Phone for a ten year old

[DocusDiplo]

Any ideas where I can get a phone for my child?
I get a phone on contract every two years so not sure where to look. I don't mind second hand but do not want to take a risk.
Shall I enable it to make phonecalls.
I want to get it in anticipation for high school and she will likely it use for Spotify and taking photos etc

watching with interest. I have a DC of similar age and was thinking I would get a non-smart phone to start off with - just texts and calls to keep in touch. If we went for a smartphone I would want a way to control what apps went on and top be able to see browsing history. A 10yo (especially mine) does not have the maturity to be given access to everything that a normal smartphone can access.

I've just been through this, got a phone for my DD for Xmas.

I ending up buying a 2nd hand iPhone 7 and a PAYG SIM card.

I'll make sure the parental controls are set as you're right I wouldn't want DD to have free access to the internet.

Do you not have an old phone they could use?

I bought DS a refurbed iPhone 6s and a ee payg sim so I can gift data from my EE plan.

Assuming and so far so good, he can take care of it, he will get a newer handset for going to high school next year for his birthday.

Bought from music magpie and no issue at all.

DS has an IPhone XR and he looks after it brilliantly. He had and IPhone SE before that and there wasn’t a scratch on it when he finished with it. I certainly can’t say the same for my phone! He has to ask permission before he downloads any apps and I can set restrictions for his phone from mine and also limit screen time or time on individual apps or websites.

Have you guys got any rules for your kids having phones? A few friends have said these ones:

1. No phones in bedrooms overnight
2. Parental access whenever required
3. Be kind, don't be nasty to anyone via texts etc (imagine your granny is reading it!)
4. Once you've used your data etc that's it for the month unless you pay for it. Put it on WiFi wherever possible to keep data use down.

Any other key ones?

If you get an android phone Google's familylink app is a must. I use it on my DD's phone. I can set curfews, see what apps she's been on, it alerts me when she downloads a new app, I can limit how much time she sets on a particular app

Bought my ds hauewei phone. It was a good price and has all the features he will us. We have a Microsoft pc so use Microsoft launcher on our phones. I have set ds' phone up as a child phone and get an email each week telling me what he has looked up on the internet and how long he has been on his phone.

Apps can be very useful and educational and also fun. So I would recommend buying phone with a good amount of space. My ds does not use his phone alot, I got it for preparing for secondary school. But I have found there are alot of apps I want him to have.

We always hand down our phones or buy refurbs online. Never apple because you don't get so much for your money. Pixels are very good value for money and a 2 is a great phone while being cheaper because it's not the latest.

I've bought from music magpie a couple of times, no problems.
We have a sim only contract from Tesco for 7.50 a month, but at ten they might not need that. Can connect to WiFi obviously for free

What have you done with your old phones OP? We gave DS an old iphone 5, that has previously been mine, and got him a new SIM card.

If you renew your contracts then keep an old phone for them?

My DS is 10 and wants a phone but I’m actually holding out because I don’t want him to have unfettered internet access and he’s smart enough to undo the controls etc. But he is making solo journeys so he needs to have one. A friend has given me an old phone so we use that for now.

Thanks for tips. Erm my phones seemed to die a sorry death after a couple of years (dropping them etc) so I don't have any to pass down. I will get one off music magpie.

I am mainly buying it as a toy rather than communication tool to be honest. I will use Google Familylink.

I don't want her to have tiktok but there seems to be ALOT of children with it (even 8 yr olds!). I am hopeful she will be happy with games and Spotify and fun apps for now. Will have to consider new rules for when she Does start pushing boundaries. But we are not there yet.