Best Verizon Phones For Kids, And Affordable Plans

There is no need to tell you about Verizon Wireless – one of America’s big three mobile carriers that offers excellent nationwide coverage, reliable network, many flexible plans, lots of special offers, super responsive customer support, lots of high-quality mobile devices, and a user-friendly app, which allows you to manage your account, subscription, entertainment, plans, devices, and more…right? Indeed, Verizon is a great and very popular option for adults. But what about children? Do they provide any special deals for the youngest members of our society?

The fact is that children above a certain age need a phone. Of course, they want one – for entertainment and to stay in touch with their friends, who already have a mobile device. However, they also need one – for safety reasons, so that they can always contact their parents and family members for whatever they may need. And while there are lots of kid-friendly plans and phones currently in the market, in this article we will dive deeper into Verizon offers for kids.

What do You Think of Your Child’s First Phone

Buying your child their first phone is kind of a big step. You want them to be ready, smart, and above all, safe. There are lots of different plans and devices on the market, but as you want to make an informed decision, make sure to ask yourself (and your child) a few simple questions.

Firstly, is your child ready for a phone?

If your child is able to take care of his belongings, diligently complete the chores, follow the rules, and honor the boundaries, then he or she may be responsible and trustworthy enough to have a phone. They must understand the risks and learn how to avoid them. They must know how to use a phone – how to call, text, and use the apps that could make their daily tasks easier. And if you decide for them to contribute to paying for the expenses, they must be able and committed enough to do so.

Is your child ready for more phone freedom?

You can start slowly and buy your child an affordable device that can limit usage and perform essential tasks, like making calls and sending messages. As they grow and become more responsible, you may consider adding an app or two and thus upgrading the device and plan.

Does your child just need to connect with you and a few people?

If you only wish your child to connect with you and some other closest friends and family members, you can purchase a smartwatch instead of a phone. Some smartwatches are designed to set up up to 10 contacts and make a limited number of calls and texts. Plus, the fitness tracker may motivate your child to stay active.

When to Get Your Kid a Phone

According to some studies, the average age for a child to get a phone is somewhere between 12 and 13. However, these are just numbers really and they may vary depending on how mature your child is and depending on their needs.

If your child has a nanny or if they spend most of their after-school hours with you and other guardians, then they don’t really need a cell phone yet. On the other hand, if they spend lots of beyond school hours on their own at home or even traveling to extracurricular activities, having a cell phone at least for emergencies may be a good idea. If they are too young for texting and web browsing, you can buy them a basic phone that only allows the user to make phone calls.

Your child is old enough to have a phone when he or she is responsible enough to take care of the device and to use it appropriately and safely when he or she is trustworthy enough to follow the rules and limitations when he or she is informed enough to understand and avoid safety issues (such as software malware, cyberbullying, social media, texting and driving, etc.), when he or she understands the cost and honors the limits, and when he or she knows how to use the device and all the features that they may use or need.

The Top 5 Best Verizon Phones for Kids

When it comes to finding the best Verizon phones and connectivity devices for kids, it depends a lot on the child’s age. But whatever your child’s age may be, Verizon has got you covered. Take a look at the top 5 best Verizon phones for kids.

1. Verizon GizmoWatch 2 (ages 8 and under)

The best thing we can offer an 8 or fewer years old child is a device that allows the child to call their trusted contacts (up to 10), to answer the calls of trusted contacts, and allows the parents to track their child’s whereabouts. The popular Verizon GizmoWatch 2 may not be a phone per se, but it allows you to do all of the things listed above, which makes it a perfect choice for young kids. The watch has 4 GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2500 1.2GHz quad-core processor, and a 500mAh battery. It is durable, waterproof, and can last up to 4 days on a single charge.

2. Kyocera DuraXV LTE (ages 9 to 13)

As your child gets older and more responsible, it may be time to give him or her a voice phone. Depending on their maturity and need you can opt for a basic flip phone or a more advanced smartphone. The Kyocera DuraXV LTE is a great option for those children who don’t require high-end features and may be too careless to be trusted with an expensive device.

