Smartwatch or phone for a P1 child
Once a child starts Primary 1 and begins travelling home alone or by school bus, many parents want a way to reach them. This covers the school rules to check first, whether a watch or a phone fits better, and how the cheap SIM plans work.
Last reviewed against official sources: 19 July 2026
Starting Primary 1 is the broader guide to your child's first year. This page is the device-and-plan corner of it.
Start with the school, not the shop
It is tempting to buy the watch first, but the school's rule can decide the whole thing, so check it before you spend. According to MOE, from January 2026 students may not use personal devices such as phones and smartwatches during school hours, including recess, and devices are kept away during the school day.
Beyond that national rule, the specifics are set by each school in its student handbook, and they do differ. Schools set how the device is stored, whether it must be registered, and whether one is allowed at all where there is a genuine need. Read the handbook or ask at orientation before buying, so you are matching the purchase to your school's actual rule.
Watch, phone, or wait
Parents land in different places, and each choice is reasonable. Here is the range, with the trade-offs rather than a recommendation.
Kids GPS calling watch
A watch built for young children (imoo and similar). It can call and receive calls from a short saved contact list and share location, with no open web or social media. Harder to lose than a phone, and less likely to be a distraction in class.
Typical cost: Roughly S$100 to S$300, varies by model.
Basic or hand-me-down phone
More capable and a spare handset costs nothing if you have one. The trade-offs: easier to lose or damage, more of a distraction, and more likely to fall under a school's stricter phone rules than a watch.
Typical cost: Free if reused, or from around S$100 new.
A simple character watch
A low-cost novelty watch, often with a favourite character. Fine as a first watch a child enjoys wearing, but treat it as a toy: most cannot call or locate, so it does not solve the reach-your-child problem.
Typical cost: Often under S$30.
No device for now
Some families wait through P1 and review later, especially if the child is picked up at the gate or travels with an older sibling. Waiting a year is a common and reasonable choice.
Typical cost: Nothing.
Device prices move around and vary by model and seller. Treat the figures above as a rough guide, not a quote.
The cheap SIM plan question
A calling watch or a phone needs a line to make and take calls and to share location. This is where many parents reach for a budget provider rather than one of the larger telcos, because a child's line needs very little. A watch used for calls and location uses only a small amount of data, so the cheapest tier is usually plenty.
As a rough shape, budget plans tend to start somewhere around S$5 to S$15 a month, but telco pricing changes often, so the figure on the provider's own page is the one to trust. Match the plan to the use and do not pay for large data a watch will never touch.
One important catch: the $5 "senior" plan
A widely shared tip is SIMBA's $5 plan, but it is worth reading the fine print. That $5 rate is a Seniors plan, available to Singapore residents aged 60 and above. It is not a plan a parent can simply sign up for on a child's behalf, which is why it only works when an eligible older relative is the account holder. SIMBA's ordinary SIM-only plans, which anyone can buy, cost more than the senior rate.
Which network a plan actually runs on
Singapore has four network operators: Singtel, StarHub, M1 and SIMBA. Most budget brands are resellers that ride on one of these networks, so a plan's coverage matches whichever operator it runs on. A few users report weaker SIMBA reception indoors or underground in some spots. Those are individual reports, not a coverage fact, so the reliable test is to try a SIM where your child will use it.
| Budget provider | Runs on | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SIMBA | Its own network (formerly TPG) | Owns its network rather than renting one. Some users report weaker reception indoors and underground; test where your child will actually be. |
| GOMO | Singtel | Runs on Singtel's towers, so coverage matches Singtel. |
| giga! | StarHub | Runs on StarHub's network. |
| Circles.Life | M1 | Runs on M1's network. |
| Zym Mobile | Singtel | Runs on Singtel's network. |
| eight / MyRepublic | StarHub | Both run on StarHub's network. |
| Maxx | M1 | Runs on M1's network. |
Network arrangements and plans as understood in July 2026. Providers and prices change, so confirm the current plan, price and data on the provider's own site before buying. Most budget providers offer both a physical SIM and an eSIM, and roaming terms differ by plan.
