With the arrival of the first days of school, parents are not only concerned with buying stationery and a briefcase. They are also faced with the decision of whether to buy a phone for their first-grader, or whether an alternative in the form of a smartwatch will suffice. Is this your case too? We have prepared both a clear comparison and tips on accessories from the Czech brand FIXED to buy for their mobile phone or watch.
While children are in kindergarten, they are under control all day long. But starting school changes everything in this regard, so it is no wonder that parents want to be in constant contact with them.
The first option is to get a mobile phone. Thanks to it, you can text or call your child at any time and know where they are. But is this the ideal choice for a first-grader?
Mobile is great for communication, but it's distracting for a first grader
With children, mobile phones are a bit like fire: they can be a great servant, but they can also be a bad master. What should you consider when deciding to buy a smartphone?
Advantages of mobile
Thanks to a smartphone, you will always be in touch with your daughter or son, whether through messages, calls or video calls, so there are no worries about safety. At the same time, the schoolchild can download educational applications and fairy tales , so he will also use the phone for his development.
A big advantage of a mobile phone is also a larger display and overall more comfortable use. The child will also appreciate the camera, for example when he wants to take pictures of his homework or school projects. In short, he will make the mobile phone his assistant for many purposes.
Disadvantages of mobile
Unfortunately, smartphones also have their downsides for young children. The biggest risks include easy distraction (not only at school), addiction to certain apps or games, and access to inappropriate content on the Internet . These problems can be addressed to some extent by setting parental controls on the mobile phone, but they may not be 100% effective.
Of course, you also need to consider the risk of losing or breaking your phone (and therefore purchasing protective accessories) or a higher purchase price, especially for new models.

Who is the mobile phone suitable for?
In general, we recommend buying a mobile phone for older children (e.g. 9-11 years old) who already understand the rules of the digital world and the pitfalls of using a smartphone. Parents who are willing to devote themselves to the technical setup of parental controls and regular supervision can buy one for younger schoolchildren.
Smart watches have no appeal, but expect limitations
Many parents don't think about buying a smartwatch at first, but it can be an interesting alternative to a mobile phone. Of course, this option also has its pros and cons.

Benefits of smartwatches
Smartwatches have advantages that you may not even know about until you try them for the first time:
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allow communication with the child (calls and voice messages)
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you can set a child mode, or they are tailor -made for children
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they handle GPS localization
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thanks to the attachment to the wrist, the risk of losing the watch decreases
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they do not have access to the internet or games (i.e. less medication for the child)
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usually includes an SOS button
Disadvantages of smartwatches
Watches by their nature have limited functions (e.g., you can't write longer messages and they don't have any apps), and you can also expect shorter battery life . Some smartwatch models have robust dimensions that can be uncomfortable for children.
What can Apple Watch and Google Watch do?
When choosing a specific smartwatch for children, you will come across two most common ecosystems – Apple Watch and Google Watch.
The Apple Watch offers family settings, school mode, calls and messages via iMessage. However, it requires a parent to have an iPhone, and disadvantages include a high price and short battery life.

What about watches with the Google ecosystem? The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 LTE model now features a Wear OS children's mode (Galaxy Watch For Kids), which is set up via the Google Family Link app. However, the parent needs to have an Android phone that supports the Galaxy Wearable and Google Family Link apps.
Who are smartwatches suitable for?
Especially for first graders, or rather for children attending grades 1-3, who don't need a smartphone that much yet. For you as a parent, this will be an excellent choice if you want to have contact with your son or daughter, but at the same time need to limit the risks associated with using technology.
What can you buy for under 2 thousand and which mobile phones and watches are more expensive?
In addition to the factors mentioned, price also plays a significant role when deciding between a mobile phone and a smartwatch. Fortunately, there are plenty of options on the market for everyone.
Cheap mobile phones and watches
If you prefer a low price, cheap mobile phones make sense, such as the Xiaomi Redmi A5 (price up to approximately CZK 2,000), for which you can get the FIXED Story gel cover in our e-shop . Of the available watches, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active may be the right choice.
However, cheaper products come with the risk of lower quality.
Mid-range mobile phones and watches
The golden mean taken by parents looking for a compromise between the price and quality of a mobile phone or watch.
Among proven children's watches, we recommend, for example, Lamax or Xplora , which you can buy for between CZK 1,000 and 2,000.
When it comes to mobile phones, you can go in two directions. Either opt for a refurbished, higher-end smartphone (e.g. a used iPhone 11, Samsung Galaxy A16 or Xiaomi Note 14 5G for around CZK 5,000).
Or go for a new and moderately expensive mobile phone from the best-selling range, such as the Samsung Galaxy A06 , which costs up to CZK 3,000 and for which you can buy an inconspicuous FIXED Story AntiUV protective cover with protection against yellowing and a FIXED Full-Cover protective tempered glass .
Did you know that you can find many other durable accessories for phones of all price categories in our e-shop? Among others, the ultra-thin TPU gel case FIXED Story Slim for iPhone 11 , the FIXED Pure Neck case for Samsung Galaxy A16 or protective tempered glass for this smartphone. For the Xiaomi Note 14 5G phone, we recommend a transparent gel case or a colored rubberized one with a soft finish .
Premium mobile phones and watches
Do you want to invest more money in your first-grader's cell phone or watch because you prefer high-quality and new models?
As for premium watches, Apple Watch makes sense (e.g. Apple Watch SE with a price of up to CZK 5,000), for which we have prepared a protective case FIXED Pure+ with tempered glass .
With premium mobile phones, you don't have to buy one of the most expensive new models; slightly cheaper and only a few years old refurbished devices also make sense, such as the iPhone 13, which is very popular with parents (price of refurbished 7,000–8,000 CZK). This smartphone will suit you with the FIXED ReStory AntiUV cover made of recycled material or the FIXED 3D Full-Cover protective tempered glass with a practical applicator. We also have covers in color variants for boys and girls .
So is a cell phone or a watch better for a first-grader?
There is no universal answer, but in general, a children's watch with GPS calling is more suitable for most first-graders; a smartphone only makes sense at a later age due to the risks.
If you decide to buy a mobile phone for your little schoolboy or girl, we recommend setting up parental controls in detail and talking to your child about smartphone use regularly.
If you need advice on choosing FIXED accessories for your mobile phone or smartwatch, don't hesitate to write to us in the chat here on the website .