How to stop a child from making purchases in kids' games on iPhone and iPad

To stop a child from making purchases in games on an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases, set In-app Purchases to Don't Allow, and protect it with a Screen Time passcode. If your child has their own Apple Account in Family Sharing, also turn on Ask to Buy so every purchase request comes to you. These two settings work in every app, whatever the game's own design.

Why this matters in kids' games

Many games for young children are free to download and sell content inside: new locations, characters, packs or subscriptions. Young children often cannot tell what is free and what is paid. Bitdefender makes this point about Toca Boca World in its parent guide, and Screenwise warns about in-app purchases for new locations in its preschool app guide. A device setting is the safety net that works no matter how a game shows its paid items.

Step 1: Block in-app purchases on a shared device

Use this if your child plays on your iPhone or iPad, or on a device signed in to your Apple Account.

Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Turn it on if it is off.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
Tap In-app Purchases and choose Don't Allow.
Back in Screen Time, set a Screen Time passcode your child does not know.

Apple's guide: Use Screen Time to turn off in-app purchases on your iPhone or iPad. When you want to buy something yourself, switch the setting back temporarily.

Step 2: Use Ask to Buy for a child's own account

If your child has their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing group:

On your device, open Settings > Family and tap your child's name.
Tap Apps & Websites (enter your Screen Time passcode if asked), then Restrictions, then Ask to Buy.
Turn on Require Purchase Approval.

When your child tries to buy or download something, you get a request to approve or decline. Apple says redownloads and updates do not create requests, and that availability and defaults depend on your region. Details: Ask to Buy and Set up parental controls.

Step 3: Check the game's own parent controls

Device settings are the backstop. Inside the game, look for:

A parental gate before any purchase screen or outside link
Paid items clearly marked, not mixed in with free ones
A parent area that is separate from the child's play space

Play the game for five minutes the way your child would, tapping every locked item, and see what happens.

Step 4: Know what you are already paying for

Open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, and review what renews. Kids' subscriptions are easy to forget, especially after a free trial. Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription.

Step 5: Talk about it, in simple words

Even young children can learn a rule like "the lock means ask a grown-up". It will not replace the settings, but it reduces frustration when a locked item does not open.

Where Pofino fits

Pofino is a cozy 3D play world for toddlers and preschoolers: children adopt a bunny, kitten, puppy, bear, fox or panda, cook smoothies, cookies, pasta, ice cream and soup, and dress up their own character.

What matters for purchases:

It has no account registration and does not ask children for an email address, phone number, photo or location.
It contains no advertising, no analytics SDK and no tracking.
Apple processes subscriptions and one-time purchases; purchased-content status is kept on the device.
Parents can set play-time limits in the app settings.

Pofino does sell content. Pofino Family is $4.99 monthly or $29.99 yearly, and extra worlds such as Star Palace, Fairytale Wings, Little Explorers and Space Friends are $2.99 each (US App Store, Nov 2026). Keep Screen Time or Ask to Buy on with Pofino too. It is new, iPhone and iPad only, and English only.

For other pretend-play options, see Toca Boca World alternatives and Best pretend play games for preschoolers.

Checklist

In-app Purchases set to Don't Allow on shared devices
Screen Time passcode your child does not know
Ask to Buy on for your child's own account
Subscriptions list reviewed
Games with a parental gate before purchases