDF file directly on iPAD, which will save printing and paper; you can make iPAD read aloud a book text for you; you can project iPAD screen to your TV or computer;… You can find many more tips at iGameMom’s How To’s page.

6. Set up Find My iPAD and Find My Friend

Find My iPAD is a feature that will track your iPad location and protect your data on the iPAD in case it is lost. To set it up, go to Settings, tap iCloud, and then switch Find my iPad to the On position.

If you or your family has more than one iDevices, Find My Friend is a feature allows the different devices find each other.  I used it quite often with my husband, for driving direction when getting lost, or forgetting where I put the phone. For some real life examples on how we used the feature, visit How to find out your phone’s location.

7. Set up Online Safety Rules with Kids

Once kids have access to mobile devices, they can access internet. It is hard to monitor what they see and do online. It is a must to go over online safety rules with kids or even install online monitoring programs to help keep kids safe online.

Hope you find this guide on what to do with a new iPad helpful. Enjoy your new iPAD with kids.

If you have kids, you will also want to know the simple set up to limit screen time and how to lock screen to stay within one app for young children.

How to set screen time limits on iPhone iPad
How to lock iphone ipad screen

 

{ 14 comments… add one }
  • Hongwei Sun

    Yes! My son recently received an iPad for his birthday. My now 13 daughter also got one when she turned 6, and when she got it one of the things I am so glad I did was invest in a good case! Now with new updates I can also put screen time limits on it, prevent him from downloading apps and deleting apps, etc. I downloaded several pages of games and educational apps for her as well so she would have enough and not feel the need to surf the internet or ask to download more. Back in 2013 I didn’t let my daughter take her iPad out of the house unless it was a long trip, but I think I will change that for my son since electronics are becoming more useful in 2020. Find my friends will definitely be useful as well. Thanks for this post!

  • Emma

    I love the good case advice. My kiddies certainly put our ipad through it’s paces and it wouldn’t survive without the case, that’s for sure!

  • Elisebet F

    A good case is definitely important! I have an Otterbox on my iPad, and it does the job. Great trips.

  • Kathryn

    I think investing in a good case is hugely important!

  • Dr.Raju M. Mathew

    Children live in the digital age face grave problems, affecting the future Intellectual, Emotional, Aesthetic and Spiritual advancements. We have to find out solutions to these complex issues.

    • yes today’s children are facing many new challenges we did not have when we were young, and we have to learn to teach our kids while we are learning about the new technology ourselves.

  • The Frugal Exerciser

    I need to give this guide to some of my clients because I’ve had so many who have dealt with broken I-pads. Linking up from Mommyhood Media Bloggers.

    • Thanks for sharing it with your clients. I hope more parents know about these features and resources.

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