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Your child’s first phone

How to keep your child safe when they get their first phone.

Practical advice to help you introduce your child to the digital world

Every child learns about technology differently, so prepare them by exploring it together. Build their confidence by talking about kindness, privacy and thinking critically about what they see online, while role modelling the healthy digital habits you'd like them to develop.

As your child grows, keep the conversation going about the games, apps and people they interact with online. These small, regular chats will help them make safer choices and give them the skills to enjoy technology with confidence.

When you feel your child is ready, choosing the right device is the next step. Looking beyond the features to the safety tools and settings available can help set them up for a positive digital experience.

When should a child get their first phone?

Every child is different, and all sorts of factors will affect when they’re ready to start using the internet safely. But when as a parent you decide the time is right for your child to have their first phone, there are a few things you can do to help them stay safe.

What type of device should they have?

Choose a phone that suits what your child needs now, rather than one with every feature available from day one. A basic phone may be enough for calls and texts, while a smartphone with parental controls can be set up with limited apps and features. You can gradually increase access as their confidence and maturity grow, and their needs change. Take a look at the Internet Matters mobile phone safety checklist for more tips on choosing the right first phone for your child.

Find out more

Parental controls

Using parental controls helps to keep inappropriate content safely away from children. You can add various controls, from network restrictions to device-level protection. These Internet Matters parental controls guides offer advice on setting controls for lots of platforms and devices, while our help pages can help you choose the right network controls to keep kids safe.