A sensible order before you commit
Rather than moving your main line across on day one, many parents test first. Get a cheap second SIM, try it at home, on the journey and around the school for a few weeks, and only then decide whether to keep it or port a number over. It costs little and saves the frustration of finding a dead spot after you have committed.
Quick checklist
Five things to run through, roughly in order:
Confirm the school's device rule first
Read the student handbook or ask at orientation before you buy. Some schools ask that devices be registered, some keep them switched off and in the bag all day, some do not allow them at all. The rule is set by each school.
Decide watch or phone for your child
Match it to the route home and how independent your child is. A watch suits a simple pick-up or short bus ride; a phone suits an older, more independent child, if the school allows one.
Pick a cheap SIM or eSIM
A child's line needs very little, so the cheapest tier of a budget provider is usually plenty. Do not overpay for data a watch will never use.
Test the reception where it matters
Try a spare SIM at home, on the commute and around the school for a few weeks before you commit or move your main line across. Coverage varies by network and location.
Set it up and teach the etiquette
Save the contacts, switch on location sharing, and teach your child to keep the device silent or off in class, in line with the school's rule.
A device and its plan are a small part of the wider first-year picture. See how the costs add up in The Real Costs of Primary School, and if you are still weighing whether your child is ready to travel and manage a device, our school readiness guide may help. For the other things to buy before day one, see booklists and uniforms.
Common questions
Can my P1 child bring a smartwatch or phone to school? +
It depends on your school, within MOE's rule. From January 2026, MOE restricts students from using personal devices such as phones and smartwatches during school hours, including recess, and devices are kept away during the day. Each school sets the exact arrangement in its student handbook, including how a device is stored and whether one is allowed at all for a genuine need. Check yours before buying, either in the handbook or at orientation.
Is a watch or a phone better for a young child? +
Both work; it comes down to your child. A kids GPS calling watch is harder to lose, limited to a saved contact list, and less of a distraction, which suits a simple journey home. A phone is more capable but easier to lose or damage and more likely to fall under stricter school rules. Many families start with a watch in the lower primary years.
What is the cheapest SIM plan for a kids' watch? +
The budget providers (often called MVNOs) are the usual choice, because a watch used for calls and location sips only a little data, so the lowest tier is normally enough. Cheap plans typically start in the region of S$5 to S$15 a month, but telco prices change often, so check the provider's own page for the current figure. One thing to note: SIMBA's well-known $5 plan is a Seniors plan for Singapore residents aged 60 and above, so it is not a plan a parent can simply buy for a child. SIMBA's ordinary SIM-only plans cost more.
Why do some parents say SIMBA has weak signal in certain spots? +
SIMBA runs on its own network rather than renting one of the older operators' towers, and some users report patchier reception indoors or underground in specific places. These are individual reports, not a coverage guarantee either way. Because an MVNO on Singtel, StarHub or M1 uses that operator's towers, its coverage matches the host network. The reliable check is to test a SIM where your child will actually use it before committing.
How much mobile data does a kids' watch really need? +
Very little. A watch used mainly for calls and location does not stream video or run heavy apps, so the smallest data tier from a budget provider is almost always enough. This is why so many parents pick a $5 to $10 plan rather than a large-data one. Match the plan to the use rather than paying for data that will never be touched.
Should I buy the device and plan before P1 starts? +
Check the school's device policy first, since that can decide the whole question. After that, a sensible order is to get a cheap second SIM, test the reception at home, on the commute and near the school for a few weeks, then commit or move your main line across once you are happy. Some families do all this before the year begins; others wait until they see how the school run settles.
Find your child's group
Every cohort has its own WhatsApp group of parents going through the exact same year, real-time registration updates, school reviews, balloting news and answers from people one step ahead of you. Pick the year your child starts Primary 1.
The 2026 registration exercise runs from 30 June to 30 October 2026, with the citizen and PR phases finishing in late August. This is the live cohort, phase dates, balloting and school choice are happening right now.
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Plenty of runway. Useful if you're weighing a home move for distance priority or choosing a kindergarten with an eye on P1.
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