How can I create a Gmail account for my child and what are the alternatives?
So the time has come and your child is asking for their own email address. Consider your options and choose wisely. Gmail might seem like the easiest choice if you’re already a user. But, if you’re a Millennial like me, you can also try to break the cycle and give your offspring a new, more private start to their email communication.
IIn this guide, I’ll provide both options with (almost) no judgment. Read on to find out:
- What other kids’ mailboxes could you choose instead?
- How to set up a Gmail mailbox for your child.
- What are the pros and cons of Gmail for kids?
Step-by-step guide on setting up a Gmail account for your child
It all starts with creating a Google account for your child, which, according to Google, takes about 15 min, provided you, as a parent, already have one. Once created, your child will have access to the following products: Search, Chrome, and Gmail. And Google will have access to your child’s personal information and browsing history.
If your child is under 13, you’ll have to create an account for them. In the US, UK, and Australia, you can open and manage a Google account at age 13. If you live in Europe, the age requirement varies but is generally higher (between 14 and 16 years). Follow this link to check the age requirement in your country.
If you want to open a Google account for your child, the best place to start is the Google Family Link app. Here are the steps:
- Go to the Family Link app.
- Click “sign in” in the top-right corner.
- Answer “Does your child have a Google Account?” with “no.”
- You’ll be taken to the Google account creation module.
- Enter your child’s name and last name (note that the last name is optional).
- Enter your child’s date of birth and gender (you can select “rather not say”).
- Choose a sign-in address from the ones suggested, or create a new one.
- Create a strong password.
- Read Google’s welcome message to you as a parent.
- Scroll to the bottom of the message, to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service (you’ll need to check two boxes).
- Click “I agree.”
- You’ll be asked to sign in to your own Google account to confirm the creation of a new account and that you agree to the Parental Consent statement.
- Once logged in, you’ll be asked to verify your identity with an SMS or using a credit card.
- You’ll then see a screen with information on helping your child manage their account.
We’re almost there. You’ll now have to decide on some account settings. We recommend that you continue with the following steps together with your child.
- Once your identity has been confirmed, you’ll see a screen informing you about various account settings and your role as an account supervisor. Read the information and click “next.”
- You can then choose between express and manual personalization.
- Now to the important part—Google will ask you about data collection. We recommend you select “reject all” at the bottom of the screen.
- Next, Google will ask you about data sharing between its various services. Again, we recommend selecting “don’t link these services” for maximum privacy.
- Finally, confirm your child’s settings and cookies by clicking “confirm.”
- Read the privacy policy and click “I agree.”
Wait a couple of seconds for the account to be created. You’ll now be taken to your child’s dashboard. From here, you can adjust content restrictions and add devices to track your child’s screen time, location, and which apps they use.
You can now open Gmail and log in for the first time together with your child. I recommend doing this together as there will be a couple of extra questions at the start (additional log-in verification settings and a question about Gmail smart features).
What are the pros and cons of Gmail for children?
Opening a Gmail mailbox for your child is a no-brainer, especially if you already have one yourself (the majority of us do). However, Google doesn’t have a good record regarding its data collection and retention practices. It can access Gmail user’s email content, attachments, contacts, and usage patterns.
If you’re hesitating, here’s a list of pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly interface that’s easy for kids to navigate | Extensive data collection (email contents, attachments, contacts, and usage patterns) |
| It’s free (Google covers its costs by monetizing your child’s data)” | Complex privacy policies that take a very long time to read |
| Parental controls with the Family Link app | Targeted advertising (Google has a history of using email contents for targeted advertising). |
| Large storage capacity | Data retention (long term storage of information) |
| Integration with Google Docs and Sheets, which is convenient for schoolwork | Integration with other services. Data from these services can be combined with Gmail data to create a user profile and, for example, locate your child |
Gmail alternatives for kids
Let’s start by admitting—there aren’t many. As a privacy-conscious person and someone who works in the cybersecurity sector, I wanted to offer my child a safe and good-looking mailbox. My first approach was to compare the privacy policies of some of the email products created with kids (and their parents) in mind.
I looked at Kidsmail.org, Zillamail, and Tocomail, and here’s what I found.
ZillaMail or ZillaDog
I’m starting with this one because it was easy to decide against it almost immediately. I hope that the image below conveys my dread. I find the interface of this mailbox particularly off-putting. No amount of privacy or security features could convince me to use it.
