Phones are now more popular than ever and pretty much everyone has one even kids. Many kids around the world are wanting phones to play with their friends or to keep in touch each other. But you might be wondering what phone to buy for your child or if you should buy them one at all. In this article i will be talking about phones for kids and discussing the options available so you can decide what phone to buy for your child.
What Are Phones For Kids?
Most kids these days are interested in technology and want a phone of their and there many phones designed specifically for kids. When looking for a phone for your child you need to base your purchasing decisions around things like the age of your child, the intended use of the phone and it’s parental control abilities.
There are many phones that are designed specifically for kids but there are many other phones that are good choices for kids as well. If you think you child is old enough and ready for a phone of their own then start by deciding what they need to have access to and then take a look at some of the options discussed below to get some ideas of some good phones for kids.
What Features Do Kids Need On A Phone?
There are many features that will come with the phone you buy for your child so you need to think about what features they are going to need so you can choose the best type of phone for their needs. It can be challenging to find a phone that has the features your child needs but if you follow some simple guidelines it will make your purchasing decisions a lot easier.
Here is a list of features to keep in mind when looking for a phone for your child
- Ease of use
- Good quality
- Affordable price and budget friendly
- Ability to access the internet and social media
- Camera use and quality
- Ability to use or add parental controls
- GPS and tracking capabilities
- Emergency features and SOS capabilities
As you can see there are some features that are essential for your child to have but others like camera use and internet access are not essential and it’s up to you as a parent to decide what features your child should have access to on their phone.
Most of the features I listed here are good for seniors as well and if you are a senior looking for a new smartphone I have an article on this website about smartphones for seniors and the options that are available for them.
Click Here To Read Smartphones For Seniors What Are The Options?
What Type Of Phone Should I Buy For My Child?
If you are trying to decide what type of phone to buy for your child you need to consider the age of your child and what you want them to be able to on their phone. This what you should base your purchasing decisions around. If your child is younger than high school age you should choose a phone that is easy to use and understand and one that has limited access to the internet if you don’t want them using social media much.
But if your child is older you should get them a phone with more features and full internet access especially if you are ok with them using social media. Basic phones and flip phones can also be a good choice along with ones that are designed for elderly people because these types of phones are easy to use and have limited access to the internet and social media.
This makes them a good choice for younger kids and for those who don’t want their children using the internet or social media too much. No matter what phone you choose for your child you should make sure it has the essential features like emergency functions and parental controls as well as a GPS if your child is older of if you want to be able to track their movements.
What Other Things Should I Keep In Mind?
A phone is a great way to keep in touch with your child so communication should be your priority when choosing a phone for your child and so should safety. There is a lot of dangerous content online so keeping your child safe on their phone is important to. If you think child is not ready for a phone then a smart watch could be a great alternative as they are easy to use and more limited then most phones.
The bottom line is that it’s up to you as a parent to use your best judgement when choosing a phone for your child and deciding the features they need. Always priorities communication and safety but it’s ok for your child to have a bit of fun with their phone as well but make sure they are doing so in a safe way. If you keep these things in mind it will keep you and your child happy and safe with their phone.
Phones For Kids- What Are The Options?
There are many phones out there that are suitable for kids but with the large amount of options to choose from it can be overwhelming to know which phone to choose for your child. So I’m go over 5 different options that are good options as phones for kids to give you an idea of the types of phones that are suitable for kids.
1. Konka U6
- 2.31 inch QVGA display
- 5 megapixel rear camera
- 512MB RAM
- 4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB using a Micro SD card
- 1000 mAh battery
- Android 4.4
The Konka U6 is a cheap and affordable basic phone that is easy to see and use. It is designed for seniors but it can be a good option for kids as well due the phone being basic it’s limited internet features. It is a decent basic phone capable of calls and texts and it also has an SOS featur, web browser, Facebook app, Whatsapp application and other basic features.
But there is no app store on the phone and it is easy to see what your child is using the phone for. All in all the Konka U6 is a decent basic phone with some good features that make it a good choice for kids and many other people to.
For more information on the Konka U6 read my full review here
Click Here To Get Your Konka U6
2. Aspera F42 Flip Phone
- 2.8 inch FWVGA display
- 1.8 inch secondary display
- 2 megapixel rear camera
- 0.3 megapixel front facing camera
- 512MB RAM
- 4GB internal storage expandable up to 64GB using a Micro SD card
- 1350 mAh battery
- Android based operating system
The Aspera F42 is a cheap and affordable flip phone that has big buttons and is easy to use. It is designed for seniors but it can also be a good option for kids due to the phone being basic and the battery life not being that good.
This means that if you don’t want your child using their phone too much this phone will make that easy to control as the battery life goes down quite fast and will need to be charged often.
The Aspera F42 is capable of calls and texts as well as web browsing and it has Facebook Lite and Whatsapp applications preinstalled. But there is no app store meaning the internet functions are limited which is good if you don’t want your child using the internet or social media too much.
All in all the Aspera F42 flip phone is a decent flip phone with good features but limited internet capabilities that make it a good choice for kids and other people that are looking for a basic but decent flip phone.
For more information on the Aspera F42 Flip Phone read my full review here
Click Here To Get Your Aspera F42 Flip Phone
3. Nokia 6.2
- 6.3 inch lPS LCD display
- 16 megapixel triple rear camera
- 8 megapixel front facing camera
- 3GB or 4GB RAM
- 32GB, 64GB or 128GB internal storge expandable up to 512GB using a Micro SD card
- 3500 mAh battery
- Android 9 operating system
The Nokia 6.2 is a powerful budget smartphone that is cheap and affordable. It has some great features and works like a regular smartphone. The phone is not suitable for younger children as there is a lot of internet capabilities and it may be complicated for them to use. It is suitable for teenagers though and it has a great battery life to.
