Kids Mode on the New Samsung Galaxy S5 = Genius! #TheNextBigThing

Disclosure:  I received the product below to review in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

When my 7-year-old was a toddler I remember handing him over one of our smartphones and praying he doesn’t break it.  Surprisingly he never did break it, but he did delete a few emails and make phone calls. I never understood why phone makers never made a phone that could easily switch between kids and adults.  Sure there are kids apps and you can easily make a page on your phone for kids, but at least for my kids, they know how to move everything around and go in apps their not supposed to.

Well leave it to Samsung to step in and save the day with their Kids Mode on the Galaxy S5.  I am a parent who embraces technology and I want my kids to as well.  Technology is not going anywhere and kids are naturally curious anyways.  When I got the New Samsung Galaxy S5 my husband immediately took it over, although I was fine with it since it had the Kids Mode which meant he’d have to share his phone with our kids!  It’s funny how even when I got the Samsung Note 3 and the Samsung Note 10.1 Tablet I told myself that I wasn’t going to download any kids games, they were going to be just mine. Well then it happened, we were out and the kids were bored and driving me crazy and the first kids app was downloaded and then another and another.

My husband thought the same thing, no kids apps.  Then I showed him Kids Mode and he felt better about it.  He was worried because he has work stuff on his phone and likes things to be his way.  Well with Kids Mode it is basically a parental control app, but better.  It limits functions and apps kids can access while giving parental controls parents expect.  It creates a whole separate interface for kids that they cannot escape without putting in a password.

What are some other features of Kids Mode:

• Includes five apps kids will want:  a camera app, a drawing app, a karaoke app, a picture gallery app, and a video playback app.  You choose what you want to add.
• Includes Kids Store which has both free and paid apps suitable for kids.  Not like apps from the Google Play store or Amazon Appstore which include adult ones, but rather apps specifically for kids only or of course you can use regular apps from Google Play or Amazon Appstore.
• Since its a separate interface, kids can’t mess with anything on your HOME screen or your own apps!
• Oh and did I mention its FREE!

Here are some feature screenshots I took of the app:

Here is a page where the Kids Mode is (in case your looking for it, it is a widget you have to download that is already on the phone):

Here is what our Kids Mode screen looks like, it can have any apps you choose:

One of the screens with fun stuff on it and where apps can go:

Kids Store has both Free and Paid Apps:

Here is what my son’s profile looks like, only I can see it via Parental Controls:

More Parental Controls:

If they hit the exit button they are prompted to type in the PIN, the HOME button doesn’t work:

The drawing app:

The Camera App:

More Apps I can add for him, up to 30:

Oh and I can set Daily Limits too:

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed that Samsung has come out with their Kids Mode.  I love that its free and so simple to set up.  You just create a profile for your child and voilah they have their own area on your phone.  No more worrying about kids calling someone and no more worrying about them deleting apps.  Oh and the best part, at least for me, is no more deleting emails which my kids have done!  I don’t worry about them using the phone too long since its my husband’s but if it was one we had at home all day, it is nice they have a time limit option.  It will definitely be nice next time we go out to a restaurant or somewhere for my kids to be able to hand our phone without worrying they will mess with it or watch anything inappropriate.  Yeah for Samsung doing it again with not only an amazing phone but also an amazing widget.

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BUY IT:  Check out the Samsung Galaxy S5 on the Samsung Website or find it at your local cell phone provider or electronics store.