Best Dumb Phones for Smart Kids | Smart Parenting Tips

Kids today are highly interested in being connected; however, the tech industry has continually failed to provide secure solutions for them and their families. Adults' needs are of foremost priority when smartphone manufacturers design them.

Therefore when kids use smartphones, they can be victims of many repercussions that they do not realize. So, instead of smartphones, the best alternatives can be dumb phones for smart kids. These phones ultimately reduce cell phones' effect on a child's mental health.

Now, you might ask what a dumb phone is? Typical dumb phones are keyboard phones or flip phones, limiting internet access and can't run social media apps. The more straightforward functionalities of dumb phones reduce screen time.

So, getting a dumb phone for your kids keeps them away from the risks of cyber threats. Healthier screen habits help your kid lead a happy and healthy life.

This blog will discuss why you should not give your kids a smartphone, and let's discuss some ways that can prove effective in controlling your kid's smartphone addiction. In addition to this, we will be looking at the best dumb phones for smart kids.

Is it a good idea not to give kids smartphones at a young age?

The answer is simple. No, it isn't. It would be best if you didn't offer your kids their smartphones at a young age.

According to the "Smart kids, dumb phones organization:"

• 52% of teens between 16 and 17 years old use social media for more than three hours a day.
• Likewise, 37% of teens between 12 and 16 years old are engaged in sexting.
• Also, 45% of kids between 11 and 18 years use their phones after turning in.
• Also, 14% of families are experiencing a decline in their life satisfaction due to social media use for an hour a day.

From the above data, you can see that smartphone addiction has become the root cause of teen unhappiness. Not only that, but smartphones have also brought about the problem of cyberbullying and online harassment.

Cyberbullying and harassment affect one in three kids. Cyberbullying occurs on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. While social media can help kids express themselves, it can also cause harm.

Most of the social media platforms are free of cost. So, your kids can easily access them through their smartphones. When your kids have 24/7 easy access to social media through their smartphones, it can expose them to bullies, scammers, and cyber predators.

Moreover, smartphones have long-term effects that can hamper adult life. More than half of all adults have phone addictions. As adults, I don't think it is realistic to expect kids to develop healthy smartphone habits independently if we can't control our phone addictions.

So what can you do to mitigate the addiction to smartphones in kids? What smart move can you take? Stick with me, and I'll share with you some amazing hacks to keep your kids away from their phones.

How To Control Your Kids' Phone Addiction?

If you think your kids are addicted to their phones, here are the steps that you can take to control their smartphone addiction:

Step 1: Talk to your kids

The first thing you can do as a parent starts a conversation with your kids. Talk to them about phone usage and addiction. Warn them about the dangers of phone addiction. Check the smartphone screen time and try a day without your phone.

Step 2: Create house rules

Try spending more time together. That means try sitting together for dinner and lunch without phones. Make a house rule of no phones past bedtime. Allow your kids to use their smartphones only when you are around, and monitor your kid's screen activities while you can.

Step 3: Build good habits

Establish a 'toast rack' in your house to keep track of your child's device usage. You might not be familiar with this idea. Allocate a time limit for everyone to use their phones. As soon as the time limit exceeds, pick your phones and stack them somewhere, maybe a rack on the wall.

The small storage space should have extra storage for smartphone accessories, such as AirPods, chargers, or headphones. You can also keep the charging ports in your storage space.

A combined mobile phone spot at everyone's home is a good idea to limit screen time. A family is more likely to succeed in circumventing the limits you set by having a surprising amount of effort. You can make this approach more fun by imposing sanctions on those who fail to put their phone in the rack at the end of the timer.

Step 4: Last but not least; Detox

Instead of smartphones, the last thing you can do is provide dumb phones for smart kids. Dumb phones are just basic phones for your children that function as safety nets or training wheels around screen usage. Your kids can learn some skills from dumb phones, and using dumb phones can prepare the kids to be tech-savvy adults.

Now, you know that "A dumb phone is your kid's friend." However, choosing a phone from the pools of dumb phones available in the market for your kid can be a hectic task.

So, here I have given my top 5 picks for the best dumb phones for smart kids. Please keep scrolling to find out the most popular dumb phones for smart kids in 2021.

Top 5 Best Dumb Phones for Smart Kids

1. GABB Phone

The Gabb Phone has filled a gap in the mobile market that was urgently required. The Gabb phone, since it isn't connected to the Internet, shields your children from any harmful internet activity.

With a Gabb Phone, kids and teens can enjoy life without the demands and distractions of online cyberbullying, harassment, and screen addiction. It helps in reducing screen time and allows your kids to accomplish real-world tasks.

Gabb Phones have 14 apps altogether: music, phone, messaging, camera, video, gallery, FM radio, contacts, clock, voice recorder, calendar, calculator, and file manager. Gabb phones are anti-social media as it doesn't have any social media apps, no games, and thus no worries.

Features of GABB Phone

Some of the features of GABB Phone include:

• It doesn't have social media apps.
• GABB Phones are not connected to the Internet.
• It consists of 14 essential apps.
• It has a front and rear camera for taking photos, recording videos, and creating memories with friends and family.
• Doesn't have any gaming apps.
• It helps kids to connect more with the real world.
• Reduces screen time.

2. Relay Phone

Relay Phone is the perfect phone to keep your kids safe online and offline. I bet your kids are going to love this phone. A relay phone is more like a walkie-talkie shaped differently than other cell phones, and it has GPS, geofencing alert , and an SOS alert.

Unlike other dumb phones for smart kids, Relay has limited functionalities. Hence, your kid is less likely to be addicted to this phone.

The Relay Phone can be the best parental control phone because it tracks your child. So you can know your child's location. Relay also alerts you when your kids move into restricted spaces. Using a relay keeps your kids safe and relieves you of the burden of having to watch over them.

