Buying a Phone For Your Kids at Christmas
20/12/2021
3 Mins
Buying a Phone For Your Kids at Christmas
With Christmas approaching, a lot of people will be on the hunt for a phone for their child or young relative. There’s a lot of things to consider when buying someone their first phone, especially with how many devices there are to choose from. It may feel like you’re opening them up to a world outside of your control, and with all of the reports of social media addictions, however, it’s easier to protect these young users than ever before.
Many phone manufacturers have included a range of parental controls within the devices themselves, but also on wireless networks and on your home Wi-Fi. You can rest assured that you have done as much as possible to keep your children protected from anything damaging online. At Used Mobiles 4U, we’ve put together a guide for what you need to know when buying a used phone for a young person at Christmas.
Educate First!
Protective software is great to protect your youngsters and these should certainly be in place, but it’s important to educate yourself and the dangers on the internet. You can maybe explain the technological dangers of using websites in general and the privacy needed when sharing personal information. If you show them and talk them through using the phone, for example, downloading apps, signing up to social networks, etc. This way, you can see how they react and interact with the phone, hopefully encouraging them to surf the web safely.
Is Handing Down My Old iPhone a Good Idea?
Handing down your old phone may be a good idea; however, the latest versions of iOS and Android software on newer phones are more secure. The best option would be to buy a device that has the most recent version of updates of privacy or parental settings. A second-hand phone is a better option, the retailer will have updated the phone to the latest software and it will be wiped of all information, so it works like a brand new phone.
How Much Should I Spend on a First Phone?
To say that there are many phones to choose from would be an understatement; this is where you need to narrow it down by looking at the specifications and features of each one.
Allocating a price range would be the best place to start, as spending £300 would be far too much for anybody that new to owning a smartphone. We would recommend not spending over £300 on a first phone for a young person. First, they need to learn the responsibility for the device. Maybe look closer to £200 because you can still get a feature-filled device for that price, just in time for Christmas.
Allowing your child to have their phone means you’ll always have a way to contact them when you need them. But, providing them with knowledge surrounding the phone will help them learn the value of the device and the safety that is needed. At Used Mobiles 4U, we have a range of fully secure and refurbished phones that can make the perfect Christmas gift.
