Quick answers, the questions parents actually ask.
Straight answers to the questions we get most about a child's first phone, each with a link to the full page. Looking for something specific? Search the site, or ask the assistant in the corner.
Which simple phone should I get for my child?
Most families start with the Nokia 3210 (2024), about £79: calls, texts, Snake, three days of battery, and it looks cool enough for the playground. On a tighter budget the Nokia 235 4G is about £40. The ninety-second picker will match one to your child.
What's the cheapest simple phone for a child?
The Nokia 105 4G is the cheapest at about £24: calls, texts, a torch and weeks of standby. The Nokia 235 4G at about £40 adds a little more. Both are easy to replace if one goes missing on a school trip.
What age should a child get their first phone?
There is no single right age, but there is a sensible way to think about it. These notes help, plus the social media age limits.
What phone is best for walking to school?
If the trigger is the walk to school, a simple phone covers it nicely. Here is the thinking.
Where can I buy a simple phone in the UK?
Each phone on the ranked list links straight to where to buy it in the UK. This note also walks through the options.
What's the best phone for an 8 year old?
For an eight year old, a first-ever phone usually means the basics: the Nokia 235 4G or the Nokia 105 4G. Here is the page made for that age.
What's the best phone for a 9 year old?
Here is the rundown for a nine year old, with the picks that suit a first phone at that age.
What's the best phone for a 10 year old?
Ten is a common age for a first phone, often around year five or six. Here is the page for that age.
What's the best phone for an 11 year old?
Eleven often means the move up to secondary school. The Nokia 3210 is the usual pick. Here is the page for that age.
What's the best phone for a 12 year old?
Here is the page for a twelve year old, with the picks that fit a bit more independence.
What's the best phone for a 13 year old?
By thirteen some families look at a locked-down smartphone as well as a simple phone. Here is the page for that age.
What's the best phone for a 14 year old?
Here is the page for a fourteen year old, including when a refurbished iPhone SE with controls can make sense.
What's the best phone for year six?
Year six is the classic moment, usually ages ten to eleven. The Nokia 3210 tends to be the pick. There is a note written for exactly this.
What phone does my child need for starting secondary school?
Starting year seven is a big jump. Here is what the first week actually looks like, plus the phone picks.
Is the Nokia 3210 (2024) a good first phone?
The Nokia 3210 (2024) is our first pick for most families: about £79, three days of battery, Snake, FM radio, no apps. Here is the full review.
What's the best flip phone for a child?
If you want a flip, the Nokia 2660 Flip (about £55) is the one: satisfying to close, easy to use, no apps. Here is the review and the flip-phone guide.
Is the Light Phone III worth it?
The Light Phone III (about £399) is the premium minimalist option: an e-ink screen, calls, texts, maps, and very little else. It is pricey, so read the review before you commit.
What is the Pinwheel Plus?
The Pinwheel Plus (about £279) is an Android phone with no app store and a parent dashboard: more control than a dumb phone, more cost too. Here is the honest UK take.
Is a refurbished iPhone SE a good controlled smartphone?
If a smartphone is the only realistic option, a refurbished iPhone SE (about £169) with Screen Time set up properly is the sensible middle path. Here is how, and the review.
What's the best dumb phone for a child?
A dumb phone is the whole idea here: calls and texts, no feed. This page rounds up the best in the UK, and this note weighs it against a smartphone.
Should I get a smartwatch instead of a phone?
A watch can be enough for younger children who mainly need calls and a location, but it has limits. Here is the honest comparison.
Do I need a GPS tracker as well as a phone?
If the main worry is knowing where they are, a tracker and a simple phone solve different problems. This note compares them.
Which SIM should I get for a child's phone?
For a child you usually want calls and texts and little or no data. Here are the SIM picks, plus the pay-as-you-go versus SIM-only question.
How do I set up parental controls?
Whichever phone you choose, set the controls up once and properly. These two walkthroughs cover Apple and Android.
How much screen time should a child have?
There is no magic number, but there is sensible guidance. This note covers how much, and these two walk through setting limits on the device itself.
Is there a first-phone family agreement I can use?
There is a free, printable first-phone agreement. Fill it in together, no email needed.
How do I move my child from a smartphone to a simple phone?
The switching kit is the practical, calm guide to moving a child from a smartphone to something simpler, including what to say.
What do I do about WhatsApp and group chats?
The everyone-has-one worry is real. Here is how to handle the WhatsApp group, and what to do if your child feels left out.
How do I take a phone off a teenager?
Taking a phone off a teenager is a different job from a younger child. Here is how to do it without a war.
What does the research say about children and phones?
We are not experts, but we have gathered what the experts say. The research page pulls it together, and the risks page explains the why in plain terms.
What is The Anxious Generation about?
Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation is the book most parents are asking about. Here is a plain-English UK summary.
What are the risks of giving a child a smartphone?
The risks page lays out what the worry actually is, calmly and without scaremongering.
Is my child addicted to their phone?
First, the signs are worth knowing rather than guessing at. These two notes cover what to look for and what actually helps.
What are the rules on phones in school?
School phone policy is moving fast. This page is the overview, and these notes cover the 2026 picture and whether bans actually work.
What are Yondr pouches?
Yondr pouches are the lockable bags some schools use. Here is how they work and what they cost.
What is the Online Safety Act, and what does it mean for children?
The Online Safety Act is the law parents keep hearing about. Here is what it actually means for children.
What does the DfE guidance say about phones in schools?
The Department for Education guidance from February 2024 is the formal backdrop. Here it is in plain English.
Is there a phone policy template for teachers and carers?
There is a section just for teachers and carers, including a policy template you can adapt for your setting.
How do I get other parents to delay smartphones too?
Doing it with other families is far easier than doing it alone. Here is how to start that conversation, and the parent pact idea.
Who is behind Knock, and are you experts?
We are not experts, and we do not pretend to be. Knock is a small UK site that gathers what the actual experts and reviewers say about first phones, so busy parents and teachers do not have to. The name has a story too.
How does Knock make money?
Some links earn Knock a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what gets recommended. Here is the full disclosure.
Where are the games and the fun bits?
Ah, you found the fun bit. There is a whole 1990s drawer to play with, plus Snake on a Nokia.
Still deciding? Take the ninety-second picker, or read the ranked list of simple phones.
What are the social media age limits in the UK?
The legal and practical minimum ages are not the same as what is sensible. Here is where things stand, and how to hold the line.