Best Phones For Kids 9 to 12
Getting a phone for your tween?
Many kids begin to express more interest in getting a phone in preadolescence, or pre-teen years. This is common as these ‘tween’ years fit right in-between childhood & being a teenager and children begin to express more independence. A phone with parental controls offers benefits for not only your child but also for parents and caregivers. You can track your child’s location, approve contacts on the phone, and stay in contact with your child as they explore more of the world around us.
Best Phones For Tweens
Let’s take a look at some of the best phones for kids aged 9 to 12.
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For more information on these kids’ phone options, please see below.
Phones For 9 & 10 Year Olds
As kids ease into their preadolescence years and their desire for independence grows, they will likely begin to express interest in getting a phone. Whether texting with friends & family or helping with schoolwork, a phone adds a lot of independence & responsibility for kids.
When considering whether your 9 or 10 year old should have a phone, it’s important to consider their maturity level, responsibility, and the potential risks that come with owning a smartphone. Parental oversight, and setting clear rules and limitations on phone usage, can help create a healthy and balanced relationship with technology.
Phones for 11 & 12 Year Olds
Tweens and pre-teens generally have a growing social life and are away from parental supervision more frequently. A phone not only allows your child to communicate with friends, but it also allows parents & caregivers to keep track of them. In addition to talk & text, all the kid’s phones covered here come equipped with GPS location tracking.
Children in this age range begin to express more interest in a wider variety of apps and activities on phones. Kids’ phones like Gabb & Pinwheel tend to have a harder time translating to kids in their tween & teen years due to their lack of an internet browser. The Bark Phone stands apart here as the only option that has a full app store, while simultaneously allowing parents to approve apps & limit internet & websites visited.
Alternatives to cell phones?
If you are against getting your child a phone, but would still love to be able to contact and text with your child, there are alternatives.
Many mobile carriers and manufacturers offer kid’s smartwatches. For example, T-Mobile has the XXXXXX, and Gabb Wireless not only makes a kid’s phone, but they also have a watch option.
Do not use devices like Apple Airtag to track your child’s location.
| The Bark Phone is the best phone for kids under 9. Bark's powerful Operating System, flexibility, and monitoring AI make it a good, safe phone for young children and the first phone for your kid. The phone's flexibility makes it so that parents can limit the phone to talk & text only, or, only allow a few apps that you deem appropriate. |
| Gabb Wireless While not our favorite, they're still a good option for younger kids. The lack of internet access, internet browsers, and an app store make this good if you want a phone that only has the essentials - talk, text, GPS tracking, and a kid first approach to funcionality. |
| Troomi If you're wondering why Troomi is rated higher overall, but lower for young kids - it's because Troomi does a better job allowing flexibility to grow with your child in the long term, but Gabb's limitations are better for young children in the short term. |
| Pinwheel A good phone that allows some flexibility as your child grows. The lack of internet and a full app store is ideal for children under 9. |