Your questions answered: first mobile phones for kids

So, you’ve decided it’s time for the child in your life to get their first mobile phone. Exciting, right? But how can you keep them safe? What device has the features you need? If you’re looking for practical answers to common questions, you’re in the right place.

1. How can I help keep them safe?

Talk to them: An open conversation about the risks they might encounter now that they have their own device is the way to go. Keep the conversation open – maybe you don’t have all the answers, but it’s a great chance to do some research together. Try role-playing scenarios. Ask, “You get a message request from a stranger on [relevant app] – what do you do?” or “A friend in your chat group sends an inappropriate image – how do you react?”

Know how to report: Reporting inappropriate content is a key skill for anyone exposed to content and strangers online Each app is different, and if the platform’s response isn’t enough, you might want to take further action. It’s a great life skill and very empowering to know we have the tools to control the content we’re exposed to

Check privacy settings: A simple but effective tool is the privacy settings on devices and apps. Location settings, app permissions, sharing options, and app integrations are all things that you and your child can check periodically to ensure their accounts are private and only accessible to friends and family.

Utilise safety features: Teach kids how to use safety features like blocking unknown numbers, and content filters. There are lots of apps to help with this. Another good idea is to program important numbers into their phone, including family members and emergency services. Encourage them to use these contacts in case of an emergency.

Check out Apple’s safety guide for tips relevant to iOS devices

Australian Signals Directorate tips and resources for securing your device

2. Prepaid vs upfront vs postpaid plan – what’s best?

A common question we hear is about which plan is best for kids getting their first phone - prepaid, upfront, or postpaid. Let’s walk through the features of each to help you make an informed choice.

Prepaid plans

A prepaid plan is where you pay in advance for a set amount of usage. Here are some differences that may be relevant for your family:

• Control over spending: You can allocate your child a budget, and when it runs out there will be no unexpected charges. 
• Usage monitoring: Kids can learn to manage their usage within the limits of the prepaid plan, promoting responsible phone use.
• No contracts: Prepaid plans don't require long-term contracts so you can cancel anytime.
• Flexibility: For a first phone, often you don’t know how much data or minutes is needed. A prepaid plan is flexible and can be adjusted as you go. 

Upfront plans

Like a prepaid plan, an upfront mobile plan is flexible because you can change or cancel anytime. You’re paying at the start of each billing cycle, rather than anytime like you would a prepaid. Upfront plans are particularly appealing to families for a few reasons:

• No excess data charges: An agreed monthly payment means you’re never shocked by a bill.
• Option for data bundling: If you have multiple plans in your family, bundling can be a good cost saving measure. Learn more about bundle plans.
• Flexibility: Change or cancel your plan anytime.

Postpaid Plans

As the name implies, a postpaid plan is where you pay for usage at the end of the billing cycle.

• Consistent billing: A regular monthly bill can be a convenient way to manage the family budget.
• Higher data allowance: Often, postpaid plans include more data, and once the limit is reached, your child still has access at a slower speed.
• Family plan: Some postpaid plans offer family bundle options, allowing multiple numbers under one account – this can be cost-effective.

Your choice of plan ultimately depends on many factors personal to your family. Consider your budget, usage, age of the child, and what your family is already using to find a mobile plan that meets your needs and expectations.

3. How much data will they need?

Settling on a data limit will depend on a few factors. Age will probably be a guide – and what the phone is used for. Here are some points to consider:

• Does your family use messaging apps to coordinate with each other? Or will SMS and phone calls suffice? If the phone is mainly for calls and not for accessing apps and social media, data allowance may be less important.
• Will your child have access to Wi-Fi throughout the day? This will help keep usage down.
• How about usage away from Wi-Fi, what will the phone be used for? Streaming music on public transport? Watching movies? Using maps for directions? 
• What apps will they mostly use, and how data-intensive are they? Generally, video uses more data than streaming music, and scrolling social media and the internet uses even less. 

What content uses the most data?

4. How can I guide my child towards healthy screen habits?

Curbing screen time is tough enough for adults to do, let alone kids. Evidence shows that excessive screen time has unique impact on a child’s development, impacting their cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth. So what a great opportunity to set them up from the start with healthy habits – and boost your own while you’re at it.

A good place to start is working with the child on agreeing on a set of ground rules, like their own phone contract. Check out the guide over at Cyber Safety Project. We’ve also covered this topic in more detail in our article Balancing screen time for families. For help creating a family media plan, check eSafety Commissioner’s Family Tech Agreement.

5. Is a smartwatch a good alternative to a phone?

A smartwatch can be a great alternative, particularly for younger kids who need access to key safety and communication features, but not the full functionality of a mobile phone.

There are other benefits of a smartwatch. GPS tracking allows you to check a child’s location in real-time. Often the ability for calling and texting. Some smartwatches are designed specifically for kids, meaning they’re hardy and come with robust parental controls.

An example of a popular kids smartwatch the Spacetalk Adventurer 2.

6. What can I do to protect their phone from loss and damage?

Accidents happen! But with phones, those accidents can be costly. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimise the risk of loss and damage.

Talk to your child about the cost and value of having a mobile. Suggest they come up with ideas for protecting their device. Things like:

• Use a strong case or screen cover. Label the phone and/or case.
• Keep the phone somewhere safe in an enclosed compartment.
• Consider avoiding bringing the phone out in busy crowded spaces where it could be easily stolen.

There are also security measures you can install on the device that will help in case of loss or theft:

• Set up password protection. Help your child set up a strong unique password and consider additional measures like pin or biometric lock (fingerprint or facial recognition).
• Enable Find My Phone. Activate features like "Find My iPhone" for Apple devices or "Find My Device" for Android. They help locate the phone if it gets lost.
• Set up emergency phone numbers. Ensure these can be accessed even when the phone is locked.
• Install security software. Use apps that offer remote locking, wiping and tracking features to protect personal data.
• Regular backups. Encourage regular backups of important data to cloud services or a computer.

Learn more about security and safety for your device at eSafety Commissioner eSafety kids

Hopefully, these answers have you feeling good about this exciting next step! Keep checking in with the child in your life, and remember to go through these steps regularly. You’re on your way to setting them up with healthy digital habits, for life.