Tips for Choosing the Best Kids Phone

In this technology-driven day and age, it seems like kids and cell phones are nearly inseparable–especially going into the tween and teen years. If your kid has been bugging you for a cell phone, then here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Parental Controls

 Probably the first concern that most parents have when considering giving a phone to their child is the connectivity of most phones. Through a smartphone, you can access the whole of the World Wide Web with no boundaries and protection, and that’s quite a scary concept. So, be sure that your child stays safe and uses the phone responsibly, check and see if the phone or carrier has any form of parental controls to monitor and control how your child uses the phone. Also check into services like Kajeet, which includes extensive parental controls with their service, or PureTalk USA.

Durability

If you have kids, then you know that kids tend to be destructive. Sometimes it’s on purpose, but most of the time it’s not, so when you buy a phone make sue it’s something that will survive being dropped, thrown in a bag and bouncing around inside a backpack. Smartphones might not be the best bet for younger kids, as those glass screens can be easily shattered. If your child is especially destructive, getting a strong case or simply going with a cheap flip phone might be a good way to go.

Size

A phablet probably isn’t going to appropriate for the small hands of a kid, so when you’re picking a phone, try and go with a smaller device that will be easier for them to handle. You’ll also want to make sure it isn’t super heavy if your child is younger.

What other things are important to you as a parent when choosing a phone for your child? Let me know in the comments!]]>