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How do I make my child’s iPod touch safe?

How do I make my child’s iPod touch safe?

We have already discussed what is the best iPod for Kids, now let think about making your child’s iPod safe.  Technology has helped us with many options, giving us gadgets that are handy and easy to carry around. I am sure I am not the only one who has asked how do I make my child’s iPod Touch safe.  The problem however is the safety of these devices, especially when they are being used by our children.

Children can often be  careless about the way they carry these gadgets.  With the growing need for a slimmer device and more functionalities, these devices have grown to become more prone to damage caused if dropped by mistake. The question however is how to make your Child’s iPod Touch safe.  We are going to go through some of the key points you need to consider for the safety of the iPod Touch.

Screen Protector for the iPod Touch

The most fragile thing on the iPod Touch is that of the screen. Whether it is safety against scratches or breaking, a screen protector can help you against that. The glass protectors are readily available and they sit right on top of the screen and provide all the protection without looking like there is anything on top of the screen.

Set Up Find my Phone on the iPod Touch

Having an iPod Touch can possibly reduce several things that we would use on a regular basis earlier, such as a phone book, a photo album and a multimedia device. Think of losing a device where you have all your data stored, data that you most certainly want to keep away from the reach of anyone but yourself.

Find my Phone is a built-in application on the iPod Touch that uses the location services and the GPS module on the device in order to track the device in case you lose it. Children tend to forget their things more often and therefore there needs to be a mechanism for recovering it, find my Phone is the most appropriate application for that. If you are unable to track or recover the phone, the application provides you with the ability of deleting all the data on the phone remotely.

Get a Protective Case for your child’s iPod Touch

Kids have a habit of treating things rough, with a device as expensive as that of the iPod touch you need to ensure that there is sufficient protection against any kind of damage.

A Protective case is just the right place to start. The case is not going to save the iPod touch from falling but it will most certainly keep the body of the device from taken up any significant damage or scratches. The cases range from $20 up till $100, there are a bunch of options to choose from that can actually revamp the entire look of the iPod. Pick the most suitable one which is a combination of looks and safety.

Apple’s Extended Warranty

Apple offer a pretty decent warranty if you purchase the iPod Touch from the Apple Store. If you are thinking of purchasing the device for your child, you most certainly need to consider the probability of the device being damaged or broken.

Apple offers something known as Apple Care which is an extended warranty that costs around $100 and extends a full technical support and repair coverage for two years. The basic warranty coverage is just for 90 days.

Purchasing the iPod Touch with extended support is not a requirement, but if your child breaks things very often then you should definitely consider investing in the warranty. It keeps you covered for a longer period of time without worrying about the authenticity of parts purchased from outside of an apple store.

What is the best iPod for kids?

One of the most popular electronic devices among children is the Apple iPod. Which leaves parents asking the popular question – What is the best iPod for kids?

Lets face it… kids today are better at operating electronic devices than some adults. Children are always adapting quickly to modern technology and new devices. So its natural for a parent to second guess themselves when buying electronics for children.



Currently you have three options when purchasing a kids iPod – the iPod touch, iPod nano or iPod shuffle. Lets review each and find the best iPod for kids.

iPod touch

ipods for kids

  • Most expensive
  • Largest Screen (4″)
  • Only iPod with Camera
  • Wireless/Bluetooth Capable
  • iOS Software

If you were to take the Apple iPhone and remove the phone capabilities you would in fact have an iPod touch. Though because it has wireless capability you can send iMessages and make calls via FaceTime as long as you have a wireless connection. The iPod touch is the flagship iPod, the top of the line, the best. If money is no issue this is the iPod for you.

It comes with the latest iOS software built-in just like the iPad or iPhone. So if your child is already familiar with those product they will have no issues. Additionally iOS allows you to download apps to your iPod, for children this means mostly games and educational apps. The iPod touch allows for parental controls so you can limit what your child has access to, a big plus for parents of younger children.

