Is your child ready for a smartphone? Parents have different opinions on the right age for a child to have a smartphone, but children may be ready for a smartphone earlier than most parents think.
Children as young as 2 years can use smartphones. They see either their parents or older siblings using them, and of course they want to as well. They may only use a smartphone for 10 minutes a day, but they are learning how to handle the keys and touchscreen at this age.
By the time they reach 11 years old, they may be ready for a smartphone of their own. Most parents either give in and buy one, or wait until their child is a teenager. They do have concerns, since many teenagers use smartphones over three hours a day, and would rather give up watching television than their phone.
Kids do use their smartphones a lot, but they are using them for more than just entertainment. From ages 2 to 10, average kids use educational material on a media device a third of their time and play an educational game once a week. The response has been more apps geared towards educational items, including building vocabulary and math skills.
The increase of children using smartphones beyond education worries some parents. They want to make sure that their kid doesn’t go on an app that is unsuitable. In response to this problem, new smartphones from carriers such as T-Mobile, like the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge feature a Kids Mode that parents can use to lock adult apps. The phone becomes kid-friendly.
Still unsure about your child having a smartphone? Check out this infographic showing trends on children and smartphone use.
How old was your child when they got their first smart phone?
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