ZillaMail offers a free version (limited to just three contacts) and paid options at $14.95 per year or $1.99/month for one child. The free version includes spam and profanity filters, “fun themes,”and parental controls. You can check out their demo version (go to “ZillaMail Login” to access it). Inside, you’ll find the same Windows 95-inspired interface, the style of which makes me think of music created for small children (synthetic sounds and screechy voices).
ZillaMail’s privacy policy is very long. It starts by saying that you can create a free account without providing any personal information. However, if you decide to buy ZillaMail Premium, the following information will be collected: name, email address, postal address, shipping address, and billing address. This information may be shared with the company’s business partners and occasionally with “other companies offering relevant products or services” (opt-out options will be provided).
There’s a link to games on the ZillaMail homepage. I’m strict about screen time, so I’m not too fond of my kids being invited to play games when checking their mailboxes. The games are free, so if it weren’t for my ad blocker, I would probably see ads around them, and who knows what kinds of ads. I will try my luck with another email provider on the list.
KidsEmail
KidsEmail offers a free trial (no credit card required) but no free version. After 30 days, you will be charged $4.95 monthly or $38.95 for the annual subscription.
KidsEmail offers parental controls, including:
- time restrictions
- spam and ads filtering
- management of incoming mail and contacts (parents can block emails before they reach the inbox)
- and folders, so that your child can organize their mailbox.
Although the homepage looks promising, the actual interface is a bit disappointing. For kids, it’s a very basic text editor (a white window), which is not necessarily a bad thing. At least there are no fun themes this time. Below is the parent’s view.
Privacy-wise, KidsEmail collects personal data, including email addresses, names, phone numbers, addresses, cookies, and usage data, to provide and improve its service. The data is retained as long as necessary to fulfill the collection purposes and comply with legal obligations. While the company doesn’t share data with third parties (other than analytic and payment providers), your personal information will be processed in the US. Given the relatively weak data-protection legislation in the US, this is not necessarily reassuring.
Tocomail
The best-looking so far, Tocomail greets me with the promise of a better interface. At least it’s clear that they have a marketing team. That’s why the free trial only lasts one week (credit card required). After that, Tocomail will charge you $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.
Tocomail includes a range of features:
- Kids can add contacts, which are added to the Monitored list for parental approval.
- Emails and instant messages from anyone not on the “safe list” are kept in a Quarantine box.
- Parents can receive copies of quarantined emails in their regular email accounts.
- Parents can approve or reject emails directly from notification emails.
- A profanity filter ensures that emails containing inappropriate language are quarantined.
- A chat option (family chats and chats with other Tocomail users).
The interface is very colorful and simplified (no fonts or sizes). You just write your message in the text box. The buttons are big, and the colors contrasted, so it looks really easy to navigate.
Tocomail’s privacy policy is user-friendly. Tocomail doesn’t share personally identifiable information with third parties, except in specific cases such as business transfers or legal obligations. It collects contact information, usernames, passwords,avatar pictures, communication preferences, and correspondence with its support team.
Tocomail is hands down the best option out of the three covered in this article, and I don’t mind the monthly $3 fee. My son loves it, too, so we jointly decided to go for this one.
To Google or not to Google?
Sooner or later, your kids will become computer literate and will want to connect with their friends online. For me, this happened after my kids changed schools. Undeniably, social media should be held off for later. Numerous studies have already shown that social media tends to increase anxiety and depression in children and teens. A mailbox is a much safer environment that you can easily control. Choosing one that safeguards your children’s privacy will protect them from cyberattacks, unsolicited ads, and inappropriate content. It’ll also shield them from prematurely becoming part of the ad machine that the internet has become.
FAQ
Can I set up a Gmail account for my child?
Yes, you can set up a Gmail account for your child using Google Family Link if they’re under the minimum age requirement in your country. To do that, go to Google’s Family Link app and click “sign in.”
What is the youngest age to get a Gmail account?
The age requirements in your country determine the youngest age to get a Gmail account. Generally, a parent can create and manage the account using Google Family Link if the child is under the minimum age (13 in many countries).
How do I separate my parents’ and children’s Gmail accounts?
You can do this with Google’s Family Link app. The app allows you to separate your account from that of your children. This is also where you can manage children’s accounts using filters and family control settings.
How to set a child’s Gmail account to “normal?”
You can only do this once your child reaches the minimum age requirement in your country. Parents can do this on the Family Link app. Go to “manage settings,” then “account info” and “stop supervision.” The child has to be logged in to their account at the same time.