The iPod touch takes beautiful photos and video and is the only iPod to do so. The iPod touch price range is between $199-$399 depending on the amount of storage 16GB-128GB. Given that, the iPod touch is the best iPod for kids who are crazy about music, video, photos, games and apps but are not yet old enough to be given an iPhone.

iPod nano

best ipod for kids

  • Mid-Range Price
  • Smaller Screen (2.5″)
  • No Camera
  • Bluetooth Capable
  • Generic Built-in Software

The iPod nano closely resembles the iPod Classic (now discontinued) in that its main objective is to play music. Theres nothing too fancy about this iPod however it does have some unique features.

The bluetooth connection allows you to connect to other devices say your car radio or home entertainment system. So if your child is begging you to play their music in your car, the iPod nano has no problem allowing you both to sing along. Speaking of radio it comes with FM radio built in. It also comes with Nike+ support so you can get your child interested in fitness early and teach them to track their fitness goals.

Your child will be able to store images and watch videos but the iPod nano does not have a camera to take videos or photos. The main objective of the iPod nano is to allow kids to store and play music and even podcasts. If your child has no desire to play games and download apps but wants to be a DJ, then the iPod nano is for you. Reasonably priced at around $149 the iPod nano is the best iPod for kids who love music.

iPod shuffle

kids ipod

  • Lowest Price
  • Smallest iPod
  • No Screen
  • No Camera
  • No Wireless/Bluetooth
  • No Built-in Software

The main feature of the iPod shuffle is its size, about 1″ square. If your children are active and play sports the iPod shuffle includes a clip which will allow them to keep playing to their favorite songs. This is about as simple as a modern device can get.

The iPod shuffle plays music in two ways either by “shuffling” or playing yours in order, thats it. If you or your kids are good with iTunes you can sync playlists so that songs go in the order you prefer. Additionally, you can turn the volume up and down or move to the next/previous track that is about it.  It’s only standout feature is the VoiceOver button which lets you hear the names of the songs. At $49 the iPod shuffle is the best iPod for kids and parents on a budget.

Bottom Line

Simply put we recommend buying the iPod touch. The iPod touch has the most features and benefits and generally is the best iPod for kids. Additionally the iPod touch has the most accessories available. If you are on a budget and looking for a children’s iPod the nano and shuffle are great low cost options.

Thinking about an iPad or Tablet?  Check out our article about the best iPad or Tablet for kids here.

Apple iPod may be reaching end of product life cycle

Apple Inc. owes a large amount of their success to the top-selling iPod. Over recent years the sales of the iPod have been dwindling. This can be attributed to the increase in smartphone users, almost all of which rather use their phones for their music listening needs.

The iPod Nano has received no updates at all over the last three years and the Apple iPod touch has not had any major design changes either. Sales of the iPod have dropped so much that Apple Inc. refused to reveal their sales for the last quarter. Will Apple soon retire iPod altogether?

iPod Touch May Have Hope

Even those iPod fans do have some hope on the horizon in the form of possible RAM and chipset upgrades next year, the future is not bright for the Apple iPod. The iPod Nano is most likely a device to be retired, although the iPod touch still holds a chance of being upgraded.

There is a high possibility that the Apple Watch will replace the iPod as music listeners’ streaming device of choice. After all it does make more sense that the tech giant would put more resources into their newest, trending platform. With WatchOS 2.0 being released the Apple Watch is likely to be flooded with apps that will give it functionality far out-reaching the scope of an iPod.

No Place for Apple iPod

Any iPhone holds capabilities equal to, or greater than that of the current range of Apple iPod. In actual fact one can see further evidence of the decline of the iPod by Apple’s change to their website, whereby they replaced iPod’s category with Apple Music.

According to a report from BidnessETC, we could very soon be forced to say goodbye to our trusty iPods. With technology such as the iRing in the distant future, there is simply no place for a device designed to just play music from a limited, fixed amount of storage.