Can someone please explain Kindle Fire/Amazon Kids

[bumblebee1401]

I feel very out of touch with my kids' tablets and I was wondering if someone could explain in a simple way how they work. They seem to download apps etc and I've no idea what they are actually doing on there day to day! I feel like a bad parent.

They both have Fire HD tablets. I've set screen time restrictions to an hour a day during the week and 2 hours at weekends.

There is the main tablet screen that you see when you switch it on but they seem to access Amazon Kids for the most part. How is Amazon Kids different from the main tablet screen? Can they download apps on Amazon Kids whenever they like? It seems as though I get a notification via email when they try and download an app you have to pay for - are they doing this through Amazon Kids?

My eldest seems to think that the screen time restriction only applies to Amazon Kids and not to the main tablet? Is this right?

I guess I'm just confused between the two different home screens - the main tablet screen and the Amazon Kids one.

I'm so out of touch.

The main screen is the profile for the adult and requires a password to access, which you can set. Most apps need to be downloaded through the main adult profile and then if you are happy for your child to have access to that app (eg Netflix) then you have to assign it to them under the adult profile settings.

The Amazon Kids one I believe carries a free subscription to extended Kids services for the first year but then charges after that. In my experience, the kids can only download free kids games or apps without any adult help.

Thank you.

I'm not sure about the app thing, DD seems to be able to access apps without me physically downloading them first? She was playing a Barbie game earlier. I think she's doing this through Amazon Kids.

They appear on their home screen as suggested games and apps and all they have to do is click on them. They are Amazon Kids app so it will be age appropriate.
Anything that typically needs downloading from the Play Store they definitely can't do