Nearly 9 in 10 parents say elementary school is too early for a smartphone

A CanadianParent.ca poll of more than 1,500 parents found 89.7% oppose giving children smartphones in elementary school, underscoring rising concern about screen time, social media and online safety. A separate poll found 90.5% opposition or strong concern about TikTok use for children under 13.

Why it matters: - Canadian parents in the poll showed broad agreement that elementary school is too early for full smartphone ownership. - The findings point to growing concern about constant internet access, social media exposure, cyberbullying and privacy risks for younger children. - The results also suggest many families want a slower path to digital independence, not a blanket rejection of technology.

What happened: - CanadianParent.ca asked its community, “Should kids have smartphones in elementary school?” - More than 1,500 parents participated in the online reader poll. - 89.7% said no. - 10.3% said yes. - Cory Arsic, founder of CanadianParent.ca and a father of two, said the concern is about giving an elementary-aged child constant, independent access to social media, messaging, video platforms and the wider internet before the child is ready to manage it. - CanadianParent.ca also ran a separate poll asking, “Should kids under 13 be allowed to use TikTok?” - That TikTok poll drew 1,416 responses.

The details: - Smartphone access can help when children travel independently, join after-school activities or move between caregivers. - The same devices can bring excessive screen time, inappropriate content, disrupted sleep and social pressure. - Parents in the CanadianParent.ca poll framed the issue as a question of maturity and digital literacy, not just access. - On TikTok, 86.1% said children under 13 should not use the platform because it is too addictive or inappropriate. - When supporters of highly restricted access were included, opposition or strong concern reached 90.5%. - Only 5.4% backed TikTok use with parental supervision. - Another 4.4% supported limited use. - The full smartphone results are in the CanadianParent.ca report, New Parent Poll 2026: Nearly 90% Say Kids Should Not Have Smartphones in Elementary School.

Between the lines: - The polls suggest parents are drawing a line between supervised use of technology and personal, unrestricted access. - The size of the majority indicates that age-based rules are less persuasive to many families than a child’s maturity, communication needs and ability to follow household rules. - The findings also reflect a broader tension for parents: delaying access may reduce risk, but early ownership can feel socially necessary when classmates already have phones. - CanadianParent.ca said families should keep talking about privacy, online behavior, screen-time expectations and what to do if children encounter upsetting content or messages from strangers. - The organization said the polls reflect the views of participating readers and are not nationally representative of all Canadian parents.

What's next: - Families and schools will keep debating phones in classrooms, children’s social media use and the role of digital devices during the elementary years. - CanadianParent.ca said parents should weigh a child’s maturity, communication needs and household rules rather than assume one age fits every family. - The organization is likely to continue using polls and research to track how Canadian parents think about technology, childcare and online safety.

The bottom line: - For this audience, the message is clear: most parents want to delay smartphones until children are older and better equipped to handle the risks.