Google Wallet will be finally available to kids soon

Kids will no longer leave the house with empty wallets. Google Wallet now allows youngsters to use Tap to Pay on their Android phones with parental consent.

The business revealed the upgrade in a blog post on Wednesday, stating that children would be able to download Google Wallet to their phones while parents will be able to limit their children's access to the payment app and Tap to Pay via Family Link. The kid-friendly Tap to Pay feature, like Apple Pay, requires kids to obtain their parents' agreement in person before adding debit and/or credit cards to their Google Wallet. They can use Tap to Pay in stores, but they will not be able to use Google Pay for online purchases until they are old enough to handle their Google Account independently.

Meanwhile, parents will receive emails whenever their child makes a purchase through Tap to Pay. They will also be able to track recent purchases, deactivate payment cards, and disable access to Google Wallet via Family Link if needed.

Google Wallet will also allow children to add additional cards and event passes. These include library cards, gift cards, and even concert tickets.

Google has enabled Tap to Pay functionality for kids using Android phones, seven months after offering the same capability to the Fitbit Ace LTE, the only Fitbit watch developed particularly for young children. That function allowed children who did not have a phone, let alone an Android phone, to purchase items on their own using debit cards provided by Greenlight and GoHenry while parents supervised them and taught them the value of money. Google Wallet for Android intends to provide the similar experience to older children who already own a phone.

The tap-to-pay option for kids in Google Wallet will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland, and Spain over the next few weeks.