📖 How to Use SwitchTube:

A Guide for Parents

1️⃣ Introduction: What is SwitchTube?

SwitchTube is a smart video-switching app designed to help parents balance entertainment and education for their toddlers and young children. Instead of endless entertainment loops, the app automatically alternates between fun video (e.g., Baby Shark) and educational video (e.g., a video showing toddlers feeding themselves) at set intervals.

✅ How It Helps Parents:

Encourages learning without resistance by naturally integrating educational content.
Prevents screen-time meltdowns by making structured watching fun and engaging.
Promotes independent eating by setting natural pauses for kids to take bites between their favorite videos.
Gives parents control over what their child watches while allowing flexibility.
Works with iPad's Guided Access to prevent kids from exiting the app.

2️⃣ Switch Modes & Lock System

Two Modes of Auto-Switching:

1) ✅ Switch Mode Without Lock

Parents can freely adjust the settings.
Kids will still experience an automatic switch between entertainment and education.
During the educational video block, the child will not be able to tap or scroll away from it.
Best for: Parents who want a structured balance but still retain full control.

2) 🔒 Switch Mode With Lock

The lock prevents kids from bypassing educational videos or skipping back to their favorite videos.
In both the primary and educational video blocks, the settings will be locked once you click start, meaning the child cannot exit or modify the sequence. During the educational video block, the child will not be able to tap or scroll away from it.
Best for: Toddlers and kids who try to avoid educational content.

🔐 Built-in Lock System (For Both Modes)

Regardless of which mode is selected, there is an additional built-in lock that prevents toddlers from tapping or scrolling the educational video. Parents can unlock this restriction in two ways:

1️⃣ Enter the password (default: 1234). You can set or change this password in the settings section of the app.

2️⃣ Click the reload button to reset everything.

🔎 Why So Many Locks?

Prevents kids from skipping learning content.
Ensures they remain engaged in the educational session.
Stops unintended interruptions during structured video switching.
Allows parents to maintain control over what their child watches.

3️⃣ Button Guide: What Each Button Does

🎥 Video Selection & Playback

Reload Button: Click the SwitchTube logo to reset the app
Search Bar: Allows parents to find YouTube videos for their child.
Video Thumbnails: Tap to select a new video.
Pause Overlay: Appears when a video is paused. Parents can tap to resume.
Educational Video URL Input: Parents can paste the link of an educational video.
Clear & Paste Button: Clears the input and pastes a new YouTube link from the clipboard.

⏳ Auto-Switch Controls

Start Auto-Switch (Without Lock): Enables automatic video switching without setting a lock.
Start Auto-Switch (With Lock): Enables automatic switching and locks settings.
Stop Everything: Stops all switching and resets to the default state.

🔒 Lock & Unlock Controls

Set Password: Allows parents to change the unlock password.
Unlock Button: Enter the password to unlock the settings or educational video.
Reload Button: Resets everything, including the lock.

🌟 Additional Features

Dark Mode Toggle: Switches between light and dark themes.
Google Login: Allows login for additional customization.
Add to Home Screen: Enables installation for quick access.

💡 Final Tips for Parents

1️⃣ Use Guided Access (iPads) & Screen Pinning (Samsung Tablets) – If your child is tech-savvy and tries to exit the app, enable Guided Access Mode on iPads or Screen Pinning on Samsung tablets to lock them inside SwitchTube.
- For iPads: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access. Turn it on, set a passcode, then triple-click the home button (or side button on newer models) when the app is open to enable Guided Access.
- For Samsung Tablets: Go to Settings > Biometrics and Security > Other Security Settings > Pin Windows. Turn it on, then open the app, tap the Recent Apps button, and select Pin this App to lock it in place.
2️⃣ Customize Educational Videos – Choose engaging, age-appropriate educational content to keep learning fun.
3️⃣ Adjust Switch Times – Test different durations to find what works best for your child’s attention span.
4️⃣ Monitor Usage – Stay involved in your child’s screen time by setting healthy limits.

With SwitchTube, you can turn screen time into a learning opportunity while making parenting easier! 🎉