Sign in, sign out, settle in
Every morning, parents sign their children in at the door, often with a toddler on one hip and a bag on the other. The tablet they use needs to be quick, secure and well out of reach of little hands.
We supply the hardware your attendance, sign-in and learning apps run on: wall mounts, counter stands and child-friendly protective cases. It works with whichever early learning software your centre already uses.
Built for Busy Centres
What early learning centres need
An early learning centre is a busy place for a tablet. It's used by dozens of parents at drop-off and pick-up and sits in a building full of curious toddlers.
Four things come up in almost every centre: reliability at drop-off, because a flat or frozen sign-in tablet creates a queue at the door. The right height, so parents can reach it but children can't. Easy cleaning, because every surface gets wiped down. And privacy, so the tablet only shows your sign-in app, not children's records.
Accurate sign-in matters too. The Ministry of Education requires an attendance record for every child, and electronic systems must record who signed each child in or out, and when (Ministry of Education).
What a tablet holder does in an early learning centre
A good tablet holder does three jobs in a centre: it protects the tablet, controls what people can access, and puts the screen where parents and teachers will actually use it. Get all three right and sign-in just works. Miss one and it becomes another job for your team.
Built for Everyday Impact
Protection
A housing absorbs the knocks, drops and spills that damage unprotected tablets in a centre full of little ones.
Most damage isn't dramatic. It's a drink bottle tipped over the counter, a toddler pulling on a cable, or a teacher's tablet slipping off a lap during mat time. A rigid housing takes those hits instead of the tablet's glass.
For tablets that move around the centre, an EVA Shockproof Case adds soft foam protection and a handle, so teachers can carry it while capturing learning stories, and children can use it safely during learning time.
Control What Users Can Access
Restriction
A good enclosure physically blocks the ports, the power button and often the Home button, so nobody can exit your sign-in app, reset the device or unplug it. That includes curious children.
It works alongside software lockdown, not instead of it. The enclosure controls what people can physically touch. Software such as Guided Access or Single App Mode controls what they can do on screen. A locked-down tablet in an open stand can still be carried off, and a sealed enclosure can't stop someone browsing away from your attendance app.
How much restriction you need depends on who uses it. A teacher's tablet in the staffroom may only need a protective case. A parent sign-in tablet at the entrance should have its buttons and ports covered, plus a keyed or tool-locked enclosure, because it holds information about every child in the centre.
Positioned to Perform
Presentation and positioning
A sign-in tablet propped on a cluttered counter looks temporary, and parents in a hurry walk past it. A flush-mounted holder at the entrance looks like part of the centre, and families quickly get into the habit of using it.
Mount it at adult height, out of reach of children, and check it works for parents in wheelchairs or with prams. A slim wall mount by the door keeps the entrance clear and frees up the reception counter.
In the office, a Bouncepad Core Counter Twist rotates to face parents and visitors when they sign in. Plan the cable path at the same time, so there's nothing for little hands to pull.
Planning & Considerations
Choosing the right size
Choosing the right size
Enclosures and cases are cut for a specific tablet model, not a screen size.
Two iPads with the same screen size can have different cameras, buttons and thickness, so always order against the exact model. Use our iPad model checker to find yours, or on Android go to Settings, About tablet.
Plan for the device you'll still be able to buy. If your organisation runs several centres, choose a model early in its life, so new centres match the first. Ask us which models we expect to stock long term.
If your tablet isn't listed, get in touch with the model number and we'll advise on fit.
Locking the tablet to one app
Locking the tablet to one app
On iPad, Guided Access locks the device to a single app, so the sign-in tablet only ever shows your attendance app.
Turn it on in Settings, Accessibility, Guided Access, set a passcode, open your app and triple-click the top button. Keep the passcode somewhere all teachers can find it, not just with the centre manager.
Guided Access doesn't always survive a power cut or restart. For a sign-in tablet that must be ready every morning, use Single App Mode through device management instead. It reapplies automatically. Our tablet enclosure guide covers both step by step.
