A free parent guide
The Screen-Safe Starter Kit
Five practical steps to make any tablet safer for your kids this week — no new app, no subscription, just the settings that actually matter.
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Free Parent Guide
The Screen-Safe Starter Kit
Five practical steps to make any tablet safer for your kids this week — no new app, no subscription, just the settings that actually matter.
"Whatever is pure." — Philippians 4:8
1. Lock down the tablet you already own
These are the built-in settings on the three most common family tablets. All free, all already on the device — this takes about 10 minutes.
iPad / iPhone (Screen Time)
- 1. Settings → Screen Time → turn on, then “This is My Child's [Device]”.
- 2. Content & Privacy Restrictions → turn on, then set a Screen Time passcode your child doesn't know (not their normal passcode).
- 3. Content Restrictions → set Web Content to “Limit Adult Websites” or “Allowed Websites Only” for younger kids.
- 4. App Store → set age ratings under Content Restrictions → Apps.
- 5. Communication Limits → restrict who can contact your child during and outside school hours.
Android tablets (Google Family Link)
- 1. Install Family Link on YOUR phone, then follow the prompts to link your child's device (needs a supervised Google account for kids under 13).
- 2. In Family Link, set Google Play app/content ratings for their age.
- 3. Turn on SafeSearch and restricted YouTube mode from the same app.
- 4. Set daily screen time limits and a bedtime downtime window.
- 5. Review “App activity” weekly — it shows exactly what got installed and used.
Amazon Fire tablets (Amazon Kids)
- 1. Set up a child profile under Amazon Kids (Settings → Profiles & Family Library).
- 2. Set an age filter — this governs which apps, books, and videos show up at all.
- 3. Set a daily time limit and “time by content type” (e.g. less video, more reading).
- 4. Require a parent PIN to exit the child profile back to the main tablet.
- 5. Turn off the web browser for young kids, or set it to an allowlist of sites.
2. Write it down together
A quick agreement — signed together, not handed down — makes the rules feel like a family decision instead of a punishment. Fill in the blanks out loud as a family.
Our screens are on from _________ to _________ on school days, and _________ to _________ on weekends.
Screens stay out of: _________________________ (bedrooms at night? the dinner table?).
Before downloading a new app or game, I will: _________________________.
If I see something online that scares me or feels wrong, I will tell: _________________________ — and I won't be in trouble for telling the truth.
My parents promise to explain their “no”s instead of just saying no.
Parent signature & date
Kid signature & date
3. Warning signs worth a closer look
None of these alone means something is wrong — kids are moody, that's normal. It's a sudden CHANGE, or several together, that's worth a calm conversation.
- • Hiding the screen or switching apps quickly when you walk in.
- • A new online “friend” much older than them, or one they won't describe clearly.
- • Secretive new accounts, or a second phone/device you didn't know about.
- • Sudden anxiety, withdrawal, or anger specifically tied to being online or offline.
- • Sleep loss from being up late on a device, or distress when a device is taken away.
- • Unexplained gifts, cash, or gift cards.
- • Talk of meeting an online contact in person.
4. If you find something concerning
- 1. Stay calm, out loud. Your reaction teaches your child whether it's safe to come to you next time. Even if you're upset inside, the goal is “I'm glad you can talk to me,” not “you're in trouble.”
- 2. Don't delete anything yet. Screenshots and messages may matter later — to a school, a platform's report tool, or law enforcement.
- 3. Report it on the platform. Every major app has a report/block flow for harassment, grooming, or explicit content — use it, even if you also act elsewhere.
- 4. If a child is in danger, contact the authorities. In the US, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org, 1-800-843-5678) exists exactly for this and is free and confidential.
- 5. Adjust the rules together, don't just punish. “Here's what we're changing and why” keeps trust intact; a silent, unexplained lockdown usually just teaches better hiding.
From the makers of
AllPureKids
Every five seconds, Pip looks at your child's screen — never their face.
We built AllPureKids because the settings in this guide are a great start, but a determined kid can usually find a way around them. Get notified the moment AllPureKids opens for new families — no card, no commitment.
allpurekids.com