The decision of when to give your child a phone can be a tough one to make, but sooner or later it’s something that most kids would benefit from. Then comes the question of what phone to get them, and that can be every bit as challenging to figure out.
This will largely come down to what purpose you want the phone to serve – whether it’s just a way to keep in touch with them when you’re not with them, or also a way for them to use the internet and social media, play games, and stream music or video.
Below, you’ll find suggested phones in two categories. First up there’s feature phones – these are extremely basic and typically very cheap, with few features, but they will be enough to ensure your child can reach you and vice versa.
Then we’ll look at smartphones. In this section we’ve still limited it to more affordable and basic offerings, since in most cases a child probably doesn’t need a high-end handset. But these will give them a few more tools, including the means to stream music and video, making them a better fit if you want the phone to also be a source of entertainment.
Best feature phones for kids
The three phones below are very basic, very affordable, and ideal if you want a cheap device your child can text and call from. These are great options if you don't want your child on social networks, watching videos or browsing the internet.
Nokia 3210
The Nokia brand has always been a top choice for feature phones, and the Nokia 3210 (sometimes now sold as the HMD 3210) is no exception. This handset – which at the time of writing is available from various stores – has a 2.4-inch screen, physical buttons, and a durable design, so it can survive some drops and scrapes.
There’s a 2MP camera on the back and the classic game Snake built in, but for the most part this is purely for texting and calling, so if you don’t want your child to have access to apps and social media, the Nokia 3210 is an excellent choice.
Doro Leva L30
The Doro Leva L30 – available from Amazon and elsewhere – is another basic feature phone, but with a different form factor to the option above.
It’s a flip phone with a 2.8-inch screen, a 2MP camera, and support for Wi-Fi and 4G.
Doro phones tend to be marketed at the elderly, but with large buttons and a clear, simple interface this could equally be the ideal choice for a young child’s first phone.
HMD 2660 Flip
The HMD 2660 Flip can currently be found on O2 and elsewhere, and it’s an extremely basic flip phone, with a 2.8-inch colour screen, along with a secondary 1.77-inch external display.
It has a torch, a basic camera, and an FM radio, but is otherwise intended just for talking and texting, making it a great simple and basic option for children.
Like most feature phones, the Nokia 2660 Flip is also fairly durable and quite cheap.
Best smartphones for kids
The following three devices are slightly more advanced than the phones above, with touchscreens and access to apps on the Google Play store.
Motorola Moto G37
Motorola is one of the biggest names in low-end smartphones, and its G range particularly excels here.
The Motorola Moto G37 then is an excellent choice if you want your child to have a slightly more advanced phone than the options above, but without spending a fortune.
It has a 6.67-inch 120Hz screen, a 50MP rear camera, an 8MP selfie snapper, a 5,200mAh battery, and enough power to run basic games.
Since this runs Android, you can also get social media apps and streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix, so it’s a good choice if you want something that will also provide entertainment for your child. Oh, and at the time of writing it’s available from Three among other places.
Samsung Galaxy A57
The Samsung Galaxy A57 is another cheap smartphone choice, and this one can be found in various stores and direct from some networks.
It has a 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, a 5,000mAh battery, a trio of cameras on the back, a 12MP camera on the front, and plenty of storage, with up to 512GB built in. Plus, it even has dust and water resistance, so it can survive everyday adventures.
All that, and this is one of the cheaper modern smartphones you’ll find, so you don’t have to spend a fortune to get your child a capable handset.
Samsung Galaxy A17
If you like the idea of a Samsung smartphone but don’t need something as advanced as the handset above, then you might want to consider the even more affordable Samsung Galaxy A17.
This has a 6.5-inch 90Hz screen, a big 5,000mAh battery for all-day life, a triple-lens rear camera (led by a 50MP main sensor), and a 13MP front-facing camera. It also has a microSD card slot for expandable storage, so there’s a lot here despite this being one of Samsung’s most low-end smartphones.
So if you want your child to have an affordable smartphone from a big-name brand, give this one a look.
