Do You Know an Alternative to Messenger Kids ?

I like FaceTime.

However, why can't she just use her dad's phone to talk to you? When she's at her dad's, why do you want extra access to her on his time.

I don't understand why she can't go to her dad's and have quality time with him. I do understand being in touch with her but why have to have a special device to communicate unless there is an alterior motive.

I hope you and dad aren't using her as a pawn.

Does dad monopolize any of her time when she's with you?

E. - welcome to mamapedia.

Why not get her her own cell phone and text her?

Buy her a cell phone. Use text messages.

We use What'sApp to talk to our son stationed in another country. I don't know that it is "fun" and anytime that a child is using an electronic device connected to the internet unmonitored, there is an element of "danger."

Any reason she HAS to talk to you/text you/message you at her dad's? Can't she just enjoy being there?

If you both have apple devices, then iMessage or Facetime are the obvious choices. Since you are asking the question, I'm assuming you don't have apple devices so this isn't an option. But don't worry, there are other options out there.
If you don't both have apple devices, then I recommend Text Free. It will assign a phone number to the tablet. Then she can text you at your phone number through the app, and you can text her using the phone number that it has assigned - it will look like a regular text on your end and the text will show up in the app on her end. Texts are all free through the app (if you are ok with ads, you can get rid of the ads if you pay for the app). It does work as a regular phone number - she can call you using the app and you can call her, but it charges per minute for calls so you probably want to limit that to emergencies.

If you want to be able to call and see each other to talk, not just text, then the most popular choice is Skype. This has more functionality than TextFree because the video calls are free when you are both on WiFi. The difference is that you both have to use the app to communicate, where in TextFree, only she needs the app, you use your regular text function that is already on your phone.

Marco polo. it's essentially a video walkie talkie. gotta have the person in your contacts to use it

I use messenger from time to time but mostly I just text my kids. I gave them my old cell phone at around that age and it was only a small fee to add them to my plan.

Years ago there was something called Kik no idea if that's still around.

Apple products have their own messenger.

What about Skype - or something like that?

I recently discovered Monster Messenger app and with my children we really enjoy it! Before we were using Messenger Kids app but I didn’t trust the app too much, and my parents didn’t want to create a facebook account. So we looked for an alternative. Monster messenger. It offers the same functionalities as Messenger Kids ( messenger , video call, call ..) with more security! It’s very easy to create an account, more than facebook. And you can have more activity, like game. Simpler, more fun and above all safer. I recommend

We do what "mynewnickname" stated.
But what you could do is buy her a "Go Phone" that you can pick up at any Walmart, have it activated at the store & even do a pre-paid thing so she can have it at her dad's to text you.
We had friends that had to do this because the dad wouldn't let the kids talk to the mom when they were at their dad's house. He wouldn't let them say good night or call her when they were sick. He had control issues. He would even
confiscate the phone as soon as they got there.
Eventually the kids were old enough & wouldn't let him take their phones that their mom bought.

Face-timing is my kids' favorite way to communicate and texting is second best. Look into both, ask your daughter when is a good time to communicate with her, and stick with a time to contact her so she is free to text or talk with you. Maybe just a phone call would be nice, something more personal than typing words. When my kids were nine and went away, we communicated by phone calls.