Simple Phones & Watches
We encourage families to delay mobile phones as long as possible and then take it slowly. As parents, there may come a time when we want to be able to communicate with our kids on the go, but we also want to avoid unnecessary risks, harms, and nonstop distractions so our kids are safe and healthy. No mobile communication options are perfect, but we do have some choice.
To help parents understand the options and choose the least amount of tech to meet changing communication needs, we created a matrix that outlines the range of current options. The phones and watches below allow your child to stay in touch (with Grandma!) while avoiding unnecessary risks and needless distractions.
The matrix above shows several alternatives ranging from no mobile phone to a stripped-down iPhone. The toggle icons (in black or green) indicate additional features that can be enabled or turned off, depending on the product.
Basic features like calling and texting can meet the communication needs of children and families, and many products can be set up without additional features and apps that often become an unhelpful distraction. Keep in mind Apple iPhones are designed for adults, so they require an increased level of understanding and management to keep kids safe.
When we say simple, this is what we mean…
OK
on phone or watch:
Talk & Text
Video calls
Location Services
Basic Tools
like map, weather, calendar,
essential health monitors
NOT YET
on phone or watch:
Social media:
like Instagram,
Snapchat, TikTok, & Discord
YouTube
Internet browser
Video games
Pick a phone that meets your basic needs with the least added features. Each basic phone has different pros and cons so do your homework! One approach is to pick 2-3 options you’d be happy with and then consider having your tween or teen make the final choice so that their voice is included as well. It’s also helpful to leverage collective action: see if you can pick the same phone with other parents from your child’s friend group, class, or grade.
When it comes to kids and phones, our top suggestions to parents are:
Take it slowly. Very, very slowly. Delay mobile phones and smartwatches as long as you can. Having a landline is a great delay tactic!
Keep it simple! More apps and features on a mobile device means MORE parenting for you plus more distraction and risk for your child. Delay unnecessary features - determine the essential need you’re trying to address, and provide the minimum tech to meet that need but nothing more. For example, if the need is to communicate with parents and friends, roll out a phone or watch that enables calling and texting only. Think outside the box - if your child only needs to be reachable occasionally, consider starting with a “mobile home phone” that your child “checks out” for occasional purposes.
Set up any phone or smartwatch for a young user before handing it over to your child. Most phones are set up by default for adults, not kids.
Find inventive ways to take collective action so it’s easier to meet basic communication needs while avoiding harm. For example, see if parents around you want to get the same Tin Can landline or pick the same basic phone or smartwatch so herd mentality flips toward the greater good!
Together let’s reclaim childhood for its developmental purpose: to play, be outdoors, develop life skills and competence, and spend time IRL with other people. A phone should be a helpful tool to support these goals, not displace them.
For more guidance around this topic visit our page on Giving a First Phone.
Considering an iPhone?
iPhones are designed and intended for adult use but they can be set up to be more age appropriate for a young user. Parents/caregivers need to know that choosing an iPhone for a child requires the parent to have a good amount of tech knowledge (or the willingness to learn), a high level of continued vigilance, and ongoing fortitude. Read more about setting up a first iPhone here.
Setting up an iPhone to be configured as a simple phone. You can enable only texting, FaceTime, and phone calls while choosing to remove the App Store, Internet access (Safari), as well as time-zapping apps like YouTube, video games, and social media. The key to success is removing the App Store!
Watch how to set up a barebones iPhone for a child so the iPhone only allows talking, texting, and basic tools without all the distractions.
Or, if your child already has an iPhone with too much on it, watch our tutorial about how to reel in access and remove distracting apps from your child’s iPhone. This video explains how to remove the Internet, video games, and social media.
Additional Resources
Explore more details about phone and smartwatch alternatives via these links from our allies:
From Turning Life On: updated comparisons of various options, including prices
From Wait Until 8th: short blurbs about various smartphone alternatives
From author Catherine Price: a blog dedicated to smartphone alternatives
Kids IRL (in real life) is a Marin County-wide coordinated effort to keep digital tech in check and roll it out more slowly to our children - so screens don’t crowd out essential childhood activities. By changing local norms together, we reduce pressure on parents and kids, protect our children’s mental health, and improve family life.
Help Marin youth thrive by supporting Kids IRL! Make a tax-deductible donation today.
We are looking for funding options and grant opportunities. If you are interested in joining our Kids IRL fundraising team, email us.
Where to Next?
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Kids IRL Phone Pact
Commit to basic phones until high school - as a community!
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About Kids IRL
About Kids IRL - coordinated action in Marin!
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Family Guidelines
Be part of a community solution!