Children’s tech buying guide
Explore our expert-approved guide to children’s tech
Choose the right tech for children with simple guides that help you compare devices, understand key features and set everything up safely.
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About our guide to buying tech
Before you buy
Compare device types and learn what to look for.
Browse tech guides
Laptops, phones, consoles, smart TVs and more.
After you buy
Set up devices safely with our step-by-step controls.
Find the buying guide you need
Below are the main tech categories parents search for. Each guide includes age guidance, setup tips and safety advice.
What you’ll find inside:
- Laptop vs tablet: which is right for children?
- Key features to compare (battery life, browser controls, kids’ profiles)
- Safe setup and online learning tips
Laptops and tablets for kids
Help children get the best start for homework, creativity and safe browsing.
What you’ll find inside:
- What to consider before buying a first phone
- Feature phones vs smartphones
- Parental controls, screen-time tools and app safety
Mobile phones tech guide
Choosing a first phone or upgrading? Start with safety and age-appropriate features.
What you’ll find inside:
- Differences between handheld, hybrid and home consoles
- Online gaming safety: chat, spending, screen time
- Setting up consoles for safe play
Games consoles for kids
Get advice on the best consoles for kids, according to tech experts and parents.
What you’ll find inside:
- What makes a TV ‘smart’ and why it matters
- Privacy, PINs, family profiles and filters
- Avoiding autoplay, managing screen time and setting safe streaming controls
See the smart TV tech guide
From streaming apps to autoplay controls, choose a TV that supports balanced viewing.
What you’ll find inside:
- Smart toys, wearables, GPS watches, smart speakers, AI toys and VR/AR
- Data collection, privacy and child-safe settings
- What to check before buying and how to set up safely
Smart toys, wearables & smart speakers
From trackers and toys to voice assistants, understand how connected gadgets work.
What you’ll find inside:
- What monitoring apps do, and what they don’t do
- How they differ from parental controls
- Features to compare: alerts, reports, privacy settings, transparency
- Tips for using monitoring tools in an age-appropriate, balanced way
Monitoring apps
Support safer online experiences with tools that help you stay involved in children’s digital lives.
Children are growing up in a digital world where devices play a big part in how they learn, play and connect. By choosing tech that supports safety and positive habits early on, families can:
- Reduce online risks
- Support school learning
- Encourage creativity and active play
- Build independence in safe, age-appropriate ways
Our guides help you balance what children want with what they need.
Whatever you choose, setting it up properly makes the biggest difference.
Browse our step-by-step parental control guides for:
- Devices
- Social media
- Broadband & mobile networks
- Gaming
- entertainment and search
FAQs
Focus on durability, age-appropriate features, connectivity, privacy controls and whether children can use the device safely and independently. Our guides walk you through what matters for each type of tech.
Each buying guide includes age-based advice, helping you understand when certain devices, like smartphones, VR headsets or smart speakers, may be more or less suitable.
Shared family spaces help with visibility and healthy habits, especially for smart speakers, smart TVs and gaming devices.
Yes, parental controls help manage content, screen time, privacy, and communication. All our guides include quick links to easy setup instructions.
Price doesn’t always equal safety. A less expensive device with strong parental controls may be a better fit than a premium device without them.
No. Parental controls manage what children can access. Monitoring apps help you stay informed about what children are doing online. Both work best when used alongside open conversations, not in secret.
