Better Than A Smartphone: 17 Fun Devices for Music, Photos, Calls and More

Today it seems you blink and your Kindergartner is begging for a smartphone. “But everyone else has one!” they say. And they’re only exaggerating a little.

According to Common Sense Media’s report 2025 The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight:

“By age 2, 4 in 10 children have their own tablet (40%). By age 4, more than half (58%) of children have their own tablet. By age 8, nearly 1 in 4 children have their own cellphone. Overall, 51% of children age 8 and younger have their own mobile device (such as a tablet or cellphone).”

This might leave you wondering, when did childhood require a charger?

If we’re being honest, smartphones do make life easier—one sleek device that does everything. But do our kids really need access to the whole world in their little hands? Especially with the known harms– like excess screentime, pornography exposure, and predator access, just to name a few–the answer is pretty clear.

What’s a parent to do?

Good news! Kids can enjoy the best features of a mobile device—without having an actual mobile device. 

Here are some great screen-free or low-screen devices that do the jobs of a smartphone or tablet. And they’re fun!

Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission to keep kids safe online!

Related: Our Screen-Free Gift Guide: 5 Awesome Picks Your Kids Will Love

Cameras for kids

Kids love taking photos. And while selfies are fun, Jonathan Haidt documents in The Anxious Generation that the addition of front-facing cameras to smartphones led to the rise of selfie culture and social comparison. Not exactly what we want our kids practicing at young ages.

That’s why we love the following cameras! Their screen-free design keeps kids living in the moment, rather than wondering how the photo turned out or how they can perfect their duck-face.

• Camp Snap digital camera: The Camp Snap camera’s design is similar to a disposable camera. It captures up to 500 photos per charge. Photos are uploaded later via a cable connected to a computer. This removes the “doom scroll” of checking the camera roll.
  
  They also have a video camera. We love the idea!
  
  
• Instant print cameras: A simple Amazon search for “instant print cameras for kids” yields several results for old-school Polaroid type cameras with a wide variety of price points. Fujifilm Instax is the most recognizable brand.
  
  And we just love this adorable bear camera.

Safe kid-friendly music players

Believe it or not, in 2025 kids can enjoy music safely without strolling into the digital wild west of sexually explicit album covers, videos, and audio porn. Yes, there’s porn on Spotify (and other popular music streaming services).

While these take a little bit more effort than streaming, we think the safety is worth the extra steps. 

• MP3 players: Still a great choice in 2025! Amazon has several MP3 players available. Parents will need to purchase and download individual songs to their computer, then connect the MP3 player to the computer with a cable, and drag and drop the files onto the device. One of our team member’s 10-year-old child loves this AiMoonsa Music Player from Amazon. Here’s a quick video review demonstrating how it works.
  
  
• The Mighty: This little music player is a great solution that allows you to share Spotify or Amazon music playlists to this “mighty” device, all while keeping the internet and screens out of your child’s hands. (Note, Spotify Premium or Amazon Music Unlimited is required.)
  
  
• The Yoto Player: Wow. This fun little gadget uses cards, similar to a credit card or hotel room keys, that contain music or stories (over 1,000 available). You can even buy blank “make your own cards” to download whatever you like, or even have a grandparent record themselves singing a lullaby or reading a story.
  
  And if you’re worried about your child losing or breaking the cards, they can be downloaded into your own Yoto library. There are two versions: The larger Yoto Player, and the Yoto mini. Be sure to check them both out.
  
  
• The Toniebox: This cute device has music stored on “tonies,” which are little figurines loaded with an NFC chip that have stories or songs on them (similar concept to the Yoto). One reviewer said Tonieboxes are great for young children, where the Yoto Player may work better for kids 6+.

Related: Best Music Apps for Kids? We Compared Spotify, Spotify Kids, Amazon, Apple & Gabb for Safety

Flashlights = instant adventures

While a flashlight may not be the main reason kids want a smartphone, it is an often-used tool. And kids love them. Grab one of these fun flashlights and give your kid a portal to adventure.

