Your child may be ready sooner or later, depending on the level of supervision required. “In a supervised environment, children as young as four or five are able to engage in learning activities using smartphones and tablets of all kinds,” says Jeannie Galindo, supervisor of instructional technology for the Manatee County School District in Florida. “In an unsupervised environment, I wouldn't recommend a smartphone or tablet purchase for a child until at least between the ages of 11 and 13.”