Keeping the screen awake
Keeping the screen awake
On iPad, go to Settings, Display & Brightness, Auto-Lock and select Never, so the sign-in screen is ready when the first family arrives.
- If Auto-Lock is greyed out, Low Power Mode is on.
- If you manage devices centrally, set the timeout there instead, as it overrides the local setting.
For a tablet on all day, turn the brightness down where the room allows. It reduces heat and helps the screen last longer.
Power, data and PoE
Power, data and PoE
Power over Ethernet (PoE) delivers power and network to a wall-mounted tablet over one cable. There's no power socket needed beside the door, and no charger cable for children to pull.
It needs a PoE-enabled switch or injector, and suits sign-in tablets at the entrance and staff tablets in the office. See PoE Texas adapters and our PoE guide.
Teacher tablets in cases still need a charging spot, so they start every day fully charged.
Cable management
Cable management
In an early learning centre, a loose cable is a safety issue, not just a tidiness one.
- Route cables inside the wall or through the mount, so there's nothing within a child's reach.
- Keep power adapters and sockets above child height or behind a locked cover.
- Don't block the enclosure's ventilation with coiled cable.
- Avoid placing tablets in direct sun by a window, which can cause overheating.
Browse power and cables.
Find the right hardware for your centre
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Wall mounts
Explore Wall MountsSlim, secure wall mounts for sign-in at the entrance, mounted out of children's reach with hidden cabling.
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Counter and desk mounts
Explore Desk MountsSecure counter stands for the office and reception, for parent and visitor sign-in.
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Tablet cases
Explore Tablet CasesEVA Shockproof cases with handles for teacher tablets and children's learning time.
What to specify
Each part of the centre needs different hardware. Here's what to look for, and what most often gets missed.
| Use | Hardware | Key specification | Most commonly missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent sign-in at the entrance | Slim wall mount with a locked enclosure | Adult height; app lockdown; permanent power or PoE | Mounted where toddlers can reach it |
| Office or reception sign-in | Counter stand with a locked enclosure | Rotates to face parents and visitors | Cable running across the counter |
| Teacher tablets for learning stories | EVA Shockproof Case | Handle; easy to wipe; charge port open | No charging spot, so tablets start the day flat |
| Children's learning tablets | EVA Shockproof Case | Soft foam; built-in handle and stand | Ordering for the wrong iPad generation |
| Staff sign-in and rosters | Wall mount in the staffroom or office | Ports covered; locked to one app | Left on the home screen with children's records open |
| Visitor and contractor sign-in | Counter or wall mount by reception | Easy to find; locked to your sign-in app | Visitors walking straight past it |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can parents sign children in on a tablet?
Can parents sign children in on a tablet?
Yes. Many centres now use a tablet at the door instead of a paper register. Electronic systems must record who signed each child in or out, and when, and must not mark children present by default (Ministry of Education). Check your attendance software meets these requirements, then choose hardware to suit.
Where should the sign-in tablet go?
Where should the sign-in tablet go?
Near the entrance, where parents pass on every drop-off and pick-up. Mount it at adult height, out of children's reach, and somewhere staff can see it. Avoid spots in direct sun or right next to the door, where it's easy to walk past.
Will the case survive toddlers?
Will the case survive toddlers?
Yes, if you choose the right one. EVA Shockproof Cases use thick, lightweight foam with a built-in handle that doubles as a stand, so they handle drops and little hands well.
How do we keep tablets clean?
How do we keep tablets clean?
Choose an enclosure or case with a smooth, wipeable surface, and wipe it down as part of your normal cleaning routine. Check the manufacturer's guidance for the screen, and avoid spraying liquid directly onto the tablet.
Do you supply the attendance or sign-in software?
Do you supply the attendance or sign-in software?
No. We supply the hardware and work with whichever early learning software your centre uses, so we can advise on mounting, power and security without pushing you toward a particular provider.
Do you offer pricing for centre groups?
Do you offer pricing for centre groups?
Yes. Early learning organisations, IT providers and resellers can become a wholesale partner for volume pricing and dedicated support. For help planning a centre, get in touch or call 09-979-5479.