5 Ways to Childproof Your iPhone

It’s 4 pm, and you’re stuck in a line of standstill traffic a mile long. The kids are in the back, and they’re antsy and hungry. You hand back your iPhone to entertain them for the rest of the drive, but that introduces a new set of worries.

What if they break it? What if they see something inappropriate on Youtube? What if they buy a paycheck’s worth of videogames on Amazon?

Don’t worry—we’ve got the tips you need and the necessary gear to get you through that car ride and ensure your phone is protected.

Keep Your iPhone Safe From Kids

Get a Good Case and Screen Protector

The first step in handing your iPhone over to your kids should be protecting the physical iPhone itself.

We all know kids can be rough on things and sometimes don’t understand words like “fragile” or “expensive.” A sturdy, well-designed case does wonders to protect a device from those inevitable drops and spills.

We at SaharaCase design our cases to be extra grippy to prevent those falls before they happen. Some traditional knowledge says that those extra-bulky, chunky foam cases are best for kids, but we at SaharaCase have observed that a more svelte, yet robust design is best for tiny hands.

The next step is a screen protector. Forego cheap plastic versions and opt for high-quality tempered glass for a genuinely childproof iPhone. This will prevent scratches to the screen and will absorb impact from a fall.

Make sure your iPhone is returned safely to your hands scratch, nick, and crack-free with these two all-important protective tools. 

iPhone accessories run aplenty! Gift your Apple-loving friend or iPhone enthusiasts acquaintance with a new iPhone accessory—or deck out your new Apple device.

Set Up Apple Screen Time For Your Children

The next step in creating a childproof iPhone should be ensuring your kids stay safe on the device.

Apple has done an excellent job of making a whole suite of tools that make it easy for parents and guardians to set up restrictions for their kids’ use.

Setting up Screen Time for your children is easy. All the settings are available under Settings > Screen Time. Here, you can set up a passcode for your kids, restrict apps you don’t want your kids using, and schedule “downtime” where phone use is limited to certain times. Conveniently, you can also configure apps to shut down after a pre-set time of use.

Set Up Safeguards Against Inappropriate Content

Tools are also included in Apple’s Screen Time settings to restrict certain types of content. Filter out explicit content from the web and prohibit the playback of movies, shows, games, and music with explicit content or age-inappropriate ratings.

Additionally, there is a slew of age-appropriate apps with kid-friendly content. For example, Youtube also has a kids-specific version of its app called YouTube Kids.

Finally, you’ll want to restrict purchases from places like the App Store and Amazon with a password that only you know. Your kids might think they need a pallet of fruit rollups with Prime 2-day delivery, but snack decisions should be left up to the parents.

Use Guided Access to Block iPhone Features

Guided Access is a great way to restrict what features are usable at any given time on your iPhone’s screen. It’s located under the Accessibility section of Settings.

Turning on Guided Access will give you a ton of flexibility in what you allow your kids to do on your phone. For instance, if you want them to be able to watch a movie or video, but don’t want them to navigate back to the video library or use the search bar, using Guided Access will allow you to pinpoint and block off those buttons and functions. You can even disable physical buttons to prevent stray presses.

Guided Access is located under the Accessibility section in Settings and takes a bit of time to set up properly. However, Guided Access is an incredibly useful and flexible tool if you want to prevent your kids from going places they shouldn’t go to on your iPhone.

Stay Involved!

As always, these safeguards are only tools. Keeping a close eye on your kids while they’re using any device, be it your phone or a family tablet, is essential.

Content filters, game restrictions, and apps made just for kids are all useful tools, but nothing is more beneficial to a child than the guiding hand and attentive focus of a guardian.

Create a Child-friendly and Childproof iPhone

We hope these tips will light your way to keeping your phone safe from your kids, and your kids safe from your phone

Check out the SaharaCase online shop for a huge selection of kid-friendly Protection Kits to create a childproof iPhone as the first step for establishing good digital habits in your kids.