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best buys

The best mobile phones for kids 2022

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One minute your kids are leaving sticky fingers all over your iPhone, the next you realise that it's probably time to buy them their own device!

You might not be keen for your child to have even MORE screen time, but once children get to 10 or 11 (or the start of Year Six) having their own phone can be useful.

Often they'll be starting to walk to school by themselves, or wanting to message friends outside of school hours.

But what type of phone should parents choose for their children?

Firstly, you need to decide whether you go for a contract or a SIM-only pay as you go – there are pros and cons to both.

Pay as you go means that after the initial outlay of buying the phone and SIM card, running costs are pretty small, often just a monthly call and data bundle.

Monthly contracts can spread the cost of a new handset, just remember that the phone you get with a contract is not 'free', as the cost is included in your monthly bill.

You'll also have to consider what type of model to choose (iPhone or Android) and what functions and features are needed.

Your children might like the thought of getting their hands on the latest Apple iPhone, but you might have a VERY different idea and often a well-priced Android handset is the best option for a first phone!

Depending on the age of your child, you could start off with a very basic make for just calls and texts, before moving on to a budget smartphone, so they can google and or download a social media app.

We've gathered together some suitable models (including iPhones and Android) from brands such as Samsung, Apple, Nokia and Motorola, covering every parental need and with a wide range of price points.


What are the best brands of mobile phones to buy for kids?

Often a cheap and cheerful model is the best bet until a child gets used to looking after and handling a device. It's often less stressful, too, as they won't have to worry about looking after something expensive.

Entry-level mobile phones are available from most leading brands, including Samsung, Apple and Motorola.

And remember, you DON'T have to get a brand new phone for your kid.

You can also buy nearly new or reconditioned handsets if you fancy a more expensive make or model, such as an iPhone, at a lower price. EE has a selection of good as new mobile phones here.

Where can you buy the best mobile phones for kids?

if you want to get a phone on contract, try EE , Tesco Mobile or BT . They also have the option to buy a phone outright and have a range of SIM-only deals.

BT has a special Family SIM discount where the more family members that are on a contract, the less each phone costs to run. So, it could make sense for parents to switch the whole family to a BT contract to lower the overall cost. You also get a monthly discount on your broadband costs. See more details here.

Using Tesco Mobile means that you'll collect Tesco Clubcard vouchers and you can also use them to pay your mobile phone bill. See more details here.

Want to purchase a smartphone outright so you can have a cheaper SIM-only deal?

Curry's PC World and Amazon also have competitively-priced handsets.

What features should you look for?

Battery life is really important as younger kids won't be as used to keeping an eye on how charged up their phone is.

A handset that's sturdy enough to survive being knocked about in school bags is a good idea, too, as is one that's waterproof.

Making sure you invest in a cover and a screen protector is also a good investment.

If you don't want your child to go online, you could start off with a basic mobile phone to start with and then move onto a smartphone with data once your child gets to an older age and starts to use social media.

The amount of storage is also something to consider. If your child wants a quite a few apps and games, you should be looking for phones with more than 16MB of storage.

The screen is another thing to think about, too. It needs to be a decent size if kids want to go online to watch videos, google or to use a social media app, such Instagram or TikTok.

Being able to track the amount of screen time is another parental must-have and a useful feature. This will report how long the phone has been in use for and what apps etc have been looked at and for how long.

It's also a useful way of helping your child to manage their own phone time.


Read on:

* The best laptops for kids

* The best tablets for kids

* The best robot vacuum cleaners

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