The right age to give kids their first cellphone is really up to you. Age isn't as important as your kid's maturity level, ability to follow rules at home and school, and sense of responsibility as well as your own family's needs.
What is the ideal age for a first phone? Your children could be ready for a smartphone or similar device anywhere from 10 to 14, or during middle school. A sixth-grader (typically 10 to 11 years old) could be a good start for considering a phone or a wearable.
Many children are ready for a phone at an average age of 12 or 13.
Ages 10 to 12
Cheng says parents should place strict limits on phone usage at this age and not give children Internet-enabled mobile devices. “Kids should only be allowed to use phones to call their parents,” he says.
Is TikTok appropriate for kids? TikTok can be a kid-friendly experience if you supervise your kids, use safety settings, and stick to songs you already know. But TikTok's emphasis on popular music means many videos include swearing and sexual lyrics, so it may not be age-appropriate for kids to use on their own.
It's recommended that children under five spend less than an hour per day using screens, and some health experts have recommended that children aged five to 17 should limit their daily screen time to 2 hours. A group called Childwise has been trying to find out just how much time young people are spending online.
The right age to give kids their first cellphone is really up to you. Age isn't as important as your kid's maturity level, ability to follow rules at home and school, and sense of responsibility as well as your own family's needs.
Experts suggest that you should wait to get your kid a smartphone until at least 8th grade. Along with age, a kid's social awareness, understanding of technology, and maturity should be considered.
iPhone SE. The iPhone SE is the absolutely cheapest iPhone you can buy new at $429. Despite rocking an old design that's been around since the iPhone 6, this handset features Apple's latest A15 Bionic chip.
Apple's iPhone SE is the best phone for kids because it has long software support and offers the best performance you can get in a phone under $500. Battery life and camera performance are just bonuses.
What age should a child get an iPad? The American Academy of Pediatrics says to wait until after 2 years old to put a tablet in their hands. PBS encourages you to wait until preschool.
Common Sense Media rates the game as good for ages 10+ (and it tends to be conservative in its age recommendations). Since the game is easy enough to learn and fun for adults too, you may want to try playing as a family first to see how your kid manages before letting them play online with friends.
If you're using an iPhone 11, we recommend upgrading to an iPhone 14 (or even an iPhone 13). In the last three years, Apple has made enough changes to features including battery life, performance, screen quality, cameras and durability to merit buying a new iPhone.
For most users, this represents approximately two years of use, which is why most people believe that the lifespan of a phone is two years. However when it comes to iPhones, you can expect between three to five years (maybe more) with proper care.
Apple doesn't typically offer sales on iPhones, but other stores do. Best Buy frequently discounts iPhones throughout the year for various sales, including Black Friday.
It doesn't mean you can't take your kid's phone away if you think it's taking too much sleep time. About 25% of children received phones by age 10.7, and 75% by age 12.6. Nearly all children had phones by age 15 years. Among children who owned phones, 99% had smartphones by the end of the study.
Having a phone of their own may help kids socialize and build friendships. Older kids and teens may also use their phones to plan group schoolwork and social gatherings, or even play games together. "Phones can be a tool to promote social skills, such as using them to FaceTime with friends and family," says Reena B.
If you decide to let your baby or toddler play with your device, consider the following: Limit screen time to 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Too much screen time may be harmful for babies and children, even at a very young age. Always check what kind of content your baby is viewing and listening or playing with.
YouTube doesn't allow children under the age of 13 to create their own channels or accounts, and children between ages 13 and 17 are only allowed to open them with parental permission.
You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.
Although some screen time can be educational, it's easy to go overboard, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages media use by children younger than 2 and recommends limiting older children's screen time to no more than one or two hours a day.
Recommended time limits
Under 2 years old: Zero screen time, except for video chatting with family or friends. 2-5 years old: No more than one hour per day co-viewing with a parent or sibling. 5-17 years old: Generally no more than two hours per day, except for homework.
Screens reduce empathy
Research has shown that screen time inhibits young children's ability to read faces and learn social skills, two key factors needed to develop empathy. Face-to-face interactions are the only way young children learn to understand non-verbal cues and interpret them.
While both phones have a 6.1-inch screen, there are some significant upgrades on the iPhone 14. Firstly, the display on the newer model is OLED rather than the lower-quality LCD on the 11. The iPhone 14 also has a higher resolution, HDR, a greater contrast ratio, and is significantly brighter.
A resistance of 6 meters deep for 30 minutes, you can rest a little easier if you drop your phone in the toilet or the pool. The iPhone 14 is splash-resistant and water-resistant and holds the same International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) IP68 rating as its predecessors 12 and 13.