What we ask about your child

A nickname, a grade, an optional birth year and a picture. We never ask for a last name, photo, school or address.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 1 min read · For families

When you add a child, we ask for four things. We keep it small on purpose.

What you enter

Field	Required	Notes
Nickname	Yes	"What do you call them?" 1 to 20 letters.
Grade	Yes	Pre-K, K, or 1 to 8.
Birth year	No	A year only.
Picture	Yes	One of 12 animals: fox, bear, owl, cat, frog, rabbit, panda, lion, penguin, dog, turtle or whale.

The form says it plainly: "No last name, photo, school or address, ever."

What we never ask for

A last name
A photo
A school
An address
A phone number
A precise location
Contacts
Advertising ids

Why a nickname

A nickname is enough for your child to find their name on Who is reading? Names shown in stories are added on the device and are not sent to AI companies. This is your choice on the consent page. See Consent choices explained.

What comes later

When your child signs in, we save their reading activity and, if you turn voice on, recordings. See What we collect.

Common questions

How many children can I add?

Up to 6 per family.

Can I edit or delete a child?

Not in the app yet. Email privacy@taletykes.com from the account's address and we will do it.

Do I have to give a birth year?

No. It is optional.

Is the picture my child's photo?

No. It is one of the 12 animals.

Related: Add a child. Questions? Contact us.

Add a childWhat we ask when you add a child, why we ask for so little, and how grade picks the reading band.Bands and gradesA child's grade sets their band: Sprout, Sapling, Grove or Summit. The band changes tap size, text size and sign-in options.What we collect about your childThe few things TaleTykes stores about a child, what we never ask for, and where each piece comes from.My child is locked outAfter 5 wrong tries in a row, a child is locked for 15 minutes. Wait it out, or reset how they sign in from the family page.

Still stuck?

Write to us with what you were trying to do and what you saw on screen.