4 Simple Strategies for Child-Proofing Your Smartphone

Even if your children are too young for their own smartphone, you might not mind them borrowing your phone from time to time. As a result, they might grab your phone whenever an opportunity arises and then spend hours playing games or watching YouTube videos.

Of course, the more hands touch your phone, the greater the risk of something bad happening – breaks, scratches or worse. That’s why you need to keep a close eye on your child and your phone at all times.

Still, there’s no way to prevent all accidents, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try. Here are a few simple strategies for childproofing your smartphone.

1. Get a screen protector.

Protecting your smartphone screen is a necessity when you have small children. But don’t get a cheap, low quality screen. Rather, invest in a quality, durable screen protector made from a hard protective glass-like material.

By protecting your screen with a stronger material, you’re less likely to deal with a cracked or shattered screen in the event of an accidental drop. Even if the screen protector cracks, your cell phone screen will likely remain intact.

You can expect to pay at least $25-$30 for a quality screen protector, but it’s worth the investment, especially if you get a lifetime warranty with the purchase. Replacing the screen on a smartphone can cost hundreds of dollars depending on the phone.

2. Invest in a quality case.

Not only should you invest in a good screen protector, you should also invest in a quality case for your smartphone. Get a case with a hard backing that fully protects all sides and corners of the phone, as well as the back.

It’s not a question of if your cell phone will drop, but rather a question of when. And unfortunately, cell phones don’t always drop inside the home. They can also drop outside on rocks or the pavement, and these hard surfaces can chip or scratch the sides of phones.

A good case is especially necessary when young children handle smartphones. You can even go a step further and purchase a waterproof cell phone case to protect your phone from spills and puddles.

3. Set a password.

Setting a password on your cell phone not only keeps your personal information safe if it ends up in the wrong hands, it also lets you control when your child can access the phone and internet, and it limits what your child can do with the phone.

Also, a password comes in handy when you want to keep a close watch on your kids’ screen time. This way, they can only access the phone if you unlock it.

4. Turn off buying options for apps.

Another way to childproof your cell phone – and protect your wallet – is turning off buying options for apps you’ve downloaded. Young children can easily figure out how to navigate your phone’s application store and find new games. And while playing these games, they may have the option of purchasing additional lives and making other in-app purchases.

Turning off the buying option for apps reduces the likelihood of your child making purchases you’ll have to pay for.

Just like you enjoy watching videos, listening to music and playing games on your smartphone, your children will also enjoy it in their free time. But little ones have little hands, and cell phone accidents can occur anytime they don’t maintain a good grip on the phone.

Rather than deal with a cracked screen or a busted phone, take the necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of damage.