A computer (and the internet) can help kids learn many things, but it can also negatively influence their personality, mind, etc. If you own a Mac, there is a solution, as there are restrictions and ways to control kids’ activities. All you have to do is to set up a new Mac for kids. Here, I will share the guide on how to do it.
How To Set Up A New Mac For Kids
Create A New Account With Parental Controls
Giving a Mac to your kids with their own account is better than allowing them to use your account. Checking their activity histories on Mac is easier because it’s not mixed with yours. To create a new account for your kid,
- Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Parental Controls.
- Click the lock icon on the bottom left of the pane, enter the administrator name and password, then click Unlock.
- Click the “+” button on the lower left sidebar.
- Enter all the information in the popup window, then click Create User.
Limit Access To Certain Apps
Your kids’ username will appear on the left sidebar of the Parental Control pane. While here, click the Apps on the upper menu bar to manage the restrictions. For the kids under 9, I suggest you uncheck all the boxes because they won’t need those, and you will also prevent them from joining multiple games.
Limit Access To Websites
Selecting Web on the upper menu bar of the Parental Control pane allows you to manage browser restrictions for your kids. If you set up a new Mac for your kids under 6,
- Select “Allow access to only these websites,” and you will see the default starter websites from Apple.
- You can sort or add the other websites by clicking the “+” or “-” sign.
Setting up a new Mac for kids over 11 years old is different than for kids under 6.
If you want to reduce the restrictions and give them a little more freedom to explore more websites as they get older,
- You can tick “Try to limit access to adult websites” instead.
- Then, click the Customize button next to it to manage which websites are allowed to be accessed by them and which are not.
Set Time Limits
You can set how many hours the kids can use the computer on weekdays and weekends and prevent them from accessing their MacBook during bedtime. Once you set the Time Limits, they will not be able to use the computer outside your designated time. On the Parental Controls, click Time and set it as you want.
Download Starter Apps For Kids
As you are limiting their access to the iTunes Store, Apple Books, and certain websites, they will not be able to download any apps or games. So, you can set up a new Mac with starter apps for kids, such as children’s books, educational games, apps, etc. You can find many educational apps, books, and games on iTunes Store and Apple Books.
