An App in Its Own Right

As Facebook is taking over the world, it has decided to let kids join in the fun by introducing Messenger Kids. Like Facebook Messenger itself, parents download this application into their child’s phone or tablet.

Thereafter, they go on to create the child’s profile and then approve of the family or friends that can communicate with the child. But, Messenger Kids only favors children who are thirteen years of age and below.

Needless to say, ‘tweens’ do not need a Facebook account, thus a messenger account makes for easy and convenient communication.

The Great Features

Apart from the common chat features like reality masks and emoticons, Messenger Kids also has a plethora of other great features that include:

• Safety filters - As this application creates a safe chat environment for kids, it comes with safety filters that flag inappropriate content like nudity or violence. Parents are also notified whenever their child blocks or unblocks a contact.
• Kid-friendly filters - Messenger Kids comes with kid-friendly filters like drawing tool kits that enable kids to express themselves in creative ways
• Set controls - Parents can set the controls that they are most comfortable with. They can also manage their kids’ contacts, view the photos and videos through the parent dashboard. 
• An education section - When kids visit this section of the application they gain valuable information that enables them to navigate the application.  For instance, they find out why they use their names and why parental control is important. 

How It Works

After a child’s profile is set up on Messenger Kids, parents can approve or create a contact list for them. This may be inclusive of friends and family at large. After this process, a home-screen appears, showcasing the approved contacts on one side of the screen.

Here, the kid can dive into video chats or send messages to their approved contacts. The application records details such as the last login time as well as the last sent messages.

If the parent is not comfortable with a particular contact, then they can be able to block or unblock them from their child’s approved contact list.

For laptop and desktop users, here's an article tutorial on how you can download and install Messenger Kids on PC - Windows or Mac.

The Concerns

Messenger Kids comes with parental controls that enable parents to track their kids and everything that they are doing.

But one downside is that the application does not allow parents to spy on the chats. Thus, the only way to find out what your child is saying is to look at their screen.

The Bottom Line

This version of Facebook is best-suited for parents who want to allow their children to have online experiences but still guide them through it.

As social media remains a relevant part of our lives, Messenger Kids shows children exactly what they should look forward to in this modern world.

Even so, parents who feel like their kids are too young to explore do not need the application. It is up to you to determine whether the application is the right fit for your child.

I was also just as intrigued when my husband Paul told me he last went to the dentist in 2017 albeit the good experience that he had. That goes to show that dentistry in metropolitan areas is still wanting.