School Survey: Fewer young primary school children have their own phone

Just over a quarter of parents currently follow THL’s recommendation that children under the age of 13 should not have their own smartphone at all. The number of smartphones in children’s personal use has declined in recent years, particularly among 7–9-year-olds. Last year, around 68 per cent of children in this age group had their own smartphone; this year, the figure has fallen to 37 per cent.

“For example, according to the 2022 School Survey, practically all seven-year-olds had their own phone – whether a smartphone, basic phone or watch phone – and for most it was a smartphone. Now, 46 per cent of seven-year-olds have their own phone, and even among them the majority are watch phones. I believe the tide has turned, and within a few years even fewer primary school children will have their own smartphone,” predicts Jussi Mälkiä, Brand Director at DNA.

Parents take a positive view of the recommendations

Two thirds of parents who responded to the survey take a positive view of THL’s digital recommendations, even though children’s actual phone use exceeds the recommended levels. According to the recommendation published in the beginning of the year, suitable daily screen time is no more than one hour for children aged 6–10 and no more than two hours for those aged 11–13.

Parents of 6–10-year-olds estimate that their child uses a phone for around 1.5 hours on weekdays and two hours on days off. In parents’ view, a suitable amount of phone use for children of this age would be under 1.5 hours on weekdays and 1.5 hours on days off.

According to parents’ estimates, 11–13-year-olds use their phones for just over two hours on weekdays and nearly three hours on days off. Parents consider a suitable amount of use to be around 1.5 hours on weekdays and just over two hours on days off. It is worth noting that THL’s recommendation refers to total screen time, whereas the School Survey specifically asked about time spent using a phone.

“If, in addition to the phone time reported by parents, children also use tablets and computers or play games on other devices, actual screen time may be even higher. Nevertheless, parents are aware of the impacts of smart devices and are trying to limit the time their children spend using them. It is encouraging that many parents also seek to limit their own device use to set a better example for their children,” says Mälkiä.

Parents support collective restrictions

ost parents are satisfied with the amendment to the Basic Education Act that bans the use of smart devices during lessons without permission. In addition, nearly two thirds of parents believe that social media should be banned by law for children under the age of 15.

“Parents are looking for collective support when it comes to limiting smart device use. It is easier to justify restrictions to one’s own child when they apply to everyone and when parents can also refer to another authority or shared rules,” Mälkiä says.

In the open-ended responses, parents expressed a desire for nationwide measures applying to everyone, such as legislation limiting smartphone use among the youngest children and more tools for the state and schools to restrict phone use. Parents also want the same rules to apply consistently across different parts of Finland.

“We are constantly learning more about the effects of phones, and parents are aware of the discussion around smart device use. This is reflected in the School Survey, which shows a clear trend towards wanting to postpone the purchase of a child’s smartphone until a later age,” Mälkiä notes.

This development is also reflected in the rapid increase in the number of watch phones among 7–9-year-olds over the past couple of years. A watch phone is one way to postpone the purchase of a child’s first smartphone when the need for communication arises, for example, in connection with starting school.

DNA supports the national digital recommendations for children published by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). In addition, the company recommends that children learn to use smart devices together with an adult regardless of the child’s age, as no technology or security setting can replace an adult’s presence or fully protect a child online. 

The School Survey examines factors related to phone use and phone purchases among school-aged children and young people. The survey has been conducted since 2011. In 2026, the survey panel was replaced and the target group definition refined, meaning that comparisons with previous years can only be made to a limited extent. Data for the 2026 School Survey was collected in Norstat’s online panel between 17 and 24 February 2026. The survey was completed by more than 2,000 parents (n=2,102) of children aged 5–16. The number of respondents was higher than in earlier years.

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DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi