| For many people, the mere idea of giving a mobile | | | | The LeapFrog TicTalk features perhaps the most |
| phone to a small child is enough to bring them out | | | | comprehensive and detailed parental control |
| in a cold sweat, with images of four figure | | | | options of any of the kiddie phones currently on |
| telephone bills and a child permanently glued to | | | | the market. There is a PIN-controlled address |
| their handset as if it were some kind of high tech | | | | book, and you can designate the times of day |
| comfort blanket. | | | | that certain numbers can and can't be called. |
| The Firefly is currently the most popular cell | | | | There is also the capacity to download photos |
| phone on the market to be specifically aimed at | | | | and a to do list, making the LeapFrog TicTalk |
| children, and with its bright colour schemes, | | | | perfect as both a fun device and something that |
| cartoony designs and screen animations, it is not | | | | can be used to encourage time management skills. |
| hard to see why. It features three large, brightly | | | | Although the Disney mobile service is more about |
| coloured buttons that will allow even young | | | | content than hardware, their own phones are |
| children to contact mum, dad, or the emergency | | | | certainly quite impressive, with a number of |
| services at the touch of a button. There are a | | | | features that are more common in adult phones, |
| number of parental control features, such as a | | | | such as a flip top design and an SMS text |
| PIN protected phone book that lets parents set | | | | messaging feature, but you can still set parental |
| the numbers that their child is allowed to call, and | | | | controls on any activity that you want to restrict |
| an option to prevent incoming calls from numbers | | | | using a PIN code. These phones are perfect for |
| that are not on the list. | | | | slightly older kids who maybe want a more grown |
| Parents who get nervous when their children are | | | | up phone but are not quite ready for that level of |
| off on their own might want to have a look at | | | | responsibility yet. |
| the Wherifone, which features a GPS function | | | | One of the biggest concerns about giving an |
| that allows you to see where your child is at any | | | | expensive mobile phone to children is that children |
| given time via a computer connected to the | | | | have a habit of losing or breaking their |
| internet. This can also come in quite handy if the | | | | possessions. Although it is not specifically aimed at |
| phone gets lost, as the GPS can tell you where it | | | | children. the Tracfone is a cheap, durable phone |
| is to within an accuracy of a few metres. It also | | | | that comes with a pay as you go price plan and |
| features all the usual parental controls that you | | | | parental controls, which make it suitable for the |
| would associate with phones aimed at the | | | | younger market. |
| younger market. | | | | |