The Nokia 6.2 is capable of calls, texts, web browsing and much more as it features the Google Play store so you will need to keep an eye on your child if you buy them this phone as they could spend too much time on social media or do things you don’t want them doing online.
It’s easy to set up parental controls on the phone by downloading app from the app store if you can’t do it through the phone’s settings and the phone also has a GPS that you can use to track your child’s location if you need to.
All in all the Nokia 6.2 is a powerful budget smartphone with many great features and a lot of capabilities. It’s not suitable for younger children but it is suitable for teenagers if you don’t mind them having a smartphone.
The ability to use different apps can be useful to your child and the GPS can be useful to help you track your child’s location if you need to. It’s a great choice for teenage kids and anyone looking for a powerful but affordable smartphone.
For more information on the Nokia 6.2 read my full review here
Click Here To Get Your Nokia 6.2
4. Alcatel T 5033T
- 4.95 inch display
- 5 megapixel rear camera
- 2 megapixel front facing camera
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB using a Micro SD card
- 2000 mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo Go Edition operating system
The Alcatel T 5033T is basic smartphone that is cheap and affordable. It has all the basic features that smartphones have but it is a bit slow and offers no advanced features or any high end capabilities. It is pretty basic but it’s a good choice for kids due to it being easy to use and the battery life draining quickly.
The battery life on the phone lasts around 3 or 4 hours depending on what you done phone which is good for kids if you don’t want them using their phone too much.
The Alcatel T 5033T is capable of calls, texts, web browsing and other tasks. It also has a GPS and the Google play store meaning other apps can be used on the phone but any heavy or demanding apps won’t perform well due to the phone’s low end hardware.
All in all the Alcatel T 5033T is a basic smartphone that is cheap and affordable. It is easy and to use as well as cheap and affordable with mediocre battery which makes it a good choice for kids or anyone looking for a basic but cheap and useable smartphone.
For more information on the Alcatel T 5033T read my full review here
Click Here To Get Your Alcatel T 5033T
5. Samsung Galaxy S5
- 5.1 inch Super AMOLDED display
- 16 megapixel rear camera
- 2 megapixel front facing camera
- 2GB RAM
- 32GB or 64GB internal storage expandable up to 128GB using a Micro SD card
- 2800 mAh battery
- Android 4.4.2 operating system
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is an older model budget smartphone that is reliable today. While it’s not found in stores anymore it can still be easily found online. The phone is cheap affordable and is easy to use with an option to switch the phone to easy mode to make it even easier to use.
This is a great feature which would be useful for kids who are still learning to use a smartphone. The battery life is decent and the phone will suit the daily needs of anyone who uses it. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is capable of calls, texts, web browsing and much more.
It also has a GPS and the Google play store meaning other apps can be downloaded. The phone also has great cameras, a heart rate monitor, health and fitness features and much more.
All in all the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great older model budget smartphone that is easy to use as well as cheap and affordable. It easy to find online and has many great features making it worth the money and a great choice for kids anyone looking for a great smartphone at an affordable price.
For more information on the Samsung Galaxy S5 read my full review here
Click Here To Get Your Samsung Galaxy S5
Should I Buy A Phone For My Kids?
When trying to decide if you should buy a phone for your child there are many things to consider like the age of your child, how responsible they are, the intended use of the phone and much more.
To give you a better idea of what you need to consider here is a list of factors to keep in mind when buying a phone for your child
- Age of your child
- How responsible your child is
- Intended use of the phone
- Features your child will need on the phone
- The type of phone that is best suited for your child’s needs
- How much control you need over your child’s phone and their usage
As you can see there are a few things to consider when buying a phone for your child. If they are going to be use it for emergencies or to keep in touch with a basic phone or flip phone will be fine.
But if your child is older or is going need access to the internet to keep in touch with friends or for education purposes a smartphone would be the better option.
Another way to look at it is for younger kids a basic phone with limited or no internet access may be best but for older kids and teenagers a feature phone or smartphone would probably be the best option.
Keep in mind you don’t need to buy an expensive phone for your child nor do they anything advanced or the latest technology especially for their first phone. There are plenty of good budget phones out there that will suit them fine and in some cases buying a preowned phone could also be a good option.
Final Thoughts & Advice About Buying A Phone For Your Kids
When buying a phone for your child it all comes down to you as the parent to decide when and if your child needs a phone and what type of phone is best for them.
It’s ok to say no to buying your child phone and it’s always best to have a discussion with your children about phones and the impact in can have on them so that they understand the reasons you are or are not going to buy them a phone.
Never be afraid to do what you think is right for your children and at the end of the day with a bit of time and consideration you will be able to make the right decision for your children.
Conclusion
In conclusion phones are now more popular than ever with many people relying on them daily. Most people have a phone these days and more and more kids are getting them as well.
Kids will need a phone that is easy to use, good quality and should have a GPS and parental control abilities if there is internet access on the phone.
There are many phones out there for kids including ones that are designed for kids and many others like the ones I showed you earlier that are not designed for kids but can still be really good options for your child.
A basic phone like the Konka U6 is good phone younger kids or for anyone that doesn’t want their kids doing too much on their phone. A basic smartphone like the Alcatel T 5033T is also a good option for older kids or people that don’t want their kids spending too much time on their phone.
It all comes down to things like the age and responsibly of your child and their needs and usage of their phone. It’s ok to say no to buying your kids a phone and it would be best to have a discussion with your children about phones and the impact they have on kids so they can understand why you are or are not going to buy them a phone.
At the end of the day it is up to you as the parent to decide what is best for your children and with a bit of time and consideration you will be able to make the right decision. Thank you for reading. I hope that you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or if you need any help let me know in the comments.