This flip phone has a smaller outer screen and a large inner screen. It allows the user to make calls, text, and use some other basic features, including emails. It comes with a 5 MP camera, a durable dustproof and waterproof design, Wi-Fi connectivity, a vibrant LCD screen, 16 GB of ROM and 2 GB of RAM to store your photos, videos, and music, and a powerful battery that can last up to 43.23 hours of usage time and 18.3 days of standby time.

3. Motorola moto e6 (ages 9 to 13)

If your child is responsible enough to handle a smartphone but still not mature enough to be trusted with a high-end device, you can opt for the reliable Motorola moto e6, which will meet all of his or her needs. This inexpensive phone will enable your child to make calls, text, browse the web, stream music and videos, play games, use navigation, and run all sorts of different apps.

The device features a large 5.5-inch vivid screen for great entertainment, an impressive 13 MP back camera for making high-quality photos and videos and a 5 MP front camera for selfies, a fast operating system, a powerful processor, and a great battery that can last up to 32 hours of usage time and 23 days of standby time. The design is rather sturdy and water-repellent and should survive a moderate amount of a child’s carelessness. It comes with many safety features and allows good parental control options.

4. Apple iPhone SE (ages 13 to 18)

Teenagers definitely have bigger appetites. They wish to stay connected and entertained, browse the internet, and use different kinds of apps. However, they don’t really need the most recent devices with the most advanced features. As such, buying them an older smartphone model should do the trick. When it comes to iPhones, the Apple iPhone SE should be a good fit, especially if you wish to balance the price and water-resistant design.

This is a powerful device that will enable your teenager to use all the apps and features he or she wishes to use, yet allow you to monitor their location, but it is way less expensive than the more recent iPhone models. It features the fastest chip in a smartphone, which allows fast performance in games, apps, and photography features, 4K video quality, a 12 MP camera, a 4.7-inch LCD IPS screen, HD voice, either 64, 128, or 256 GB of storage space, and long 13-hour battery life.

5. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW (ages 13 to 18)

This is a slightly newer model and therefore a bit more expensive, but it’s still far from being the priciest model in the market. It is a reliable, fast, and powerful device that will provide your teenager with immersive entertainment, advanced features, and great performance. It comes in many cute colors, which adds to its sleek and beautiful design.

It features a triple 12 MP, 8 MP, and 12 MP back camera and a 32 MP front camera, a large 6.5-inch HD Infinity-O screen, a super-fast 120 Hu refresh rate for great gaming, HD voice, two voice assistants, long 12.5-day battery life in standby and 32 hours of usage with fast charging, 128 GB of memory, and up to 1 TB of expandable memory. It will seamlessly provide the best 4G LTE and 5G coverage and thus always keep your teenager within reach. Overall, this device is more than your teenage child may dream of.

Other Popular Verizon Phones for Kids

In addition to the top 5 Verizon kids phones model listed above, Verizon also offers some other kid-friendly models that may be of interest to you.

• KAZUNA eTalk (ages 9 to 13)
• Alcatel GO FLIP V (ages 9 to 13)
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ (ages 9 to 13)
• Motorola moto g power (ages 13 to 18)
• Samsung Galaxy A21 (ages 13 to 18)
• Apple iPhone 7 (ages 13 to 18)
• Apple iPhone 8 (ages 13 to 18)
• Apple iPhone 12 mini (ages 13 to 18)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (ages 13 to 18)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (ages 13 to 18)

What’s the Verizon Just Kids Plan

The Verizon Just Kids plans is a phones plan designed especially for kids. It enables children to learn and stay in touch with their loved ones without limitations. The included Smart Family feature allows parents to manage the content, block inappropriate content with content filters, manage screen time, app access, data usage, contacts, and track the child’s location through the Verizon Smart Family app.

