Indoor Toys
Parenting tech and kids gadgets promise to make life easier: monitors that track every breath, tablets that teach, watches that let you find your child. Some deliver, and some create new worries about privacy, sleep and screen time. This guide skips brand comparisons and helps you ask the right questions before any device enters your home, from the nursery to a tween’s first phone.
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Send a MessagePlace any monitor and its cord at least three feet from the crib, out of your baby’s reach. Monitor cords have caused strangulation deaths, and the CPSC has warned about this repeatedly.
Monitors that track breathing or oxygen are consumer products, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using them as a way to reduce the risk of sudden infant death. They can give false alarms or false reassurance. Safe sleep practices from the Safe to Sleep campaign remain the real protection. If your baby has a medical condition, talk to your pediatrician about whether monitoring equipment is needed.
Before handing over a device, decide on the rules and set up the controls together. Most tablets, phones and consoles have built-in parental controls for app downloads, purchases, content ratings and time limits. Use them, but do not count on them alone. Keep devices in shared spaces for younger kids and out of bedrooms overnight.
For guidance on age and screen time, HealthyChildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics has a Family Media Plan tool. For online safety conversations, read our internet safety guide and online security for kids.
Smart speakers in kids’ rooms raise the same privacy questions as cameras. Review voice history settings and disable purchasing by voice. Kids’ smartwatches and trackers can help with independence on the walk to school, but check who can see the location data, how calling is restricted, and whether the device is allowed at your child’s school.
Gadgets with button batteries, like remotes, key finders and some toys, need secure battery compartments. Swallowed button batteries are a medical emergency; call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or go to the ER.
Ask what problem a gadget solves. A video monitor can be genuinely useful in a big house; in a one-bedroom apartment, an inexpensive audio monitor or simply an open door may do. Many families find a hand-me-down tablet with strong controls is a better first device than a new one. For apps that actually help with family logistics, see tools and apps. This page sits under indoor toys.
Also consider the whole life of a device. Will it get software updates for a few years, or will it stop working when the company drops support? Can batteries be replaced? Where will the chargers live so they are not dangling in a toddler’s reach? Asking these questions up front keeps the junk drawer from filling with gadgets that seemed essential for one month.
FAQ
No connected device is risk-free, but you can reduce risk by changing the default password, enabling two-factor authentication, installing updates and turning off remote access you do not need. A non-Wi-Fi monitor avoids internet exposure entirely.
There is no single right age. Consider your child’s maturity, what the device is for and whether you can supervise it. The AAP’s Family Media Plan on HealthyChildren.org can help you set limits that fit your family.
Before giving it to your child, create a child account, set content ratings, require approval for downloads and purchases, and set daily time limits. Review the settings together so your child knows the rules.
Keep going
Internet Safety: Rules and Habits for the Whole FamilyInternet safety for kids through family rules that stick: a media agreement, screen-time limits, safe search and what to do when kids see something upsetting.Online Security for Kids: Protecting Your Family OnlineOnline security for kids starts at home: device setup, privacy settings, passwords, scams and the talks that keep children safe online. Start with your setup.Tools & Apps for Organized DadsParenting apps for dads: shared calendars, co-parenting tools, milestone trackers and safety apps, plus privacy checks before you download. Pick what helps.Ask a question, meet other dads in the 24/7 room, or join the community for resources and support at every stage.
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