Mittens
A free, notarized macOS menu bar app that locks the keyboard, trackpad and screen into a play scene so a toddler can press anything. This page is the plain-HTML version of mittens.wingdingos.com, served without a bot challenge so software agents can read it. Machine-readable summary: /llms.txt.
Facts
- Current version
- 1.3.0, released 2026-11-01, 3.3 MB. SHA-256
550231874b2b77aae607d6f13dd627c3436a3ea9df0720851e4e0c956b1dc91d.
- Download
- https://mittens.wingdingos.com/download (redirects to the versioned DMG). Signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
- Platform
- macOS 14 or newer. Apple silicon and Intel. Not on Windows, iOS or iPadOS, and not on the Mac App Store.
- Price
- Free. No account, no in-app purchases, no ads.
- Privacy
- Collects nothing and makes no network requests. Settings are stored in local macOS preferences. Requires the macOS Accessibility permission to intercept system shortcuts while locked.
- Install
- Open the DMG, drag Mittens into Applications, open it from Applications, allow Accessibility once when asked.
- How it works
- Click the mitten in the menu bar, press Lock & Play. The screen is covered on every display. Each key shows a big letter, number or emoji and plays the next note of a song. The trackpad and mouse play hand drums.
- The way out
- Hold ⌃ control + ⌥ option and press Q, or hold both keys for three seconds. The letter is configurable. A pill at the bottom of the screen explains this throughout.
- Modes
- Classic: 14 scenes, letters with words and pictures, counting, 24 public-domain songs. Hacker Typer: code rain, a terminal that types pretend code, chip-tune voices.
- Limits
- Not a safety, supervision or childproofing product. It reduces accidental input; an adult should stay present.
- Publisher
- WingDingos, LLC, Chicago, Illinois. [email protected]. Terms · Privacy.