Child Mode & Time Education review
By allowing you to hand-pick the apps your children can use as well as set up a timer, Child Mode & Time Education does a good job at limiting the time your children waste using your smartphone and, thanks to an ingenious end game, can also help reduce the frustration and tantrums that may arise when you ask them to return your device.
Pros
Good concept: After a brief setup, which requires that you create an account, Child Mode & Time Education helps you quickly handpick apps for your child, set a timer from 5 to 90 minutes, and choose from two thematic ending games. Then you enter a four digit password, activate child mode, and can hand your device to your child, who can enjoy the selected apps and interact with Nester, a plump but nevertheless cute bird, until the timer runs out and the end game kicks in; it's all straightforward and effective.
Ending game: While not the only parental control app around, this one introduces something you've probably never heard of before, the end game, which shows your child that the time is up in an ingenious way -- Nester needs to go to sleep and your child has to prepare him for his repose.
Alarm mode: Designed for families with several children, the alarm mode enables you to set individual timers for up to five kids. Once the first timer runs out, the second one kicks in, and then the third, so that your kids know when it's time to pass the device to the next in line.
Cons
Sometimes crashes: Whenever the app crashes, its whole purpose is defeated because your child can then access all of your phone's features. Crashes aren't the norm, but they do happen. The developers need to fix them.
Ads: Ads from other apps can disrupt the Child Mode, unless you go to settings and activate the Enhanced Lock Function.
Bottom Line
With its worthy purpose and clever end games, Child Mode & Time Education turns out to be a great way to make sure that your children don't overspend time with your smartphone or tablet. The remarkable thing about it is that it really works with young children, making it especially appealing for parents who have a hard time wrestling their smartphone back from their kids. If your kids love your smartphone too much, this app can help.
