Summary: There are a variety of pros and cons for smartphones for kids under age 14. The pros and cons depend on factors unique to the child and their family, and revolve around issues related to education, communication, safety, mental health, and personal responsibility.
Key Points:
- National polls show 81% of parents give their child a smartphone before age 12.
- 42% of parents say their child had their own/was primary user of a tablet by age 5.
- 15% of parents say their child had their own/was primary user of a smartphone by age 5.
- Expert advice and research identifies advantages and disadvantages to giving smartphones to children before age 14.
How Do I Decide on Whether to Give My Child a Smartphone?
In 2025, default consensus is that kids don’t need smartphones until high school, which typically means around age 14. However, many parents think it’s okay to give smartphones to kids when they get to middle school, which typically means around age 12. In some cases, though – far more than we expected, based on the data we share above – kids younger than age 12 have their own smartphone or are the primary/sole users of a smartphone.
Is that okay?
The answer depends on the child. When considering giving a child under age 12 a smartphone – and by that we mean a phone that can connect to the internet and is capable of running social media apps – we encourage parents to consider their child’s level of:
- Maturity. Parents should ask themselves if their child has shown healthy behavior and habits when using other digital devices around the home, such as tablets, laptops, and other people’s phones.
- Responsibility. Parents can think of other areas of life, such as school, extracurricular activities, and family chores to gauge their readiness. When a child under 12 shows they can do things like make their own lunch (sometimes), do laundry, and do basic housework/yardwork in a timely, reliable, and trustworthy manner, they may be ready for a smartphone.
- Need. Children engaged in several after school activities – sports, music, clubs – and/or children who change buses several times on the way to/from school, and/or children who take public transportation or walk to/from school may need a smartphone to connect with parents or other caregivers to coordinate rides or let parents know about schedule changes/transportation needs.
Parents should consider the level of maturity, responsibility, and need before making a decision about smartphones for kids under age 14.
The Pros and Cons of Smartphones for Kids Under Age 14
We reviewed scores of articles and resources on this topic and identified the following four advantages associated with giving kids under age 14 a smartphone.
Smartphones for Kids Under 14: Advantages
1. Education.
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- Organization. Kids can use smartphone apps to improve their ability to track and complete school assignments. This can be especially helpful to children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who have problems with memory and follow through related to attention and impulsivity.
- Access to resources. In class or outside of class, a smartphone – or any internet-connected device – in the hands of a child motivated to learn is nothing short of revolutionary. That’s not an exaggeration. An academic high-achiever has free unlimited access to every course offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through their Free OpenCourseWare. A student with different strengths has free, instant access to basic tutorials on any subject – from counting to calculus – through resources like the Khan Academy.
- Rural kids/kids in underserved areas. Smartphone use can provide kids in rural/underserved areas access to the resources we list above, which may not be available in rural schools, whether public or private.
- Personalized and assistive apps. Kids with learning challenges, diagnosed learning disabilities, or other issues can access content tailored to their specific educational needs and goals.
2. Safety.
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- Real Emergencies. In a real-life emergency, kids can contact first responders immediately by dialing 911. Non-smartphones can make these calls, too, of course, but it’s important to remember that regular phone calls are part of smartphones, as opposed to tablets or iPads, which are common among school-age kids.
- Non-threatening emergencies. With a smartphone, kids in a kid- or school- or family-related emergency can get in touch with parents immediately via call, app, or text. See comment above.
3. Connection
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- Meet new friends. Kids can connect with peers locally or worldwide, on-demand, via favored internet-based apps.
- Creativity. They can collaborate on creative projects – video, writing, music, visual art – with peers worldwide on-demand, via favored internet-based apps.
- Hobbies and interests. They can connect with peers with niche interests, no matter how broad or narrow, also through internet-based apps.
Evidence shows moderate and responsible smartphone use “…may strengthen social connections and provide access to support from interpersonal relationships and communities, which may, in turn, improve psychological wellbeing.”
4. Independence.
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- Your trust. If they’re ready, giving your kid a smartphone can make them feel mature and responsible, simply because of the trust and confidence you show by allowing them to have their own smartphone. The more you trust them to make good decisions, the more confidence they’ll have that they can make good decisions.
