What to look out for in a phone
This all depends on the age of your child and how familiar they are with smartphone technology. If this is your child’s first phone, you should consider getting them something simple that’s specifically designed for their age group. If they’re a bit older, you might want to look at normal smartphones.
No matter what phone you get them, it’s recommended to limit your child’s screen time to protect their eyes and posture, as well as to ensure they can find mental stimulation in activities that don’t involve technology.
We recommend you look for phones with the following features.
Specially designed for children
Phones designed for younger users will usually have “Kids” in the title, so you know what to look out for. These are created with child safety in mind, and include many built-in features that let you maintain control over your child’s usage.
These types of phones will be more appropriate and affordable, because they won’t use cutting-edge technology found on new smartphones. Instead, they’ll be simple and easy to use.
Parental control features
Many kid-friendly devices will have parental control software built in. This sort of software allows parents to make sure their child is staying safe while using the internet.
There are many different types of parental control softwares which you can download, and each one will vary in what it offers. But for the most part, these programmes will allow you to:
- Restrict access to inappropriate content on apps and web browsers
- Block certain websites and explicit material
- Monitor what your child searches for online
- See your child’s calls and text messages
- Set time limits
- Check and track your child’s location
Size
For children, it’s better they have a phone that can fit in their hand, pocket, or bag. If it’s too big, they simply won’t be able to use it properly, and there’s a greater chance they’ll drop and damage it.
For younger users, look for phones with a screen size of around five inches, as this will be easier for them to hold and portable.
Durability
You may also wish to invest in a phone designed to withstand water submersion in case of any incidents. Look for an IP rating to see if the phone is waterproof.
On the subject of dropping, you may also want to purchase a phone that can withstand drops. Hammer specialises in creating strong and durable phones that are both water resistant and drop resistant. Looking for a sturdy phone case will also help to protect the phone.
Battery life
Lastly, you should check how long the battery can last on the phone.
If you get a smartphone with a small battery capacity, your child could run out of charge while out and about, and be unable to contact you. Just in case, you should look for a phone with a large enough battery life to last most of the day.
Just getting a big battery isn’t everything - we have some handy tips on how to make your battery last longer.
Tablets for kids
If you’re looking for a different type of device, you can check out some of our kid-friendly tablet recommendations.
What to look out for in a SIM
Before buying a SIM, you’ll need to decide on what sort of allowances you want your child to have.
- How many minutes do you want them to have each month?
- How many texts do you want them to be able to send each month?
- Do you want them to have mobile data to access the internet while away from home? If so, how much?
Bundles with data are usually more expensive than those without. Also, the more mobile data you want, the more expensive the bundle will typically be.
For children, you might not want to spend the extra money on a bundle with mobile data. Data isn’t strictly needed at a young age, and if they need to contact you, they can still call and text. Further, there is a danger they could exceed their data allowance, which could cost you extra each month.
We recommend you stick with a data-free bundle for younger users.
Asda mobile’s child-friendly SIMAt Asda mobile, we have a £4 talk-and-text SIM plan which is ideal for children. This bundle includes unlimited minutes and texts, so you’ll never have to worry about your child being unable to contact you. With up to 99% UK population coverage, they’ll always be able to reply to a message or answer a phone call. And with no data, your child will stay off the internet when they’re away from home, so you never have to worry about their online safety. Once your SIM has arrived, all you have to do is register it online for your child, and then you can manage it yourself to maintain control over their usage each month. For just £4, it’s the perfect starter kit for any kid! Order your £4 talk-and-text SIM today. |
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More SIMs with Asda mobile
If your child is older, or, perhaps, more familiar with using a phone, you might want to purchase a SIM with a small data allowance for them to use.
We have a number of bundles with varying data allowances, as well as a few unlimited data SIMs to choose from. However, if you’re only after a small data allowance, you’ll be most interested in our 1GB data bundle for £5 per month and our 3GB data bundle for £7 per month. As our bundles last one calendar month, you can always increase or decrease their allowance as you see fit.
If they need a little bit more data in a month, you could always grab an add-on through My Account. If this keeps happening though, you should consider upgrading your bundle.
If you’re not sure how much data would be best for your child, you can review how much 1GB of data would last.
Discover more
You may want to read about the benefits of a SIM only bundle before choosing to invest in one for your child. These are flexible, affordable, and easy to control.
For parents, we have a list of app recommendations you may want to download. These will help with things like education, schoolwork, online safety, outdoor safety, chores, managing finances, co-parenting, and more. With recommendations for all ages, these sanity-saving apps might make your life as a parent a little easier.
If you’re buying your child or teenager a phone, you also might want to brush up on text acronyms and slang. At least then you’d know what they mean when they text back: GTG I’m lowkey shook.
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