When we were kids, the idea of having our own phones was lunacy. We live in a different age now, where kids are weaned on computers and some may be typing and texting before they can even walk. So, should kids have cell phones? A child’s first smartphone is a great opportunity for them to learn how to use technology responsibly. It’s also a way for you to keep track of your kids when you can’t be right with them, creating a safer environment. What’s the best starter phone for a kid?
Best Cell Phone for Kids
When looking for the best starter phone for a 10-year-old, for example, you want to think about what they will be using the phone for. Mostly they’ll be taking pictures, texting, maybe watching some YouTube videos and posting to social media. Most of today’s phones allow you to do all of this quite easily.
If you feel that’s significant functionality for your kid’s first phone, you may consider getting them the Blu Dash Jr. This Android phone has a two-megapixel camera, a. 3.5-inch display, a 1 GHz processor, 512 megabytes of storage and 256 MB of RAM. It’s not going to set the world on fire, but it will get the job done. Best of all, it’s extremely inexpensive, which is good since you can expect your kid to go through a few phones before their old enough to buy their own.
If you think your kid is ready for something just a little more advanced, consider the Moto G Play 16GB. This phone has a 5-inch screen and a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor. It has 2 GB RAM and two cameras, a front five-megapixel camera and a rear eight-megapixel one. The fourth-generation model runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, making it easy for you to activate parental controls to prevent unwanted Google Play downloads or restrict more mature apps.
If you’re an Apple household, consider the iPhone SE. It’s a very basic starter iPhone with a 1.85 GHz dual-core processor, 2 GB memory, 16/64 GB storage and a 12-megapixel camera. If you want to get your kid hooked on Apple products just like you are, this phone is a good place to start.
Buying Your Kid’s Cellphone
You’ll need to expect there’s a very good chance your child will lose their first phone or damage it beyond repair very early into its use. This is why it’s a good idea to try to be relatively frugal with your child’s first cell phone purchase. One great way to do this is by buying a refurbished cell phone. A good refurbished cell phone is virtually indistinguishable from a new phone, but usually considerably cheaper. You can find all the best brands and nearly the most up-to-date models often for a fraction of the price. To get a look at the kind of phones you can offer your children refurbished, take a look at The Whiz Cells eBay Store now. You’ll find a wide range of great phones for kid-friendly prices.