# Best kindle fire hd apps for kids and toddlers?



## TinaisTina (May 14, 2014)

Hello!

My 11 year old has decided on a Kindle Fire as the preferred "big" birthday present instead of the identically priced iPod Touch.

I know there are no formal parental controls for the Fire, but my kids know that everything going through the home wireless is monitored, so I am not particularly worried about unauthorized web location surfing.

However, I don't want my child (or any visiting friends, for that matter) to be able to see every book I've ever bought for my own Kindle. Nor do I want the Fire to have any ability to purchase from Amazon without my permission.

So my main question is how best to set up the Amazon account for this particular device?

Does anyone have any specific advice on settings for a Kindle that will be used primarily by a child?

I want to be able to add book titles that I do approve to this device. As of yet, I am not sure how often that will be, though.









I am a relatively new Kindle user, so my current experience is limited.

Thank you in advance for any replies.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

In fact there are pretty extensive parental controls on the Fire.  There's also kindle Free Time which you can use to set up an account for him so he can only see the books you authorize and use the apps you authorize.  You should read thoroughly on Amazon about the Fire -- both the advertising copy on the sales page and the information under Kindle support.

Of course, you could also set up a separate account for him -- that then he'd still have as he gets older and he's earned some autonomy.  Fund the account with Gift Credit and his purchasing power is also limited so he'll have to learn to budget it.  Of course, if there are books on YOUR account that you want him to have access to, you'd have to buy them again on his account for that to happen.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

First, they have great taste for preferring the Fire to the Touch! Though apparently Fire's are all the rage at the local high school because in their infinite high tech wisdom, using a cell phone or ipad/ipod is banned, but the Kindle is considered a book and allowed.  

I think 11 is going to be a tough age because the free time controls are really to completely lock down a device and they're old enough that a little bit more autonomy is probably appropriate. They're going to want to do their own shopping and so on. With FreeTime, you'll have to log in on their tablet and approve every single item to appear on the screen.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

My 10 year old has a Fire, and we use free time with him. But honestly much of the content (books, movies, etc) is approaching to young, or right at his age. So if your 11 year old is a bit on the mature side, free time might not be the best choice. 

The parental controls are seperate from Free Time and are free with the device. Free Time costs $3 a month with the first month free.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

VydorScope said:


> My 10 year old has a Fire, and we use free time with him. But honestly much of the content (books, movies, etc) is approaching to young, or right at his age. So if your 11 year old is a bit on the mature side, free time might not be the best choice.
> 
> The parental controls are seperate from Free Time and are free with the device. Free Time costs $3 a month with the first month free.


As I understand it, there are two different things with very similar names.

Free Time is basically an app comes on the device and you can use it to set time limits for the kiddo to use apps or the web or books.

Free Time Unlimited is a separate subscription service that you can get that is curated so that all the content is appropriate* and there are no 'in app purchases' or anything of the sort allowed. So you can let 'em have a little freedom but know that they can't get in too much trouble.

You can use the Free Time App on the device without signing up for the 'Unlimited' service.

* it specifically mentions ages 3 to 8 on the stuff available.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

Ann in Arlington said:


> As I understand it, there are two different things with very similar names.
> 
> Free Time is basically an app comes on the device and you can use it to set time limits for the kiddo to use apps or the web or books.
> 
> ...


Well okay so sub "Free Time Unlimited" for free time in my post... but I go to a button that says "parental controls" not one that says "free time" to set limits. Maybe that is because I have "Free Time Unlimited" already.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

FreeTime is the app, Free Time Unlimited is the subscription.

If you cancel the subscription, you can still use the Freetime app to get the same content controls, but you don't get the content unless you buy it. When you go to the kids version, there's nothing there except apps, books, and videos that you've actually bought on the Amazon store and approved on the parent side of Freetime to appear. 

So after they leave the ages that Unlimited covers, you could still set the FreeTime app to set bedtimes, limit screen time and/or limit the amount of video rather than reading they do. You can also lock down the ability to purchase new things and you could share an account and have their copy of Nancy Drew appear on their device, but not your copy of 50 Shades of Grey.


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