• Rechargeable flashlights in fun shapes like a crocodile or cute dog.
  
  
• Headlamps for camping, or reading books in a fort or after bedtime. We love these animal themed ones.
  ‍
  
• Projector flashlights that cast fun images onto the wall.

[[CTA]]

Tracking: Peace of mind without a phone

Keeping tabs on your child is one of the main reasons parents give smartphones to kids once they start riding the bus or playing sports. And honestly, being able to track your child is one of this century’s greatest inventions for peace of mind. Thankfully, there are more solutions that a smartphone. Check these out!

• Custom NFC keychains: One innovative mom started 3D-printing backpack keychains  [embed YouTube video] that lets a trusted adult quickly scan for emergency contact info — after her 4-year-old’s bus driver didn’t know where to drop her off. You can find them on Etsy.
  ‍‍
• AirTags or Tile Trackers: Slip one in a backpack or clip it onto a keychain. With the AirTag, you pair it via Family Sharing for parent-only tracking. With a Tile tracker (compatible with iOS and Android), you can use the Tile (or Life360) app to share location access, ring the tracker, view its last known location, and keep tabs on items without handing over a full smartphone.

Safer communication

Kids don’t need full internet access just to text, “Practice ended early, can you pick me up?” Here are tools made just for communication.

• Smartwatches: No browser. No app store. No social media. Just calls, approved contacts, and GPS. Here are some of our favorites.
  
  • Bark
  • Troomi 
  • Pinwheel
  • Gabb
  • and others like T-Mobile's SyncUp & Verizon’s Gizmo. 
  • Related: What's the Best Kids' Smartwatch? Our Top 5 Picks Plus Real Parent Reviews.

• Landlines: If you want your child to have a home phone without apps, browsers, or notifications, landlines are surprisingly still a fantastic option. We love this encouraging story about a Maine family who created a “landline pod” with friends and family.
  
  There are two main kinds:
   
  
  • Traditional landlines: These are the classic phone-jack-in-the-wall setup. They get their power from the phone line itself, which means they work even when the power goes out making them super reliable, and no internet required.
    
    
  • VoIP landlines: Popular ones include Ooma, Magic Jack and Vonage. We also love the Tin Can concept. Just remember VoiP phones rely on the Internet. So if the power or WiFi go down, so does the phone. But for everyday communication, VoIP options are a budget-friendly way to give kids a phone without giving them a smartphone.
    
    
• Walkie-talkies: Don’t underestimate the convenience and fun of walkie-talkies. They’re perfect for neighborhood play, camping trips, theme parks, and cruise ships.
  
  A few tips: 
  ‍
  
  • Choose a pair with multiple channels so you can avoid cross-talk from construction crews or chatty strangers.
  • Get rechargeable ones to save cost on batteries.
  • Set a “home channel” so your child always knows where to reach you.‍
  • Teach radio etiquette: If you hear someone else on the line, switch channels. No oversharing, it’s a public airwave.

Bonus: Offline entertainment & creativity

Sometimes kids just need something fun and engaging to do — especially on long car rides, doctor’s office waits, or when siblings are practicing every sport under the sun. These options offer play and creativity without the internet, or a smartphone. Here are a few ideas:

• Offline handheld video games like Nintendo DS. Find them used on Marketplace, Ebay or Gamestop. Be sure to disable the internet.
  ‍‍
• Digital pets like Tamogotchi or Giga Pets. These fun toys are making a major comeback!

Kids don’t need a smartphone to have fun

Smartphones may be everywhere, but childhood doesn’t have to revolve around them. Our alternatives provide fun and discovery without overwhelming kids with a world they aren’t ready for.

And here’s something else. The most valuable device your child has is their brain. 

At Defend Young Minds, it’s our mission to help parents build an internal filter. Our Good Pictures Bad Pictures books help parents everywhere teach their kids how to reject harmful content when they see it. No smartphone required.