Children today expect digital access wherever they are, whether in a library, hospital, or youth centre. With the right digital tools, they can learn, stay entertained, and feel supported during everyday activities in these spaces.
But with public access comes an important responsibility: screen time management. If you're providing digital access to many different users, it's important to make sure kids don’t spend too much time on screens. Why? Because too much screen time can lead to digital fatigue, trouble focusing, and device misuse.
Here are five smart, practical ways to control screen time for kids using public devices, along with their benefits, limitations, and what works best in real-world settings.
1. Google Family Link
Best for: Organisations using Android devices (limited features available on iOS)
How it works:
Google Family Link is a free app that lets guardians or administrators set daily screen time limits, approve apps, and lock devices remotely.
How to use Google Family Link:
- Download the app on a parent/admin device and the child’s device.
- Link accounts with a Family Group.
- Set screen time schedules, filter content, and manage apps.
✅ Benefits:
- Free and built into Android.
- Customisable time and content limits.
- Remote locking capability.
❌ Drawbacks:
- Kids can sometimes bypass restrictions by clearing data, switching accounts, or using alternate devices, making “how to stop kids bypassing parental controls” a real challenge.
- Requires setup and monitoring for each device, hard to scale in shared environments.
2. Built-In Parental Controls
Best for: Individual devices loaned for short periods
Most tablets come with their own basic parental control apps, such as Apple’s Screen Time or Android’s Digital Wellbeing. These built-in options are simpler than many third-party parental control apps but also more limited.
How it works:
- Admin sets passcodes to restrict app usage, install limits, and screen time per day.
- Often includes website filtering and downtime scheduling.
✅ Benefits:
- No extra downloads needed.
- Easy to toggle per user.
❌ Drawbacks:
- Designed for personal, not shared use.
- Settings are device-specific and not user-profile based.
- Kids often find workarounds, like changing device settings, using different accounts, or finding unblocked apps, especially in unsupervised environments, again raising the issue of how to stop kids bypassing parental controls.
3. Parental Control Apps
Best for: Public spaces with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies or personal logins
Third-party parental control apps offer more powerful restrictions and monitoring than built-in options (e.g., Qustodio, Net Nanny, Norton Family).
How it works:
- Installed on each device.
- Offers reporting, content filtering, time scheduling, and location tracking.
✅ Benefits:
- Rich analytics and user controls.
- Can support multiple device types and users.
❌ Drawbacks:
- Paid versions are usually required.
- Often too complex for shared or walk-up use.
- Setup and subscriptions can get expensive fast.
- Can’t adjust content by age group, so kids, teens, and adults may all see the same content, which isn’t ideal in shared environments.
Read: Smart Technology for Kids in Libraries
4. Router-Level Controls
Best for: Spaces where multiple devices connect to the same Wi-Fi network
Many modern Wi-Fi routers, such as TP-Link or Eero, include built-in tools to help with screen time control. Administrators can set schedules to pause internet access for specific devices or block certain websites during certain hours.
How it works:
- Log in to your router’s app or web dashboard.
- Select the device (tablet, laptop, or phone) you want to manage.
- Set a usage schedule or pause internet access at specific times.
✅ Benefits:
- Centralised control over all devices connected to your network.
- Works across different types of devices without installing extra software.
❌ Drawbacks:
- Only limits internet use, does not block offline apps or downloaded content.
- Requires someone more tech-savvy to make changes.
- Does not restrict phones or tablets with their own SIM card.
5. Hublet: Secure Tablet Management for Kids
Best for: Public libraries, healthcare centres, youth spaces with walk-up users
The Hublet Solution is purpose-built for secure tablet management for kids. It combines digital safety, hygiene, and automation in a simple, central system.
How it works:
- Kids (or their caregivers) borrow tablets from a secure Hublet Dock using self-service.
- Each tablet session is time-limited and profile-based for effective screen time management.
- After return, the device’s data is wiped automatically and charged for the next user.
✅ Benefits:
- No staff needed for supervision or resets.
- Prevents data leaks and misuse automatically.
- Age-appropriate content delivered via profiles.
- No chance for kids to “hack” the system, it’s locked to your organisation’s settings, providing reliable secure tablet management for kids.
❌ Drawbacks:
- Requires investment in a shared tablet system, but saves time and staff costs in the long run.
Smarter Screen Time for Everyone
Digital tools can bring joy, learning, and comfort to children in public spaces. But without clear screen time management, they can quickly become overwhelming.
By using screen time control methods, organisations can keep kids engaged in healthy ways, reduce pressure on staff, and make sure technology adds value instead of distraction. When balance is found, children benefit and staff can focus on what truly matters.
