Do I need to create an account to download an app?

You need an Apple ID (for an iPhone or iPad) or a Google account (for an Android device) to download anything from the app store, even a free app. If the device already belongs to you, it likely already has one set up — if you're not sure, the app store will tell you when you try to download something.

How do I make sure my grandchild doesn't accidentally spend money?

The safest approach is to turn off in-app purchases entirely in the device's settings before handing it over, rather than relying on remembering to say no in the moment. See our guide on stopping accidental in-app purchases for the exact steps — it takes about ten minutes to set up once.

What if there's no Wi-Fi where my grandchild will be using it, like in the car?

Choose an app that specifically says it works offline — many coloring apps do, since the artwork is stored on the device rather than loaded from the internet each time. Downloading the app itself does require an internet connection once, but after that it can work without one.

A Grandparent's Guide to Setting Up a Coloring App

If you’ve ever stared at an “Allow” or “Don’t Allow” prompt with no idea what it’s actually asking, or lost ten minutes trying to remember an Apple ID password, this guide is for you. Setting up a coloring app for a grandchild isn’t complicated once you know the handful of steps involved — the confusion usually comes from app stores, passwords and Wi-Fi assuming you already know things nobody ever explained clearly.

Before You Start

You’ll need three things handy: the device itself (charged), your Wi-Fi network name and password, and the account you use to download apps — an Apple ID if it’s an iPhone or iPad, or a Google account if it’s an Android tablet. If you’re not sure whether one is already set up on the device, don’t worry — the device will ask you to sign in or create one the first time you try to download anything, and it will walk you through it.

Step 1: Connect to Wi-Fi

Open Settings on the device, then look for Wi-Fi (it usually has a small fan-shaped icon). Tap it, find your home network in the list, tap it, and type in your Wi-Fi password when asked. You only need to do this once — the device will remember it and reconnect automatically after that.

Look for the App Store icon (a blue circle with a white “A” and pencil, on Apple devices) or Google Play Store (a colorful triangle, on Android devices). Tap it, then tap the search icon (usually a magnifying glass) and type the name of the coloring app you want. Tap Get or Install next to it, and it will download on its own — you don’t need to do anything else while it’s downloading.

Step 3: A Few Settings Worth Checking Before You Hand It Over

This is the step that’s easy to skip and the one that matters most:

Turn off in-app purchases. Many free apps have a way to buy extra content from inside the app, and a young child tapping around can trigger a real charge without meaning to. Turning this off in the device’s settings — not just trusting yourself to watch closely — is the more reliable fix. Our guide to stopping accidental in-app purchases walks through the exact steps for both Apple and Android devices, and it only needs to be done once.
Check that the app doesn’t need Wi-Fi to actually run, if your grandchild will be using it somewhere without a connection — in the car, at a restaurant, or during a visit where you don’t want to share your home Wi-Fi password. The app store listing usually mentions this, or you can just open the app once at home and then turn Wi-Fi off to see if it still works.
Consider Guided Access (iPhone/iPad) or a similar “stay in one app” setting (Android), which locks the device to just the one app so a young child can’t accidentally back out into your email, photos, or other apps. On an iPhone or iPad, this is under Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access.

What Actually Makes a Good Coloring App for a Grandchild

Beyond just “does it work,” a few things matter more for this specific situation:

No ads. An app that shows ads mid-session can be genuinely startling for a young child, and also for whoever’s watching them use it.
Works offline. If your grandchild visits without you being able to easily set up Wi-Fi for them, an app that works without a connection avoids that problem entirely.
Simple to navigate without reading. A grandchild who’s still learning to read should be able to pick a page and start coloring without needing help finding it every time.

Our best coloring apps for kids roundup and our best offline coloring apps picks are both built around these same priorities, if you’d rather start from a list we’ve already tested than search on your own.

Our Take

None of this is complicated once someone walks you through it once — the goal of a coloring app for a grandchild is usually simple: a little quiet, happy time together or during a visit, not another piece of technology to manage. Getting the setup right the first time — Wi-Fi connected, purchases turned off, an app that works offline if you need it to — means you can hand the device over and not think about it again.

Sources: Exploring Grandparent Apps (Tech-enhanced Life), Grandparents, screens, and safety (AFA)