How to buy your kid their first mobile phone

Buying a mobile phone for your child for the first time is a big thing. 

Obviously your kid is going to be desperate to have a phone. After all, what’s not to like about gaming, streaming and the like? Plus, all their friends have had phones for, like, forever. But for parents, it’s tough. You’ve probably got mixed feelings.

It’s quite handy for your child to have a phone, especially if they’re out and about. But there are obvious concerns when it comes to giving them the internet in the palm of their hands. A phone brings potential issues, from staying safe online to social media addiction and selfie obsession. 

It’s tricky, but what to get and when is a decision only you can make. However, if you’ve got a bunch of questions, don’t worry – that’s where we come in. 

It’s difficult to find the right time to introduce children or teens to mobile devices. Recent research shows that the average age children get their first smartphone was 11, but interestingly, 54% of parents wished they’d waited longer.

Although everyone’s different, if you’re not convinced your child is old enough for their first mobile phone, there is another option. Maybe consider getting them a tablet instead? It’s often a good stepping stone.

If getting a phone is the right move, let’s look at some different handsets.

Not sure you’ll be able to fob your child off with your trusty old Nokia from the 90s? Picking the best make and model for them can be tricky.  Here are the key things worth thinking about when you’re on the hunt for the best phone for your kids.

• Calling and texting
• Access the internet 
• Have social media and messaging apps  

It’s not a simple decision. Research shows that 51% of children have been contacted online by strangers. Equally worrying is that one in three children have been encouraged to take conversations to private chat rooms or messaging apps.

Social media generally feels particularly unregulated. So, it stands to reason that things like parental controls, having the ability to block adult content, location tracking and parental control software have become increasingly important factors to consider.

Let’s face it – kids phones get shoved in the bottom of school bags and dropped on the floor. And a phone with a larger screen’s easier to drop and smash, than something more compact that fits in their pocket.

Look for something that’s hard-wearing or even water-repellent and get a phone case for added protection. It’s a good idea to invest in some insurance too.

It’s worth getting a device with a good smartphone camera. You may be sick of those dog face filters, but never underestimate the importance of the selfie. If you’re going to get a phone with a camera, a front-facing one’s a must.

If you’re getting a smartphone packed with features and functions, get something with good data storage. It’s probably best to avoid anything with less than 16GB of internal storage. 

Media can be saved to cloud services like Google Photos and iCloud, but it’s worth having enough space for games and apps. Anything else isn’t going to be cool.

A Pay As You Go phone is the best way to help keep costs to a minimum. And it can help teach your child to be more responsible. Pay As You Go means you can only call, text, and browse when you’ve got enough credit available.

But what if you’ve got an older child that wants to use data all the time? A Pay Monthly phone plan with Unlimited data may be a better option.

Going for Pay As You Go? Then you’ll be pleased to know that don’t need to spend loads to get a phone with impressive features.

You can’t put a price on knowing where your kids are and feeling like you can contact them at any time. But as with any device, the range of choice is massive. So, it’s good to come at this with a budget in mind.

There are basic phones available with limited or no access to online content, all the way up to the latest, shiny new smartphones on the market. And as an alternative, don’t forget that you can also save money with a refurbished phone.

The HMD Fuse is a great all-round smartphone, but it’s particularly good for kids and teenagers. It has incredible protection built in, so you can be sure your child is safe.

The HarmBlock+ AI prevents sexual imagery from being shown, shot and stored. The pre-trained AI scans on-screen activity, as well files on the phone, and deletes anything of a sexual nature. 

But the safety doesn’t stop there. The brilliant thing about the HMD Fuse is that it’s a phone that can grow with your child. You control the protection, because you can add or remove features whenever you want. Online safety isn’t a straightforward journey, but because the security features are so granular, you can adjust the apps, websites and content your child sees.

If awesome photos and epic videos are the priority, you can’t go wrong with a Samsung Galaxy A56. You can even capture high-res selfie videos that’ll be the envy of everyone in the group chats.

It’s also got a strong battery, so you won’t have to worry about your child at the end of a long day of texting, or if they’re catching a bus home after school.

As you might expect, the iPhone 16e sits at the top of the tree when it comes to the latest tech. Camera, battery life, processing power… you name it, the iPhone 16e has it in abundance.

The price is more than most, but you’ll get quality. For starters, there’s the ceramic shield front, which is tougher than any smartphone glass. And let’s face it, every child will drop their phone at some stage.

But Apple also gives you peace of mind when it comes to security. The 16e emphasises user privacy and data protection. And it has several other advanced features, such as stolen device protection, encryption capabilities and emergency SOS via satellite – which allows users to send texts or contact emergency services if there’s no signal.

Whichever device you plump for, before you hand over the goods, remember that you can block access to sites that are unsuitable for under 18s by turning on the parental controls.