Google announced on Wednesday that children using Android phones can now use Google Wallet to tap and pay in stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain and Poland. Parents and guardians in these countries can now allow their children to use Android devices to make digital payments under supervision.
Kids can also use Google Wallet to access supported passes like event tickets, library cards, and gift cards.
Google notes that payment cards can only be added with parental consent, and parents will receive an email every time their child makes a transaction. In addition, parents can use Google's parental control app Family Link to track their children's recent purchases, delete payment cards and turn off pass access.
It is worth noting that children will not be able to use Google Wallet to pay online shopping bills.
To get started, kids and parents need to navigate to the Wallet app on their child's Android phone and tap "Add to Wallet" in the lower left corner of the screen. Then, they need to select the "Payment Card" option and click on "New Credit or Debit Card."
The app will then prompt the parent to log in to their Google account and confirm they are the parent. They can then add a credit or debit card. Once added, your child can start using the Wallet app to make in-store purchases.
Google announced last month that the feature would be available this spring, so the rollout doesn't come as a surprise. When asked if it planned to expand the feature to more regions, Google was noncommittal.
With today's announcement, Google is playing catch-up with Apple, which already allows children to use Apple Pay for in-store purchases through its Apple Cash Family service.