Children have quickly become avid smartphone users. By age 11, most kids receive their first smartphone, and by age 12-15, they are two times more attached to their mobile phones than to their TVs. Even before this, though, kids are regularly using smartphones because 43 percent of parents use smartphones as entertainment and educational tools for their children. This means that children as young as two years old are spending 10 minutes or more a day on their parents’ or a relative’s smartphone.

This might strike some people as worrisome, but that’s not necessarily the case because, in fact, kids ages 2-10 spend about 36 percent of their screen time playing educational games and programs. Plus, between 20 and 30 percent of parents say their children are learning cognitive skills as well as reading and vocabulary, while 18 percent say their kids are learning valuable math skills using smartphones. App designers are responding to the growing demand for educational apps and content specially designed for kids. There are now apps designed to help young kids learn diverse skills like foreign languages or conduct virtual science experiments. In the future, parents should only expect to see more and better quality learning tools for kids developed for smartphones.

The makers of smartphones and 4G LTE network providers have also recognized that kids are using their products more and more. This is why smartphone makers and mobile service providers are giving parents more tools to monitor and control their kids’ smartphone use. For example, smartphones  come with Kids Mode, a feature that is password-protected to block adult apps, allow parents to set time limits, among other useful features. This way, parents can feel safer when letting their kids use smartphones. Want to know more? Check out these interesting facts about kids’ smartphone usage to help you decide if a smartphone is good for you and your child.