8 Best Apps for Keeping Tabs on Your Kids
These apps can monitor your kid's phone use, location, and more to give you some peace of mind when it comes to your family.
In today's world of technology, there is at least one major advantage of all the connectivity: It's easier than ever to keep an eye on our kiddos. From apps that allow monitoring of their screen time to apps that track their educational process, it's a connected parental world now.
And if you're looking for ways to keep track of your kids and keep them safe, here are apps that can be another watchful eye for you
Related:7 Best Parental Control and Monitoring Apps of 2022
Find My Kids by Geo Track Technologies Inc
Ever wish you could know your child's location at all times? Using GPS tracking, the Find My Kids app helps you keep track of and automatically locate your child with their phone or GPS watch.
You'll receive notifications when your child enters and leaves regular places (like the house or school), if they press the SOS button, or if their phone battery is low. You can also view the apps they use in school, listen to their surroundings (this feature is not available on iPhones), and send loud notifications to their phone (very handy if they've lost it!).
With this smart app, you won't have to worry if your child isn't answering their phone right away, or if they are far from home. (Free; iOS and Android)
Bark by Bark Technologies, Inc.
Bark monitors text messages, YouTube, emails, and 30+ different social networks for potential safety concerns, so parents can save time and gain peace of mind. It can even proactively alert you to issues like sexting, cyberbullying, and depression thanks to algorithms that constantly analyze words showing up on your child's phone.
But in addition to alerting parents, Bark also provides recommended actions on how to deal with it and has even saved lives by alerting parents of their child's potential suicidal ideation. (Monthly subscription after free trial; iOS and Android)
FBI Child ID by Federal Bureau of Investigation
Created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the FBI Child ID app lets parents store their children's photos plus other identification (height, weight, hair and eye color, age) for quick access if they ever go missing. The information is stored on the iPhone only until parents need to send it to authorities.
Notable features include safety tips, checklists for what to do if something happens to your child, and shortcuts to dial 911 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Parents also have the ability to email info immediately to law enforcement agencies if the unthinkable occurs. (Free; iOS and Android)
Family Tracker by LogSat Software LLC
Don't just track the kids—track the whereabouts of the entire family! The Family Tracker app keeps tabs on anyone you like, but only if the other person accepts the one-time tracking request. The app uses a built-in messaging system, separate from standard text messaging, that allows you to contact family members and receive notifications that they read your messages.
You even have the capability to get your kid's attention by setting the device to play a "loud, annoying siren." For each device you wish to track, you'll need to buy the app separately. ($1.99 to $3.99; iOS and Android)
US Dept. of Justice NSOPW App by The Institute for Intergovernmental Research
Search your current location or any location of your choosing with this official U.S. Department of Justice national sex offender search app. The app provides information about registered sex offenders who have residential, employment, or school addresses that are close to your search location.
Searches can be conducted nationally using a 1/4-mile, 1/2-mile, or 1-mile radius or by offender name. The app automatically searches based on your location, but you can search other locations using the map. (Free; IOS and Android)
iCam by SKJM, LLC
The iCam app, which has been featured on Today, CNN, and Good Morning America, allows you to watch live video feeds from any room in your home with a mobile device. To be monitored, each room needs to have constantly running computers with webcams and the app's compatible software installed.
The app developer's website has full instructions and a very short list of cameras that are not supported. You can make a donation via in-app purchasing to help reduce the company's server costs. ($4.99; iOS and Android)
Alarm.com by Alarm.com
Get real security with a complete system that includes mobile monitoring. Arm and disarm the system remotely, turn light sources on/off, and watch live and recorded video through installed cameras.
Parents can get alerts about a variety of household happenings—such as when children get home from school, when someone is poking around the medicine or liquor cabinet, or when someone has changed the thermostat or left the garage door open.
A subscription is required for a specific Alarm.com home monitoring service and the app works only with certain hardware. (Free to download, services require subscription; iOS and Android)
Verizon Smart Family by Verizon Wireless
The Verizon Smart Family app is offered for Verizon users and lets parents get location sharing for their kids, find lost phones, block selected content, and get driver insights so they know if their child is engaging any unsafe behavior while driving.
You can even set up the app to get notified when your child leaves and arrives safely at different destinations. (Free to download; iOS and Android; $4.99/month for Smart Family plan and $9.99/month for premium features.)
