Sandbox Lets Kids Play on Smartphones and Tablets Safely
As a parent, I love my smartphone. Unfortunately, so do my kids. They’re always begging to play games or watch videos on my phone. By games I mean Angry Birds. In fact, most of the apps on my Android phone are for the kids.
My toddler has become a pro with my phone. I’ve caught him trying to call random people from my contact list. He tried to buy an app thanks to an advertisement in one of the free games I downloaded. Thankfully I caught him in time. Then it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to put a lock on buying apps.
If only I had known about Famigo’s app, Sandbox sooner. Sandbox, available on Android and iOS, is a free app that keeps your phone and your kids safe. When you install Sandbox, it creates a “kid-safe partition” on your phone. You decide what apps your kids are allowed to play in Sandbox. It also blocks your children from making phone calls and texts.
I’ve tried similar apps before, but either it was too time consuming to set up or the kids didn’t like the interface. Installing and setting up Sandbox took mere minutes. When I first opened the app, it scanned the apps on my phone for kid-approved apps and added it to their list. I can also go in and take or add apps as well. This comes in handy in case you don’t want your kids to ruin your high score in Where’s My Water.
In its description, Sandbox says it blocks ads and the internet on your phone or tablet. It doesn’t block ads from showing up in games. If your child clicks on an ad, it kicks him or her right back to the Sandbox app. Also, tapping the home button (on your Android device) brings your child back to Sandbox rather than your homepage. To exit the app, you’ll have unlock it with a code that you chosen.
I’ve been using Sandbox for a few weeks now. When my toddler asks to play games on my phone, I just start the app and hand him the phone. Now I don’t have to worry about what apps he opens and what he might accidentally purchase. Whew!
For more info about Sandbox, check out their website.
Screenshots courtesy of Sandbox
About Thien-Kim Lam
Frequently found burning the midnight oil with a mug of coffee, Thien-Kim Lam sneaks in her blogging time after her two young children are in bed. When she’s not blogging or making new friends on Twitter, she’s also a busy running her business as a . Passion Parties rep. Somewhere in between her kids, her husband, and her business she manages to squeeze in some art, some books, and long hot bubble baths. Read more about her Top Chef obsession as well as the fun food and crafts she does with her kids at Cup of Creativi-Tea. Her multicultural parenting musings, tech addiction, and work at home mom tips can be found at I'm Not the Nanny .
May 22, 2012 | 