The Pinwheel is my top recommendation for parent-managed phones. It allows you all of the controls including the ability to monitor texts and fully turn off group chats. Its what I gave to my Middle Schooler.

Gabb is another great choice for parent-managed phones. It allows you all of the controls including the ability to monitor texts and fully turn off group chats. Gabb Phones have plans that increase access to apps over time but this device has no way to get to the internet.

Bark Phones is also great Its super locked down, with text monitoring capabilities. it has step plans so you can start completely locked down and eventually open up to a smartphone.

The Gabb Watch allows your kid to text with friends when you are ready for that but is still locked down from the internet and apps. If I could do it over, this is the Watch I would choose.

The Bark Watch is also a great option. Similar to Gabb, it allows kids to text with friends with no internet access. Bark is newer to the market.

The BoT is a 2 way communicator with GPS. Its a great solution for younger kids, if you want a way to stay in touch but you don’t want to give a watch.

The super cute case is sold separately.

The Mighty is a handy music solution. Its a portable standalone music player— think the Shuffle. Its a great solution for parents who want to give their kids access to specific playlists instead of unfettered access to streaming music which has very few parental controls.

These are books with an audio component. They are great for little kids and reluctant readers!

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I love audio as an alternative to screen time. Starglow offers high quality podcasts for kids including Kid Nuz, Who Smarted and their Sleep Series.

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Bright Canary is literally the only parental control app that can monitor messages both texts and on social media on Apple Devices. Its a must buy for Apple Families.

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The Bark App is great for time management and getting alerts about problematic content. Top solution for Android Devices

Qustodio is also great for time management and getting alerts about problematic content for Android Devices.

This phoneis great for parents looking to downgrade their phones orfor parents looking to offer a very pared down phone to a kid. Its super cool looking and only allows access to phone, text and a few practical apps that I call the City Kid Essentials (Map, Waze, Wallet). Wisephone is popular with the Gen Z Kids as a second phone when they want to leave the internet and constant distractions of a smartphone behind.

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The Brick is the system I use to manage my own social media use. Its an app on your phone and a 3D Printed key that you use to lock the phone.

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