In this age of technology, the number of young children online is at an all-time high. And because there’s no shortage of information and rabbit holes on the internet, it makes sense that parents want to control how much time their kids stay online. So, when your helpful Kindle Fire FreeTime is not working, you want to fix it as soon as possible.
Setting up your Amazon Kids+ (formerly Kindle Fire FreeTime Unlimited) gives you peace of mind knowing where your child is spending time on the internet and for how long. But when it stops working, you don’t know where your child could wander.
Amazon Kids+ Features
FreeTime or Amazon Kids+ gives you the power to help your kids enjoy the online world safely. You set up a profile for your child where they can watch movies and shows, listen to music, play games, and read anything loaded onto the app.
The target age for the app is 3 to 12 years old, although parents can use it for kids of any age.
Since the upgrade from FreeTime to Kids+, Amazon added a few features for kids to enjoy. The changes include:
- A home screen update to mimick the look of a grown up’s tablet
- The ability to broadcast messages over your Echo device
- Additional music and video choice options
Besides the safety features in the Kids+ app, parents can also limit the amount of time their kids spend on their Fire tablet. Time restraints are a good feature for anyone who gets carried away and loses time online.
Possible Problems and Solutions
When your Kindle Fire FreeTime isn’t working, the first step in finding a solution is to look at the problem. Here are some possible problems you could encounter and how to begin to solve them.
Recommended Read: How to Install Google Play on Kindle Fire
Games Missing from FreeTime
Sometimes what you think is a problem with the FreeTime app is just a misunderstanding with the use. If you set up your child’s Kids+ app, but you can’t find all of their games, that’s an easy fix.
The reason you might not be able to find some of their games in Kids+ is that you have to install them into the app separately.
To install your child’s games into the app, you want to:
- Open the parent dashboard
- Choose Settings
- Tap “Add Content”
- Click on “Add Books, Videos, and Apps”
- Check any games you want to add to your child’s profile
- Choose “Done”
Once you complete the steps, check Amazon Kids+ to see if the apps are available.
Out of Space
Another issue you might run into doesn’t have anything to do with the app’s function. There might come a time where you can’t put anything more into Kids+ because you’ve run out of space in the app.
In this case, you have two options: insert an SD card for more memory or delete games and movies you no longer need.
If you choose the SD card route, you simply want to move games your child doesn’t play as often or movies they don’t watch to the SD card. Moving this data will free up space in your FreeTime app so that you can download more relevant activities for play.
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Screen Freezes
Sometimes your child will be on their Kindle Fire, and the Amazon Kids+ app will freeze the screen. In this case, the best thing to do is to reboot.
Do a hard reset by holding down the power button until the Kindle turns all the way off. Wait for a short time and then press the power button again to turn it back on.
Hard resets on your Kindle Fire, and computers in general, will usually fix the issue of a frozen screen.
Amazon Kids+ Crash
If your Amazon Kids+ app crashes or it won’t even load on your Kindle Fire, it might be a problem with your device.
The first thing you want to do is navigate to Settings and select Apps & Games. Next, choose Manage All Applications and scroll to the Amazon Kids+ app. Tap on the Force Stop button and clear the cache.
Once that’s complete, try to start the app on your Kindle Fire.
If the app still doesn’t work, you could uninstall Amazon Kids+ and reinstall it.
- Navigate to Settings
- Choose Apps & Games
- Manage All Applications
- Select Amazon Kids+
- Uninstall
- Press the power button for 40 seconds
Once your Amazon Fire reboots, reinstall Amazon Kids+ and see if that solves the issue.
Kindle Fire for Kids Shuts Down
This next issue has more to do with your kid’s Kindle Fire than the Amazon Kids+ app itself. That said, it’s still worth mentioning because if you can’t use your tablet, you can’t use the apps within it.
So, if your kid’s Kindle Fire keeps shutting down, preventing your child from using it, try these steps.
- Look at the battery level to see if it needs charging
- If the Kindle Fire is hot to the touch, let it cool down
- Reboot the device by holding the power button for 40 seconds
If you complete this list and still have problems with your Kindle shutting down, try changing your timeout screen. To do that, navigate to Settings and select Display. Find Screen Timeout and change the time to never.
Recommended Read: Tablets for Kids
When All Else Fails
When your apps aren’t working, and your Kindle is shutting down, one option is to restore factory defaults. You only want to do this after you try everything else because, just like it sounds, it will revert the tablet to its original settings.
Before restoring to factory defaults, back up your tablet using an SD card. You could also use a cord to connect the device to a computer and download the contents there.
After you back up your data, here is how to reset to the factory default.
- Navigate to Settings
- Choose Device
- Click on Reset to Factory Default
- Confirm
After that, reinstall your applications, move your data back over and see if everything works.
When You Need to Replace Your Kindle Fire
As is true with all technology, sometimes you can’t fix your device. Despite your efforts, you might not be able to fix your app or tablet, and it could be time for a new one.
If you need to get a new tablet, think about how your child uses it. Do they mostly read, or do they do more gaming than reading?
Consider their needs before purchasing another tablet, keeping in mind the safeguards in place with the Amazon Kids+ app. You might find that you want another Amazon Fire for your child, or you might find something else with protections that work just as well or better.
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What to Do When Your Kindle Fire FreeTime is not Working
When your Kindle Fire FreeTime is not working (Kids+), you have a few options to resolve the issue. If you try to solve the problem and still can’t, the next step is to contact Amazon for help.
That said, having problems with your Kindle Fire itself might mean it’s time for a new tablet. Whether you choose to get a new Amazon Fire tablet or decide on a different tablet, you want to monitor your kids online.
Amazon Kids+ or a similar app can give your kids the freedom to explore online while giving you the comfort of knowing they’re safe.
Last update on 2023-12-30 at 01:31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
