TheKidPlay mobile app: a quick tour for parents

The video above runs just over a minute. If you only have a minute, watch that. If you want to know what happens after your child taps the icon, keep reading.

TheKidPlay started as a website. That works well on a laptop at the kitchen table. It works less well in a waiting room or the back seat, where the only screen around is a phone. So we built an Android app around a handful of the activities from thekidplay.com. It is free on Google Play.

What's in the app

The app has six activities. That is a short list on purpose. We would rather ship six things that feel good under a small thumb than squeeze in everything from the website.

• Drawing Studio. A blank page with pens, shapes, and a lot of colors. No goal, no timer. Kids draw whatever they want.
• Paint Trace. Your child follows a dotted outline, then colors the finished picture. It is good pencil-control practice for kids who are still getting steady with their lines.
• Paint Canvas. Pick a color, tap a shape with the bucket, and the area fills. This is the one younger kids figure out without any help.
• Word Search. Hidden words in a letter grid. Older kids like it, and it quietly gets them scanning for spelling patterns.
• Match the Emoji. Match each emoji to its name and collect stars. Early readers get a picture clue, so they can work out the word instead of guessing.
• Word Builder. A hint and a word with missing letters. Kids fill in the gaps. It works a lot like our Fill in the Blanks quizzes on the website.

Roughly, the first three suit preschoolers and kids in kindergarten. The last three need some reading, so they fit better from about age six. Plenty of kids will ignore that split, which is fine.

How the app differs from the website

The website is still the bigger product. thekidplay.com has the full set of games, quizzes, and coloring scenes, and it is where new activities show up first. The app is the pocket version.

A few practical differences:

• Screen size. Drawing Studio is easier on a tablet or laptop. On a phone it works best for quick doodles, not detailed pictures.
• Accounts. The app has no sign-in. Website accounts are optional anyway; our guest vs account guide explains what one does and does not do.
• Internet. The app loads its activities online, so plan on Wi-Fi or mobile data. It is not built for airplane mode.
• iPhone and iPad. There is no iOS version right now. On an iPhone or iPad, open thekidplay.com in Safari instead.

Ads and purchases

The app does not show ads and has no in-app purchases. Your child cannot buy anything inside it, and there are no "unlock more" screens.

The website is different. thekidplay.com is free because we show non-personalized ads there. If your child switches from the app to the website in a browser, they may see ads. Safety, privacy, and ads covers how we handle that.

Before you hand over the phone

Four small things that make the first session go smoother:

1. Install the app from Google Play while you are holding the phone, not your child.
2. Open each activity once. It takes two minutes and you will know what your child is looking at.
3. Turn on screen pinning or Google Family Link if you do not want them wandering into other apps.
4. Pick a stopping point before you start, like "two drawings" or "until we get called in." It is easier than ending a session mid-picture.

Questions or something broken?

Tell us. Reports from parents are the fastest way for us to find problems on devices we don't own. Email contact@thekidplay.com or use the Contact page. Privacy questions go to privacy@thekidplay.com.