At the risk of showing my age, I’ve got to admit that back in my day kids didn’t spend that much time with technology. My household got our first computer when I was in year four, which was shared by four children, didn’t connect to the internet but was connected to a printer that used exclusively dot matrix paper. The notion that just three years later I would have a mobile phone in my pocket was inconceivable.
The contextual and cultural shift that mobile phones created is unparalleled. As adults we are expected to now be contactable at all times, so as parents when do we begin to expect the same from our children? At what age do kids actually need access to a phone, and more so when do they start using it as a communication tool as opposed to a glorified rectangle with games on it?
In December 2020, Australian Communications and Media Authority released the Kids and mobiles report which breaks down phone usage and ownership in children aged 6 to 13. Out of a sample of over 2,000 children in this age group, 46% regularly accessed a mobile phone in the past 12 months. 33% of kids owned the phone that they used while the other 14% used a device that didn’t belong to them.
You may be thinking, well that’s probably just all the kids growing up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, but interestingly enough socio-economic factors and location made negligible differences to the amount of children using handheld devices. Those in the lowest economic percentile were just as likely to own or use a phone as those in the highest, and the same is true for city or regional localities. No matter where you come from or what you do for work, just about half of the children in Australia either own or use a mobile phone on a regular basis.
This isn’t to say that 33% of six year olds are chilling in Kindergarten with an iPhone tucked in their bag. Age plays a considerable factor in ownership and how young people use their devices. The largest jump in phone ownership comes between the ages of 12 and 13. 76% of kids in this bracket own their phones, up from 33% of 10 to 11 year olds. So if your tweenager is saying that everyone else has one then they’re probably telling you the truth (with just a sprinkle of theatrics for spice).
It is at this age that children switch from using a phone as a media centre over to a communication device. From ages 6 to 11 the top three most reported activities children engaged with on devices were:
- Playing games
- Taking photos and videos
- Using apps
12 to 13 year olds on the other hand reported using their phone most frequently to:
- Send or receive texts
- Take photos and videos
- Using apps
Calling and receiving calls from parents and family were a close fourth and fifth for tweens and teens, as opposed to ranging between fourth and seventh position for younger children.
As phone ownership goes up, children are more likely to begin using their mobile devices to actually communicate with other people. This begs to reason, as an adult you’re more likely to spend time chatting to friends on a device that is private as opposed to one that is shared between others, so why would we expect anything different from kids?
If you're wondering when your kid should own their first phone, the vast majority of Australians agree that the age of 12 to 13 is the right time. Heading to high school signifies newfound independence for child and parent alike, and although it's a dynamic shift, there are still plenty of ways for you to keep a watchful eye over your little one and their new toy.
While it may feel uncomfortable to think that your young teenager will have access to social media, or be able to spend an absurd amount of money on in-app purchases, the numbers show that they would rather be texting, taking photos, and talking to their parents before playing games or browsing the internet.
Find more information on phones for kids
Both Android and iOS devices have a range of parental control options that allow you to bar certain apps, or purchases from your child’s device.
Read our guides for setting up parental controls on iOS and Android by clicking or tapping on the respective link.
For recommendations for the best plans for kids you can read our Editor’s Pick page, which is updated monthly with the most suitable plans for children.
All data included in this article and corresponding graphs is taken from ACMA's "Kids and mobiles - How Australian children are using mobile phones" 2020 report. Follow the link for more data and the full methodology.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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