Add a child on your device
For kids who share your phone instead of having their own. You add them on this device, switch into their profile when it's their turn, and switch back to approve their work.
Two ways to add a child
Tidywell has always supported kids who have their own device — they get an invite link, sign in, and use the app on their own phone. But plenty of households have kids who don't have a phone, and the parent wants the kid to feel ownership over their own chores. That's what a child profile on your device is for.
They share your phone
Add them as a child profile on this device. You switch into their profile when it's their turn. No account, no extra phone, no invite link.
They have their own phone
Send them an invite link with the "Child" role from the Invite Someone screen. They sign in on their own device and use Tidywell themselves.
Children count toward your household member total
Adding a child takes 30 seconds
Two places to start: Profile → Account → Children & helpers, or Profile → Household members → Invite → "Add on this device". Both open the same Add Child screen.
Open Add Child
From Account, scroll to "Children & helpers" and tap "+ Add a child". From Invite, switch the role chip to Child and pick "Add on this device".
Name them
Type their name (or nickname — whatever they'll recognise). No email, no password — they don't have an account of their own.
Choose whether you approve their work
Toggle "Parent approves completions" on if you want their finished chores to wait for your sign-off before coins land. Off means coins arrive the moment they tick. You can change this later from their detail screen.
Switch into their profile, do chores as them, switch back
Once a child is added, a Switch chip appears on your Profile tab. Tap it to open a sheet with everyone you can act as — you, your children, and (for context) any other adults in the household.
Tap the Switch chip
On the Profile tab next to your name. A sheet slides up showing who you can switch to.
Kid view engages
Pick a child and the app flips into Kids Mode — simpler nav, brighter colours, only their assigned chores.
Switch back any time
The Profile chip turns sage with "Switch back" text. Tap it and you're you again.
You can only act as your own children
Assign chores, they tick, you approve
Chores are assigned to a child like to any other household member, from a task's reassign menu or from the new Bulk assign mode on the room detail screen.
Assign one or many at once
Pick a single task and reassign, or open a room and tap "Bulk assign" to select multiple at once and assign them in one go.
They tick, the envelope appears
When you switch into their profile and tick a chore, a calm "sent for approval" celebration plays. The chore disappears from their list and shows in a waiting envelope on Today.
"Make this show on Today" prompt
What kids can do
- See and tick off chores you've assigned to them
- Use the Spin-for-a-task wheel (scoped to their list)
- Earn coins for completed chores
- Spend coins decorating their virtual room
What kids can't do
- Approve or reject completions (only adults can)
- Invite other people to the household
- Change household settings or daily budgets
- Add, rename, or delete rooms
Rename, change approval, or remove
Tap a child's row in Account → Children & helpers to open their detail screen.
Rename anytime
Edit the name in place. Other devices in the household see the new name within seconds.
Toggle approval on or off
Switch the "Parent approves completions" toggle. Takes effect on the next chore they tick — pending completions already in your inbox stay pending.
Remove them
Two-step confirm. Their profile is removed from the household and any device acting as them snaps back to you automatically.
History is preserved
Common questions
Do children count toward the 2-member free cap?
Yes. On the free plan a child profile takes one of your two slots. Premium removes the cap entirely.
Can I add multiple children?
Yes — there's no limit per parent. Each one shows in the switcher with their own chore count for the day.
What if they get their own phone later?
You'd remove their on-device profile and send them an invite link instead. Their completion history stays in the household either way.
Can the child use the app without me switching?
Not without you switching first. The child profile lives on YOUR device — you're the gate. If they want independent access they'd need their own phone and an invite link.
If I rename or remove a child, do I lose their completed chores?
No. Completion records, coins, and activity-feed entries are kept. They stay in your household's history; only the profile association is touched.
What if I forget I'm switched into them?
The Profile chip stays sage-tinted with "Switch back" while you're acting as them, and a one-time toast reminds you where to switch back. Approve / reject buttons in the inbox are also hidden while acting as a child.