Why More Parents are Embracing Kid-Safe Phones

It used to be that getting your first phone was a rite of passage somewhere around middle school. But today, many kids are handed a full-featured smartphone before they lose their last baby tooth. While some parents lean in to tech early, a growing number are pushing back—fueling a national shift toward alternative phones built specifically for kids and teens.

From Light Phone to Gabb, Pinwheel to Troomi, there’s a new wave of devices quietly changing the way families approach digital safety. These aren’t your average smartphones. They’re stripped-down, purpose-driven tools designed to give kids what they need (like GPS, texting, and calling) without opening the door to what they don’t (like TikTok, YouTube rabbit holes, and anonymous messaging apps). And they’re catching on, fast.

What These Phones Do—and Don’t Do

At first glance, many of these phones look like basic Android devices. But under the hood, they’re anything but ordinary. Each one takes a slightly different approach, but they all share one core philosophy: protect kids from the darker parts of the internet while still keeping them connected to family, school, and real life.

The Light Phone, for instance, offers only the most essential features—texting, calling, a music player, and directions. There’s no social media, no browser, and no app store. Its intentionally minimal design appeals to older teens who want to stay off-grid but still reachable.

Gabb Wireless, one of the earliest entrants in the market, takes things a step further by offering its own network and curated app ecosystem. It has no internet browser, no social media, and no ability to download third-party apps. What it does have is GPS tracking, text and call capabilities, a camera, and a clean, kid-appropriate music library.

Pinwheel builds its platform around emotional and developmental support. It’s designed for younger users and integrates features like caregiver-controlled contact lists, scheduled access to certain functions, and a mental health app store with tools approved by child psychologists.

Troomi, on the other hand, is something of a middle ground. It offers a secure browser with optional parental controls, email access for schoolwork, and a curated app selection. It’s designed for families who want to give older kids more responsibility without opening the floodgates to the full online world.

Together, these companies are creating a new category of tech, one that isn’t about keeping kids addicted but helping them stay connected while building healthy digital habits.

Growing Movements

What’s driving this shift isn’t just clever branding or concerned parents whispering on forums. It’s a full-blown movement. One of the most visible players is Wait Until 8th, a campaign urging parents to delay giving their child a smartphone until at least eighth grade. The idea is simple: if entire peer groups wait together, no one feels left behind.

Another influential effort is the “Okay to Delay” campaign, which focuses more broadly on encouraging families to think critically about the tech timeline. The campaign partners with schools and parent organizations to push back against what often feels like an unavoidable early tech adoption curve.

But perhaps the most visible sign of this cultural shift is happening offline. Across the United States, pop-up phone demos and “Unplugged” nights are appearing in school gyms, church basements, and community centers. These events give parents a chance to touch and try these alternative phones, ask questions, and hear from other families making the switch.

In Austin, a recent pop-up event drew more than 200 parents. In suburban Denver, school PTAs are teaming up with nonprofits to host hands-on “safe tech fairs.” And in Los Angeles, some pediatricians have begun recommending Gabb or Pinwheel instead of smartphones during annual wellness visits for preteens.

These events help normalize the decision to hold off on full-access smartphones and create community around what can otherwise be a tough parenting choice. After all, when everyone else’s kid has an iPhone, saying “not yet” can feel isolating. But it’s easier to stick to your plan when you know other parents are standing beside you.

Why It Matters

We’ve known for a while that giving children full access to the internet comes with serious risks. Studies link early social media use to anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and attention problems in tweens and teens. Cyberbullying, online predators, and constant exposure to curated perfection have become the norm and it’s taking a toll.

But families are starting to realize that the solution isn’t just more parental monitoring or new screen-time apps. The real solution might be less access in the first place. That’s where these new phones shine. They remove the temptation altogether.

These phones also open up space for families to have better tech conversations. Instead of reacting to screen time battles, parents can set the tone early by framing phones as tools—not toys or trophies. Kids still get the independence they crave and the contact they need, but without falling down the algorithmic rabbit hole.

And let’s not forget: this movement isn’t anti-tech. It’s pro-childhood. It’s about building digital lives slowly, intentionally, and in ways that match a kid’s actual readiness—not just what their friends have.

So yes, your child might someday need a full-featured smartphone. But that doesn’t mean they need it today. With options like Gabb, Pinwheel, Light Phone, and Troomi, parents now have another answer to the smartphone question. And that answer just might be: “Not yet. But here’s what you can have.”