The plan offers:

• Unlimited talk and text and up to 20 parent-approved contacts
• Unlimited 4G LTE/5G nationwide data at a maximum speed of 5 Mbps
• Verizon Smart Family Premium for location tracking and parental control (month value of $9.99)
• DVD-quality streaming (480p)
• The possibility to add the line to your family account

Note that while high-speed data is available in most places, in some areas it may be out of reach and that the data speed may be slower in times of congestion.

The price depends on how many lines with unlimited plans are on your account and whether or not you use AutoPay and paper-free billing (using it gives you a $10 a month discount per line). If you only have one line it must have an unlimited plan to be the parent line for the Just Kids line – in this case, the price depends on which unlimited plan you have in the first place. If you have 2 lines, the monthly access charge with a $10 AutoPay discount is $50. If you have 3 lines, the monthly charge is $40. If you have 4 lines, the monthly charge is $35. And if you have 5 to 10 lines, the charge is $25 a month with the AutoPay discount.

Who’s Eligible to Get the Just Kids Plan

Not everyone is eligible for the Just Kids plan. To qualify, you must meet the requirements listed below.

• You must have a Verizon unlimited plan that can be mixed and matched to add a Just Kids plan to your account. The currently available unlimited plans that can be mixed and matched are the Start Unlimited Plan, Play More Unlimited 5G Plan, Do More Unlimited 5G Plan, Get More Unlimited 5G Plan, and Just Kids.
• The parent’s unlimited line can use either a basic phone or a smartphone. However, to use the content filters and location tracking services, you must have a smartphone to manage the Smart Family parent app.
• The Just Kids line must be a smartphone.

Verizon Plans for Kids

Most mobile phones carrier companies only offer one plan designed especially for kids (if any) and Verizon is no exception.

Verizon Just Kids plan offers exceptional parental control, location tracking options, and much more. The plan is suitable for our youngest family members, especially for the children of age 8 and less and 9 to 13.

Our teenage family members would also enjoy the Just Kids plan. However, if your teenage child is already pretty mature, responsible, and trustworthy, and you don’t need the advanced parental control options, they can also be added to our family plan with another line – any other plan that best fits their needs.

How to Make Your Kid’s Phone Safe

When it comes to buying our child their first phone, we (and they) must understand the dangers and safety issues. The best way to avoid those issues is by getting good parental control software.

Both Android and iOS have some in-built parental controls, which allow you to block purchases, prevent app installation, and limit app usage. Google’s Family Link “https://families.google/familylink/” application, for example, provides activity reports and the possibility to set screen time limits.

Make sure that your child doesn’t install apps that are frequently used for cyberbullying. To prevent your child from having negative encounters online, they should avoid apps that allow public posting.

And then there is the good old-fashioned way: make a deal with your child that if they get to have a phone, you get to check it every once in a while. Reviewing your child’s phone from time to time will enable you to make sure they are watching age-appropriate content, using harmless apps, not being harassed, and generally safe.

What to Look at Before Buying Verizon Phones for Kids

As we have established, buying your child their first phone is quite a commitment. When it comes to choosing a device, there are lots of options. To make sure you choose the right one, take the following factors into consideration.

Why does he or she need it?

If your only concern is connectivity, then a basic flip phone able to make calls and send text messages will do. If you are concerned about physical safety, you may opt for a device with GPS tracking, which will enable you to monitor their location. If you also wish to provide cyber safety, you may need a device that supports parental control apps. If your child tends to travel to school and other after-school activities on his or her own, they may need some navigation apps and enough data to use them freely.

Smartphone or regular phone

There are some basic and pretty big differences between smartphones and regular phones. The main differences lie in storage, size, displays, processors, price, and most importantly features. Smartphones’ advanced features provide more options for the kids (gaming, listening to music, watching movies or cartoons, fitness tracking, navigation, cognitive development apps, meditation apps, etc.) and for their parents (better parental control options and the possibility to purchase Verizon’s Just Kids plan). So, ask yourself: does your child have a need or use for a smartphone?

