I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my daughter, who is turning 11 this summer, wants a cell phone. I haven’t seen the need for one nor had the funds to invest in one up to this point. I have, however, heard some interesting things about cell phones for kids and I decided to do a little research on them.
It turns out several cell phone companies have phones geared specifically for the younger crowd, the much younger crowd.
This will be the information for those parents that feel their child is ready for the responsibility and priviledge of owning a phone of their own.
Among the many options out there, I will compare the features, advantages and disadvantages of three phones geared for kids.
First I will talk about Firefly Mobile. They have a few phones, including one that has all the bells and whistles of an adult phone. The one I want to tell you about first is perfect for the really young or barely tweens. It is called the Glowphone.
This phone has only a few keys with no keypad. It has a mom and a dad key which I think is so clever! It has a parent programmed phone book for up to twenty contacts. Parents can set up the phone so only those in that list can ring the phone. There is a 911 button on the side for added safety. It also comes in pink or black.
This is a very clever and cute phone for those kids just starting out in the world of cell phones. It sells online and at Target for about $50. It is a prepaid phone with no contracts and no activation fees.
Downside to this phone? It won’t grow with your child. You’ll have to upgrade at some point to a full-feature phone with a dial pad and the ability to text and so forth. This isn’t really a huge downside considering most people do upgrades on their phones every couple of years anyway. It should last the tween years for sure.
For the full feature phone, you’ll want the Fly phone by the way.
It really has everything a teenager would want including texting, games, music and a camera. It also has a morphing keypad that changes from a gaming pad to a keypad for dialing. It runs about $100.
The last phone is by Kajeet.
This phone is just amazing and my favorite! Not only is it a real phone with a dial pad but the parent has complete control over everything. Check this out!
- Time Manager lets you, the parent, decide when the phone will and won’t be used.
- Contact Manager lets you set up which calls to accept and which to block.
- It is also pay as you go, so no contracts.
- All the parental control features are FREE and easy to use.
- They have different plans for kids who use their phones differently, like those crazy texters who text about everything and nothing and the kids who talk ALL the time plus those that don’t.
- One of the best features is the GPS locator. The first 3 months are free and after that it is $9.99 a month. You can always find the phone and of course your child.
- Nationwide coverage is by Sprint.
- You can purchase minutes in different ways, whatever suits you including using Paypal.
- These phones start at $19.99!
- NO contracts or activation fees and you can change plans at any time.
So, when you and your child are ready, the options are wonderful!
Written on May 25th, 2009 at 8:27 am by Amy
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