If you have kids at home who want to connect and chat with friends and family, this might be the go-to app for them. In this guide, we tell you who can use and control Messenger for Kids and who can message and be messaged on the app.
Who Is the Messenger Kids App Designed For?
The free Kids Messenger app for Android and iOS is designed for children between 6 and 12 years of age. It was initially only available for iOS devices but you can now use it on Android as well. The app can be fully controlled and managed by parents, helping them keep tabs on the child’s online activities.
Messenger Kids enables children to message, call, and play games with their loved ones with predefined restrictions and guidelines set by the parents.
The app is also used by adults, like immediate family members who want to stay in touch with kids. Both parties must know how to use the app before connecting. So, anyone with the Messenger Kids app can use it to chat, although the app was originally made for kids.
Messenger Kids comes with a group chat feature. Teachers use this app to send group messages to their class. Additionally, students can discuss their school projects and homework as well.
For kids who wish to enjoy online games without spending money, the Messenger Kids app allows them to simply pick a game and start playing.
Who Controls the Messenger Kids Account?
Messenger Kids is connected with a parent/guardian’s account. Parents can change information related to their personal details, sleeping schedule, friend lists, and online status.
Apart from that, parents can also view the chats and media shared in private conversations. The parental controls added by Facebook enable parents to deeply monitor every activity of their kids. It encourages safe social media usage, allowing parents to trust the internet for their kids.
If one parent/guardian is too busy and cannot observe the connectivity on Messenger Kids in detail, it is possible to include other guardians in the list. They must be in your Facebook friend list.
You can give limited control like allowing them to add friends or setting a profile picture. Removing an unwanted device where the app is logged in is also possible. To say the least, parents or guardians have maximum control over their child’s activities.
Who Can Message and Be Messaged on the Messenger Kids App?
Messenger Kids delivers a controlled interaction with people in your child’s social life. You can add people from your personal Messenger contacts. The recipient receives a request and becomes a contact after approval.
People approved and selected by parents are allowed to talk to the child on the app. There is also an option to allow the kid to choose contacts.
It is necessary for both the child and the other person to have a Messenger Kids account to connect. Though, the other person can also use a Messenger account.
Parents can also add the users not on their Facebook profile from their code or by sending a link to that person.
Stay Social and Safe With Messenger Kids
Many parents get confused as to whether they should give their children access to social media or not. Fortunately, with apps like Messenger Kids, parents have complete control and can monitor their child’s activities.
Parents can keep tabs on who makes it to their kid’s friend list and what the conversations have been about.
Although Messenger Kids is a pretty safe platform, if your child uses other applications without age restrictions and parental controls, there’s no guarantee of online security. Parents should only allow a set of apps to use after thorough research.
