Gearing Up for the Holidays: Set Up Parental Controls Before Gifting Tech

Holiday mornings are a busy time for new devices. A tablet, a first phone, a game console or a VR headset comes out of the box, and within minutes it's connected to Wi-Fi, apps are downloading and accounts are being created. Setting up parental controls later is possible, but it's harder once your child has already started using the device freely.

The easiest approach is to do the setup before the gift is wrapped. It takes an evening and saves a lot of negotiating later.

Step 1: Make a list of what's coming into the house

Include gifts from relatives and friends, not just your own. Common holiday tech:

• Tablets and kids' tablets
• A first phone or smartwatch
• Game consoles and handhelds
• VR headsets
• Laptops or Chromebooks
• Smart speakers and displays
• Connected toys

Ask grandparents and others what they're planning. It's easier to coordinate in advance than to undo a device set up on an adult's account.

Step 2: Set up the device before wrapping it

For each device:

1. Charge it and install updates. First updates can take a long time; better on a quiet evening than holiday morning.
2. Create your child's own account and link it to your family group. Avoid setting up the device with your own account "just for now."
3. Turn on the core controls: time limits, a bedtime schedule, app or game approval, age ratings, web filtering and purchase approval.
4. Install a few approved apps or games so it's ready to enjoy right away.
5. Rewrap it. Most devices can be powered off and boxed again.

Device-by-device quick guide

iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

Set your child up with a child account in Family Sharing. On iOS 27, manage everything from Settings > Family > [child's name]: Time Allowances, Screen Time Schedule, Ask to Buy, web filtering and Allowed Contacts. An Apple Watch can be set up for a child without their own iPhone through Family Setup. Our iPhone parental control resources walk through each setting.

Android phones and tablets

Add your child's supervised Google Account through Family Link before handing it over. Turn on app approval, daily limits and bedtime.

Amazon tablets

Amazon replaced its Fire tablets with Android-based Alexa tablets and Amazon Kids Tablets in October 2026. Kids' models come bundled with a kid-proof case and a year of Amazon Kids+. Set up your child's profile and limits before wrapping it. Our guide to choosing a tablet for kids compares the main types.

Game consoles

• Xbox: create a child account and manage it in the Xbox Family Settings app: screen time, ratings, spending and who they can play with.
• PlayStation: set up a child account through Family Management for play time, age ratings, spending limits and communication.
• Nintendo Switch and Switch 2: link the console to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app for play time, ratings and communication limits.

Pay particular attention to spending limits and voice and text chat, which are where most console problems start.

VR headsets

Many VR games and apps are rated for teens, and headsets include social spaces with voice chat. Use the headset's parent supervision tools, set app approvals, and keep VR use in shared rooms.

Computers and Chromebooks

Give your child a standard (non-administrator) account. Use Microsoft Family Safety on Windows, Screen Time on Mac or Family Link on a Chromebook. Turn on SafeSearch in browsers; our guide to filtering adult content in Google explains how.

Smart speakers and connected toys

Check the companion app for kid modes, explicit-content filters, purchase-by-voice settings and microphone controls. For connected toys, read what data the toy collects and whether you can delete it.

Step 3: Prepare for gift cards and money

Holiday gift cards often end up as game currency within hours. Decide ahead of time:

• Whether gift card balances can be spent without asking
• Whether in-game purchases need approval
• How much is reasonable to spend on a single game

Our guide to restricting in-app purchases covers Apple devices; consoles and Android have similar spending controls.

Step 4: Agree on the rules before the excitement

New devices bring a burst of enthusiasm, and holidays loosen routines. A few agreements help:

• How much screen time is OK during school break, and when normal rules return
• Where devices charge overnight
• Which games and apps need a parent's OK
• What to do if a stranger messages them or something upsetting appears

Write the rules down with your child; a short family media agreement works well.

Step 5: Set aside time on the day

Even with setup done in advance, plan time on the day to:

1. Show your child how the device works and what the limits are.
2. Help them set up a strong password or passcode.
3. Show them how to block or report someone in their favorite game or app.
4. Play or explore together for a while.

Holiday tech checklist

1. List every device coming into the house, including from relatives.
2. Charge and update each device in advance.
3. Create a child account linked to your family group.
4. Turn on time limits, bedtime, approvals and filters.
5. Set spending limits and decide on gift card rules.
6. Restrict chat with strangers on consoles and VR.
7. Agree on holiday screen time rules and when normal rules return.
8. Spend time with your child using the new device on the day.