Holiday Gift Guide 2013
Kids don't want phones to make calls, they want portable gaming units.
Mom and Dad might want Junior to be able to call 911 or send a text message in the event of an emergency, but that's not what kids want to do with their phones. Not at all. They want to play games and pass the time with their mobile device. Rather than buy them a Nintendo 3DS or Sony PlayStation Vita and a flip phone, why not get a basic smartphone — which covers both bases — instead? The best devices for kids are those that have good screens, are easy to hold, have a wide selection of content, and are dead simple to use. Some might question picking smartphones for kids, but they are really the only devices that can handle all of the above. What's more, adding such devices - even smartphones - to family plans has become inexpensive. Not only is the at-register cost low, so are the monthly fees if you limit mobile data. These devices are also smaller, which should work better for kids' smaller hands. And don't worry, they can be used to call 911 quite easily.