Are you thinking about getting your child your first phone? This is a big decision. However, it’s worth noting that despite the dangers there are benefits of getting your child a phone. It means that they will easily be able to contact you when they are out. This becomes more important once they reach a certain age. However, there’s definitely a lot to think about here so let’s dive into some of the key considerations that could be relevant.

The right age

First, you should think about choosing the right age to give your child their first phone. This is very much a personal preference. However, it is worth noting that the majority of parents seem to get their child their first phone by the time they are eleven or twelve. This is often based on necessity because it’s around this time when kids are developing a high enough level of independence where having a mobile phone would benefit them.

For instance, you might want to get your child a phone because they are starting to walk home from school with their friends rather than being picked up by you at the gates or even taking the bus. Something to consider here is how much control they are going to have over their phone. But we can discuss this issue a little further down.

The type of phone

Once you have decided on the appropriate age to buy your child their first phone, you need to consider the type of phone that is going to suit them and provide the right benefits. There are lots of different types of phones to choose from these days. However, the key or classic choice is going to be an Android or an iPhone. Like the age, this is often a personal preference as they both have their benefits and are more or less identical these days. Particularly when addressing the needs of a young child. As long as they can access YouTube, Spotify and various messaging apps, they will likely be happy.

Even if you choose an iPhone, there are more considerations to keep in mind here. Should you buy them the latest generation or opt for something more basic? Is it worth getting the larger model or something smaller? There are so many different options that it can feel a little overwhelming. It might be best to ask a sales rep which phone they would recommend based on your child’s age and what they need it for.

Features

It might be worth thinking a little about the different features of the phone. If your child is still young, it could just be worth getting them a device that they can call some basic numbers on such as your number and emergency services. Of course, if your child is a little older, it could be worth thinking about everything from the camera to the graphics and the apps that are available. Some phones are better for specific types of apps. But the majority of phones will be able to access any app that is on the market right now.

Another feature that you should definitely keep in mind is battery life. It is important to guarantee that the phone is going to last long enough when your kids are out and about. Most phones these days have at least a ten hour battery life. This should be more than enough to get them through the school day.

Keeping it safe

You are probably already aware that phones these days are quite expensive. The typical high end phone can cost upwards of a thousand. So, if you lose it or it gets damaged, then you could be out of pocket and you might even struggle to replace it. So, how can you ensure that your phone and the money you spend on it remains safe? Well, there are a few options worth exploring here.

First, you need to think about getting a case for your child’s phone. A child should have no problem using one of these because they come in a range of different styles. So, you’re guaranteed to find one that they like. You can even get cases that are designed to look like characters that children love including superheroes and cartoons.

As well as using a case, you might also want to consider insuring the phone. Insurance is often available as part of the payment plan that you set up for the phone. It can be worth it as it will mean you can easily get the phone replaced or repaired without paying additional costs. Otherwise, you would need to use places like an iPhone repair service.

One final option would be to secure everything that is stored on the phone including the data. Phones such as iPhones can have technical issues, meaning all the data gets corrupted or lost. That’s why you need to make sure that you need to backup iPhone to external hard drive or have a similar security measure in place. If you do this, you will be able to ensure that you can easily gain access to any data from the phone if there is an issue. You can also move it to the next handset that your child has when they do upgrade.

Parental controls

Next, you should think about using parental controls on your child’s phone. Parental controls can be useful to ensure that they don’t stumble onto something that they shouldn’t when using the phone. This includes dangerous apps and perhaps websites if they are browsing. There are software options that will notify you when your child tries to access something that they shouldn’t be exploring. This is certainly worth exploring, particularly as they get older to guarantee that they don’t get in trouble using this tech device.

We hope this helps you understand everything that you do need to think about when you are getting your child their first phone. If you take the right steps here, you can ensure that your child is safe using a phone and that they do get all the benefits that it should bring.