Specifications

Take into account the device’s specifications and decide on a phone based on your child’s interests and needs. If your child is an artist at the hearth, you may want to opt for a phone with many artistic apps and features. If your child is an athlete, you may want to look for more advanced fitness options. If your child is very much into gaming, he or she would enjoy a device with a fast processor, a fast refresh rate, and large storage. If they enjoy watching movies, an HD immersive screen is important. If they are photography enthusiasts, they may do best with a phone with a high-quality camera.

Boundaries

Depending on how much you trust your child and, of course, how responsible and trustworthy he or she actually is, it’s important to consider the phone boundaries you are comfortable with for your child. Addictive tendencies among teenagers and young children are on a rise. Nowadays, most consumers spend on average 5 hours a day on their phone and they check their devices at least once an hour for no apparent reason. The more features and options a phone provides, the more likely it is that your child will spend a great amount of time on it. If their phone only enables them to make calls and send texts, they will definitely spend way less time on it. Also, consider asking your children to provide their passwords, establishing screen-free zones, and creating a family contract with shared phone usage rules.

Price

Unless you have an unlimited budget, you may also want to consider the price. Does your kid really need an expensive phone and can you afford it?

The Best Parental Control Software

Different parenting styles require different parental control features and the best parental control software provides flexible features that allow parents to set app limitations, screen time limitations, location tracking, and more. Here are some of the best parental control programs and hardware.

• Qustodio
• Family Link
• Kaspersky Safe Kids
• OpenDNS FamilyShield
• Norton Family Premier
• KidLogger
• Circle Home Plus
• Spyrix Free Keylogger
• Clean Router
• Mobicip
• Wondershare Famisafe
• OpenDNS Home VIP
• Net Nanny
• SafeDNS
• McAfee Safe Family

FAQ

What age should a kid get a phone at?

While the average age for a kid to get a phone is 12 to 13, it really isn’t as much a matter of age as it is a matter of maturity. If your child is responsible and trustworthy enough not to lose it, to take care of it, and to follow the usage rules, then he or she is ready to have a phone.

How do I change my child’s Just Kids plan?

You can change it anytime with My Verizon. To keep the Smart Family feature, you must add it as a separate service in My Verizon.

How do I get the Just Kids plan if I already have Verizon Smart Family premium?

In case you already have Verizon Smart Family Premium, you can simply add the Just Kids plan. The cost of Smart Family will be removed from your account, the settings and restrictions will stay in place, but you will be able to edit them, and everyone on your account will automatically be included as a trusted contact, however, you will be able to edit the contacts.

What happens to my Just Kids plan if I switch my plan to a non-unlimited plan, or if I cancel or suspend my unlimited plan?

In order to have a Just Kids plan on your account, you must have at least one unlimited plan. If all unlimited plans are canceled, the Just Kids line will get suspended within 48 hours and disconnected within the next bill cycle. In addition, you will be informed about the option to change the Smart Family Premium service to regular pricing and you will be able to change the Just Kids line to a different plan.

If you only suspend your unlimited line, the Just Kids line will stay active.

What is a good first phone for an 11-year-old?

Some of the best phones for 11-year-olds include the Kyocera DuraXV LTE, Motorola moto e6, KAZUNA eTalk, Alcatel GO FLIP V, Samsung Galaxy S9+, LG K30, Honor 7X, Apple iPhone SE, Nokia 3.1 Android One, CAT S41, Nokia 3310, Unihertz Jelly Pro, etc.

Can kids get Verizon free phones?

While giving free phones to kids is not a regular thing at Verizon, they often offer different kinds of special deals that may give you a chance to get a free phone. Sometimes they offer buy-one-get-one-free or discounted deals; plus the sole act of switching to Verizon or adding a line may also qualify you for a free phone.