Features of a Relay Phone

The significant features of Relay Phone include:

• Nationwide Coverage: Relay phone offers the most comprehensive and reliable coverage. Just like smartphones, Relay is powered by cellular technology. As a result, the network becomes faster, range issues are eliminated, and reliable coverage.
• Push-To-Talk: Relay phones are easy and convenient to use. You can have real-time communication with individuals or groups. The user can switch channels by speaking a command into the button on the side.
• 24-hr battery life: Relay's battery will last all day. You'll be able to get through your day with a storm without having to worry about porting chargers everywhere. Moreover, it can be powered up wirelessly without any wiring or plugging in.
• Durable Design: The relay phone is water-resistant and is designed to withstand any environment. A silicone, soft-touch body construction prevents damage to the phone due to drops and dunks. The relay phone is rated IPX8 and tested for 30 minutes at 1.5 meters.
• Easy Listening: The sound effect of the Relay phone is impressive; you can hear a clear sound no matter what the environment. This phone features two 1.5-watt speakers and noise-canceling technology so that your message can get to the receiver loud and clear. You can also use a headset to make the experience more private.
• Form Meets Function: The design is sleek, elegant, and professional. The traditional walkie-talkies are bulky, heavy, and practical, while smartphones are obtrusive. The layout of Relay is modern and professional.

3. Samsung SGH-A157

Samsung SGH-A157 is all about its simplicity and high reliability. Samsung SGH-A157 features an external LCD and a 1.7-inch color screen. In addition to 3G, this phone supports speakerphone, ringtones, texting, multimedia messaging, and images.

The user can download the pictures from the phone. You can keep things simple with the Samsung SGH-A157.

Samsung SGH-A157 can be the perfect dumb phone for your child as it is not a smartphone, and it's a flip phone. These are keyboard phones that have some features of a smartphone. The games that your kid can play here are limited.

You can't download games apps and use the Internet for social media as quickly as you can on a smartphone. So you don't have to worry about mobile addiction in your child's life and several other problems that smartphones bring. You can find this phone on Amazon.

Features of a Samsung SGH-A157

Some of the basic features of Samsung SGH-A157 are:

• SGH-A157 is a flip phone and is simple to use.
• It has an LCD and a 1.7-inch color screen.
• This phone supports speakerphone, ringtones, texting, multimedia messaging, and images.
• There are little gaming, apps, and Internet usage on this phone.
• Samsung SGH-A157 also supports alarm, calendar, calculator, to-do list, and a voice memo.

4. Samsung Convoy 3 U680

The Samsung Convoy 3 are Verizon wireless cell phones made to military specifications. This dumb phone is popular among users because of its ability to withstand stress, severe temperatures, dust, humidity, and other elements.

For your kids, this phone should be fine. Convoy 3 it's just a primary. Thus the phone. So, your kids are less likely to get addicted to the phone.

However, you should constantly monitor what your kids are doing. You need to make sure your kids' phones are in perfect working order. Also, watch out whether your kid is always on their phone, leaving everything behind.

Are you getting a Convoy 3 for your son? The phone comes with headphones with twin microphones and noise cancellation. The Convoy 3 has a Bluetooth feature. Thus, it provides clear communication.

You don't have to worry about missing a step. There may be times when you need to speak with just one person. Occasionally, a group calling may be necessary. Convoy 3 is suitable for both situations.

Features of a Samsung Convoy 3 U680

Some of the basic features of Samsung Convoy 3 U680 are:

• It has a flip phone design with extended battery life.
• It has a robust and military-spec design that matches your toughness.
• With dual microphones and noise suppression technology, communication is clear.
• Push-to-talk technology lets you make calls on the fly.
• The ease of having your hands free is valuable.
• Samsung Convoy 3 allows you to use voice commands to make calls, send messages, take pictures, use FM radio, and get contact information via phone calls. Isn't this cool? I'm getting this product for my 15-year-old boy.

5. KidsConnect KC2

I always get worried when my kids say they want to go out with their friends. Many children cheat their parents and go to inappropriate places, saying they are doing assignments at a friend's home. Do you feel the same? Okay, worry less and buy a KidsConnect KC2 Phone for your kids.

KidsConnect KC2 Phone, as the name suggests, is an excellent way for you to keep your kids safe while they are away from home. It's an all-in-one parental security solution. With the KidsConnect KC2 Phone, you can track your child's location using GPS, LBS, and WIFI tracking services.

You can track the location of any smartphone by using the mobile app for Android and iOS or a web-enabled device. You can track your kid's phone when it is charged, turned on, and connected to the Internet. However, tracking may not be available at remote locations without internet access.

The LBS tracks your location by finding the nearest cellular tower. To follow a WIFI network, you have to find the most immediate open wireless network based on its location. So, with kids-connect, you are forever aware of your child's location at any time.

Features of a KidsConnect KC2

Some of the basic features of the KidsConnect KC2 phone are:

• The built-in LBS, Wifi, and GPS services help in real-time tracking so you can know where your child is at the moment.
• The geo-fencing feature gives you an alert if your child enters or leaves a restricted area.
• This phone has an SOS button feature for emergency purposes.
• It consists of three pre-programmed numbers that your kids can speed dial at any moment of need.
• The parental control feature lets you check incoming calls, your kid's location history and listen to whatever is happening in your kid's area.

My Final Thoughts

These are few of the best dumb phones for smart kids. Giving these dumb phones can be a smart move to protect your kids from mobile phones and internet addiction.

Also, some of these phones allow you to keep track of your child's location. With some powerful features, dumb phones are replacing smartphones in the hands of your tech-savvy kids.