What age should a kid get a phone?

As a parent, getting your kid a phone can be a huge milestone in your child’s life — a symbol of independence and a step toward adulthood (cue “Cat’s in the Cradle”). But to answer the question of at what age should a child get a phone, you’d have to look at your own child’s maturity level and responsibilities. Are they frequently on the go between various extracurricular activities and a phone would help you keep in touch? Are they constantly losing precious items and can’t be trusted with an important device? These are just a few factors when considering what age should be kid phone time. So while the average kid typically gets their first phone at age 11, ultimately it’s up to you, the parent, to decide when your child is ready. 

Read on for our tips on why kids should get a phone, how you can tell if they’re ready for their first phone and more.

What age should kids get a phone?

Between the ages of 10 to 12, kids are more likely to be open to sharing information with their parents and listening to following phone use rules laid out by their parents. Which is something that gives most parents, like you, peace of mind when their kid starts using their phone and takes their first steps toward independence (Mintdepence, if you will). 

But perhaps your child is not mature enough at age 11 to take care of an expensive object like a phone. Or perhaps at age 10, they’re enrolled in multiple afterschool programs that using a phone to keep in contact is almost a necessity. It really is up to the individual child and their parents to figure out the right age. Our research has also shown that the top reasons most parents want to give their phone are in case of emergencies and for general communication, so if you think your child needs a phone for those reasons, it might be time to get their first phone. And while, as a parent, you may never be 100 percent onboard with giving your kid a phone, looking at the primary reasons a kid may need one will help guide your decision.

How can parents tell if their kids are ready for their first cell phone?

Here are a few signs that your child might be ready for their first cell phone:

• They look after their possessions: Perhaps you’ve given them an expensive bike or they’ve been taking care of their instrument for band class really well. If your kid has proven they can be in charge of and take care of an expensive object of equal value to a phone, it might be a sign they’re ready to get one.

• They need it for school or afterschool activities: A surprising amount of schools are incorporating phone apps in their lesson plans. Perhaps your child is one of them and a phone is a necessity for the classroom. Or, as mentioned earlier, perhaps they’re in so many school activities that a phone would be a way for them to stay connected to you as they go from extracurricular to extracurricular.

• They have good self control: Is your kid good at regulating themselves? Do they have the willpower to turn off the TV when it’s homework time, or say no to spending time with friends when they have chores around the house? (We wish we had that level of self control). Self control will be very important once they get their own phone and need to regulate how much screen time they have. As we mentioned earlier, during the ages of 10 to 12, kids are more likely to follow the phone rules you lay down. If your kid can follow the rules for chores and homework, perhaps they’re ready to follow the rules for using their first cell phone.

• They know how to stay safe online: Does your kid know not to give out their personal address and other sensitive information? Do they know to only connect with people they know IRL? If so, perhaps they’re ready to handle the responsibility of staying safe on their phone.

Lastly, as a parent, you might want to ask yourself if you are ready to set boundaries and rules regarding your child’s phone, including parent controls and checking who your child is talking to? If you’re not ready, chances are your kid isn’t ready either.

Why should kids have phones?

While your kids may want a phone to play games or text their friends, there are many good reasons you as a parent might want to get them a phone:

• Safety: A phone makes it so your kid can get in touch with you if there’s an emergency or some other kind of urgent matter. You can also track their location or, if they get lost, they can use an app like Google Maps for directions. According to our research, this is the No. 1 reason parents want to give their kids phones.

• Connection: Is soccer practice running late? Did your kid forget their bassoon at home? Now they can send over a text to let you know.

• Responsibility: Phones are a great tool to teach responsibility – they’ll need to learn to take care of their phone and stay within the phone plan you’ve purchased for them. You could also make having a phone a reward for budgeting their money properly or hitting specific academic goals. According to Pew, setting goals is key to successfully saving money.

• Education: While not everything on the internet is educational (the biggest understatement ever), smartphones do give kids access to a wealth of information, from language apps to YouTube tutorials that can help with their math homework.

• Socialization: Probably the main reason your kid wants a phone — to keep in touch with friends. Much of today’s socializing happens online, so this is a great way to keep your kids in touch with their friends. But there are also ways you can use different apps to ensure your kids stay safe while still being social.

When they’re at the right age for their first phone, we’ve got you

Now that you’ve seen all the reasons you might want to purchase a phone (or phone plan) for your kid, we’ve got you. Check out the best phones for kids and phone plans for kids to take those next steps toward phone Mintdependence. You might also want to check out our no-contract Mint Kids plan, which allows parents to monitor and manage their kid’s wireless account. Sound good? Tap the button below to learn more about Mint (and even more reasons we’re a great choice for that first phone plan).