Used Cell Phones Make Great First Phones For Kids

Cell phones are everywhere you look these days, even in the hands of young children. If you're a parent that has a child that is asking for a phone, you're probably wondering what the best way is to go about getting them a phone. Cell phones are not necessary for kids to have, but as kids get older it can be advantageous for them to have a cell phone for emergencies and so that parents can keep tabs on their kids. They make "checking in" much easier and keep kids from having an excuse to always let parents know where they are.

There are phones on the market that are designed specifically for kids. They are typically the most basic of all phones and some only allow calls to be made to a limited number of pre-programmed numbers. These are great for young children to use for emergencies, but chances are that older children and teens will want a "real" phone - that is to say, one with actual numbers on the keypad and an address book to store phone numbers for their friends.. The bottom line is that even if you opt for a kiddie phone, at some point they will grow out of it and will need a more advanced phone. So, why not begin with a regular phone in the first place?

However, cell phones are not cheap and many parents are apprehensive to buy a nice phone for their kids as children are more likely to lose or break the phone. This is where used cell phones can be provide the functionality they need while not requiring parents to spend a decent chunk of change on a new one. Used phones are available for any network, so no matter what provider your family currently uses, you should be able to find a phone. If you use T-Mobile, there are a number of used T-Mobile phones available.

In fact, getting your kid an "adult" phone can provide additional peace of mind. These phones can be found with GPS which will allow emergency personnel to find your child in the case of an emergency. Older children will appreciate other features, such as text messaging capabilities and cameras.

If you are concerned about your child's ability to use the phone within the limits of your contract, consider a phone that works with a prepaid plan. The other option is to take advantage of the parental controls that many companies offer which allow parents to block features such as internet browsing or downloading ring tones. These features are relatively easy to take advantage of and generally come at no additional cost. They can be canceled at any time, so once you feel like your child can be trusted to use their phone properly, they can have the "real" phone they've always wanted.

So, when looking for a used cell phone for your child, rest assured that you can get the phone with the features that your child wants and that you'll always have the option to turn off features if they are abused.