Guides
Practical help for a child's first phone.
Straight answers for parents: what age, which device, which apps, how to set it up, and how to keep them close to family and friends. Each guide lists the sources it's built on.
First phones · 6 min read
What age should a child get a phone? A UK parent's guide
There's no official right age for a first phone in the UK. What Ofcom's figures, schools, MPs and doctors say, and how to decide for your own child.
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Setting up · 6 min read
How to set up an iPhone for a child
Turn an old iPhone into a child's phone: erase it, set it up for a child with Family Sharing so you manage it from your own iPhone, switch off what they don't need, then add Shoal.
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Setting up · 6 min read
How to set up an Android phone for a child
Turn an old Android phone into a child's phone: create their account in Google Family Link, erase the phone, sign your child in, switch off what they don't need, then add Shoal.