- Promote exploration. With a smartphone with appropriate parental controls, kids can access Ted talks, podcasts, or information on topics they’re interested in beyond typical school subjects.
- Encourage new interests. With a smartphone with appropriate parental controls, kids can explore safe sites and learn new things about the world, and about themselves, that they may not have without internet access.
In addition to advantages, we identified the following five disadvantages associated with giving kids under age 14 a smartphone.
Smartphones for Kids Under 14: Disadvantages
Research shows that spending too much time on a smartphone – 3 hours or more per day – can lead to problematic use that can resemble addiction, but no official medical or scientific body recognizes excess/problem smartphone use as an addiction. However, spending too much time on a smartphone or any digital device – also 3 hours or more per day – can increase risk of mental health disorders.
In addition, kids under age 14 with smartphones may encounter:
1. Inappropriate content.
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- Entertainment. This includes visual art, literature, or any medium that may include mature content only suitable for adults, including pornography.
- Mental health. Unrestricted access to social media apps can expose kids to information that can promote and/or facilitate self-harm and/or suicidality. In addition, interacting with chatbots about mental health is not safe and can cause harm.
- With a smartphone, kids may be exposed to communication styles and norms – e.g. sexting, sending intimate pictures – that aren’t appropriate.
2. Access to risk-promoting content.
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- Mature promoters promote mature behavior. Access to a smartphone means kids may encounter content intended for adults that condones behavior, activity, or habits far beyond their developmental stage and ability to comprehend/process/identify as unhealthy/inappropriate.
- Alcohol/substances. Kids may encounter content that glorifies/celebrates excess/heedless use of intoxicants
- Access to a smartphone means kids may encounter/see behavior around relationships – peer, family, romantic – that’s unhealthy and beyond their developmental stage.
- Values
3. Risk of online predators.
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- Sexual. Criminals use the internet to target, abduct, and traffic children. They’ll also target vulnerable children and attempt to convince them to engage in virtual sexual activity and/or send/share/look at inappropriate pictures.
- Criminals use the internet to target people who don’t safeguard their identity or financial information online. Children under 12 may unwittingly reveal information about their family that can increase risk of online fraud and identity theft.
4. Exposure to dangerous viral trends.
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- Remember the Tide Pod Challenge. With smartphone access, children may encounter popular behaviors – i.e. viral trends – that look fun or cool or harmless but aren’t.
5. Developmental issues.
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- Fine motor control. Kids at school age are still developing fine motor skills, which traditional educational activities such as writing with pencil and paper enhances. These skills also promote overall brain development.
- In-person communication. If a child relies on a chat app, texting, or video to communicate with peers, this may impair their overall ability to talk, listen, and connect with peers, family, and teachers.
- Excess smartphone use is associated with increased loneliness, which itself is associated with increased risk of mental health disorders such as depression.
- Reduced activity/obesity. It’s easy for a child to choose passive entertainment over active participation in activities, including fun outdoor activities such as sports, riding bikes, and exploring the neighborhood with peers. Kids who don’t get enough daily activity are at risk of developing obesity, which is associated with a wide range of chronic diseases and conditions.
Parents: Teaching Kids Internet and Smartphone Safety is Your Responsibility
We outline the advantages and disadvantages of giving a smartphone to a child under age 12 above. For an overview on smartphone safety for kids from a different source, please read this article from Common Sense Media:
Cellphones and Devices: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
If you’ve never thought this through before, please watch this quick video primer on smartphones for kids under age 14, also from Common Sense Media:
Kids and Tech: When to Get a Phone
In closing, we’ll remind parents that it’s possible to have the best of all worlds: a child can have a smartphone at an early age while significantly mitigating risk. There are several companies that offer smartphones with the following features:
- Total screen time controls
- App blocking
- Website blocking
- Email monitoring
- Text monitoring
These phones can monitor texts and emails for inappropriate content, and alert parents when kids send/receive texts or emails with specific off-limits or unacceptable content parents identify ahead of time. To find the right phone for your family, simply search for “phone with best parental control.”
Remember – smartphone or no smartphone – it’s never too early to teach your kids about the importance of online safety.
