Cellphones for Kids
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It’s almost impossible to imagine a world without cell phones.
But, they help you stay connected with your family. Whether you’re down the hall or across the country, you want to make sure everyone is safe. Especially when it comes to your kids! While it might be a worrisome thought, your kids can benefit from having a phone of their own. You want to be tapped into what they have going on while giving them the freedom to grow.
What if they get home early from school and don’t have a key to get in the house? Or if they get lost walking around the mall without you? Getting your child a cell phone will allow them to be independent. Whether it's a real emergency or they just want to send you a funny meme, having a cellphone allows them to easily stay connected, whenever, wherever.
You might be wondering, “what phones are out there for kids? And how can I guarantee they’re being safe?” Optimum Mobile has the 411 on how to keep them safe, as well as several phones you might want to consider buying them.
Parental Controls for Kids Phones
When deciding what kind of phone you want to get your child, you’ll want to consider a few things!
Of course, you want them to have some elbow-room to figure things out for themselves. But, you also want to know they’re protected even when you can’t physically see them.
Here are a few parental controls that most kids phones provide:
- Limiting screen time - You want them to use the phone but you also want them to go to bed on time! Setting screen time limits allow you to make sure they’re not spending too much time on certain apps or the phone in general.
- Application downloads - Are there certain apps you don’t want your child to download? No problem! You can block certain applications from downloading on your child’s phone and unblock them whenever you feel comfortable.
- Location tracking - Keep an eye on your kids as they go for a bike ride in the park is easier than ever. You can monitor your child’s location and set alerts to notify you when they leave a certain area.
- Internet usage - Kids’ phones can limit or eliminate internet usage. The internet is a big space and you want your kids to only interact with the best parts.
Best Phones for Kids
We know how important it is for your child to have a reliable phone with the necessities (and preferably one that they love!) For this reason, Optimum Mobile has collected a range of different phones that might be worth considering!
If your child is a big fan of gaming, streaming or social media, the crowd-pleasing Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a sure winner in our books. Boasting a 120HZ screen, smooth scrolling, a long battery life, super strong gorilla glass and a compact size of 6.4”. The phone is water resistant, as it can survive in 5 feet of water for over 30 minutes. It also offers an eye shield with Infinity-O display which reduces harm from blue light, allowing for comfortable streaming and gaming. If that’s not brag-worthy enough, the phone has a multi-lens camera (a 12MP wide camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera on the back. The highest resolution camera on this phone is the selfie camera at 32MP. Optimum is offering the Samsung Galaxy S21 GE 5G for $599.99.
Is your older child looking for their first smartphone? The iPhone SE is perfect for your pre-teens. They can text in the family group chats and share photos with everyone. You can enable the “Screen Time” feature on their phone to set time limits on certain applications. For example, if you want to limit the time your teenager spends on Instagram, you can set the time limit to only 30 minutes a day. And once their 30 minutes are up the app will be blocked from usage. The iPhone SE is available for $399.00.
If you’re looking for something your child will love at a low-price, the Moto G Pure is a great phone to consider. It features an ultra-wide 6.5” Max Vision HD+ Display allowing for comfortable movie-watching, gaming, and video chats. The battery life is also super impressive, offering up to two days of sustained battery life. This phone also offers a ton of mind-easing simplicity such as fingerprint unlock and a water-repellent design. Optimum sells this phone for $159.99.
If you’re looking for something that is for small children the Republic Wireless Relay Screenless Phone (not sold at Optimum) is a great choice! It serves as an upgraded walkie-talkie and doesn’t even have a screen, so there's no need to worry about your little ones clocking up too much screen time. It allows you and your child to communicate through voice messaging. And it’s not only a communication device, you can monitor its activity through an app on your phone. You can see GPS tracking and geofencing notifications when they exit the limited area you set up. It allows you to let your children play independently. It’s available for $49.99 with a contract for $9.99 a month.
Looking for a no-frills option for a phone? The Alcatel Go Flip 3 (not sold at Optimum) will get the job done! Your kids won’t be able to watch TikTok on this phone but they’ll be able to make calls, text, and take pictures. There is a small screen on the front of the flip phone so your children can see who is calling before they answer. Each phone comes with Google Assistant, so they’ll have no issue making phone calls. It comes with accessibility features such as larger keys and hearing aid compatibility. The flip phone can also be a wonderful phone option for your elderly parents. The Alcatel Go Flip 3 is available for $100.00.
Are you looking for a phone without the internet? The Gabb Z2 Phone (not sold at Optimum) takes that out of the equation! The phone has no Internet, games, or social media capabilities. It comes preactivated and your child will be ready to use it as soon as it comes out of the packaging. This phone has a GPS locator so you can keep track of your children no matter where they are. Plus it comes with unlimited talk and text, the basic plan doesn’t allow for group and picture messaging, but the upgraded plan allows both for $5.00 more a month. Available for $99.99 with plans starting for $19.99 a month.
You work hard to keep your children safe, that shouldn’t stop at their technology! These phones can create a safe environment for you and your children.
Good luck and happy shopping!
Want to get more out of your mobile phone plan?
