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Back to School

A Parent’s Guide to Choosing the Right iPhone for Your Child – Trusted Refurbished Options Inside.

 Our kids are heading back to school — some even to college — and one of the most essential tools today is a phone. It’s a lifeline to parents for urgent calls, a way to play while waiting, a helper for snapping homework or new lessons, and even a “secret agent” that can tell you where your child is at any given moment… plus so much more.

Donґt push the horses, read carefully, enjoy! 

We want to share our insights and answer these key questions:

  • Why does a child need a phone?
  • When should you buy one?
  • Which model is the best choice?

From my experience, the best option for kids is a refurbished iPhone. Reliable, functional, and modern! Let’s break down why.

Why does a child need a phone?

A phone is a powerful, multifunctional device that combines a camera, a processor for handling tasks, speakers for music and calls, and a display for anything from reading to watching movies.

For kids, a phone helps with:

  • Playing and entertainment
  • Solving school tasks
  • Communicating with friends
  • Fitting in socially

For parents, a phone means:

  • Staying in touch with your child
  • Peace of mind through location tracking
  • Reduced anxiety because you know where your child’s phone (and therefore your child) is

When choosing a phone, it’s important to understand your child’s needs so the device meets them. Refurbished iPhones are an excellent solution — they cost significantly less than new ones, so you’re getting value upfront. If the phone gets dropped or scratched (which happens a lot with kids), it’s much easier to handle emotionally and financially. Plus, if you buy one in Excellent or Good condition, it’s almost impossible to tell it from new.

When should you buy your child a phone?

I see three main stages: elementary school, middle school, and high school/college.

  • Elementary school: A phone is useful if your child spends any part of the day unsupervised. With an iPhone, features like Find My iPhone let you share your child’s location and track it in real-time. This gives parents peace of mind knowing their child is on their way home or already there.
  • Middle & high school: At this stage, your child may need a newer phone with a better camera, faster processor, and larger screen for schoolwork, video calls, and collaboration on projects.

Which phone should you buy at each stage?

  • Elementary school:
    Go for simpler, budget-friendly options like refurbished iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13. At this age, kids are often less careful with their phones, so paying $200–$300 for a refurbished model is a smart choice.
  • Middle school:
    As academic demands grow, a phone becomes a tool for sharing homework photos, making video calls, creating presentations, and even light video editing. A refurbished iPhone 14 or 14 Plus is a solid choice here. We also showed the “Scan Text” feature earlier in this article.   It can be useful in school, please save it for future needs. 
  • High school & college:
    At this stage, status also starts to matter. A refurbished iPhone 15 or 16 series can deliver top performance and help your teen feel confident among peers. These models also feature better cameras, which are perfect for scanning documents and capturing social-media-worthy photos.

Bottom line

A phone has become an essential partner in everyday life. I believe every child should have one for the reasons we’ve discussed. Which model you choose is ultimately up to you as a parent — but a refurbished iPhone is a win-win: affordable, powerful, and built to last.

If you want to know more detailed info about Why I like iPhone for kids please follow to our article.

CostPlusPhones team

P.S. What do we have in our store today?

 

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