American Kids’ Cell Phone Ownership Jumped to 20%

It is generally thought that children should not be allowed to have their own cell phones too early, but here is the fact: the faces of those fiddling with a mobile gadget just keep getting younger and younger.

According MRI’s American Kids Study 2009, cell phone ownership among U.S. children ages 6 to 11 has soared by 68 percent in the past five years. Currently, as many as 20 percent of kids have a handset, significantly up from 11.9 percent in 2005. The most dramatic change can be found in the 10-11 year old range, which showed an 80.5 percent increase during the same period.

Based on the questionnaires collected, children use cell phones mostly for basic communication functions, such as calling their parents (88.1 percent), calling friends (68.1 percent), emergency purposes (55.7 percent) and text messaging (54.1 percent). Other activities include playing games, taking pictures and listening to music.

The study goes on to reveal that cell phone adoption has surged more rapidly among boys than girls since 2007 – 47 percent increase for boys and 17.2 percent increase for girls. Moreover, preliminary data suggests that there is a gender divide in children’s use of phone features: Boys spend more time to instant messages, access the Internet and download games, music and videos, while girls are more apt to making calls and text messaging.

"This large increase in cell phone ownership, particularly among boys, comes as more wireless providers are targeting parents through feature-rich, kid friendly phones such as Disney Mobile's LG Phone and the Firefly Communications FlyPhone," said Anne Marie Kelly, SVP, Marketing & Strategic Planning at MRI.

The number of kids using phones is expected to continue to boom, as more than 12 percent of parents say they intend to buy one for their children within the next year. If you are considering the same, it is important to talk to your child about the responsibilities of owning a phone, and choose the suitable one for him or her. Also, to prevent your kids from losing the gadgets, you may buy a phone strap or a carrying case that can be attached to their school bags.

Tags: Cell Phone, LG Accessories, Cingular Accessories, Samsung Accessories, Phone Straps, Cellular Case