The best device for staying in touch with a grandparent is the one they will actually answer. For most families, that means a tablet or smart display on a stand for video calls, a Wi-Fi photo frame that family can fill from their phones, and a plain phone number as the backup.
Fit matters more than features. Before you compare brands, look at four things: the grandparent’s Wi-Fi, their hands and eyesight, their hearing, and who in the family will handle tech support when something stops working.
Get those right and the device fades into the background. Get them wrong and it ends up in a drawer.
This guide covers how to match a device to the person, a 30-minute setup plan, activity ideas by grandchild age, and the scam and privacy steps that now belong in every setup.
Why regular contact is worth the effort
This is about more than feeling good. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory on social connection reported that poor social connection is linked to a 29% higher risk of heart disease and a 32% higher risk of stroke. Among older adults, chronic loneliness and isolation are linked to roughly a 50% higher risk of developing dementia.
Those numbers are associations from long-term studies. They don’t prove that a video call prevents disease. But the National Institute on Aging gives the same practical advice: schedule regular contact, and use video chat or smart speakers if they help a person stay engaged.
Kids benefit too. A standing call with a grandparent gives them a relationship that doesn’t depend on holiday travel.
Start with four questions, not a shopping list
Answer these before you spend anything.
- Does the home have reliable Wi-Fi? If not, you need a device with its own cellular plan, or you need to fix the internet first. Video on weak Wi-Fi freezes, and frozen calls are a fast way to lose a grandparent’s interest.
- How are their hands, eyes, and ears? Tremors make small touchscreens hard. Low vision calls for a bigger screen and large text. Hearing loss means you want a device that pairs with hearing aids or shows live captions.
- Will they tap to answer, or should the call answer itself? Some grandparents are fine tapping a green button. Others do better with a device that family can set to auto-answer from a short list of approved contacts.
- Who is the family’s tech support? Name one person. That person sets it up, keeps the passwords, and can fix things remotely or talk the grandparent through a fix by phone.
Device types compared
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| Device type | Best fit | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet on a stand (iPad or Android) | Grandparents comfortable with a touchscreen who also want photos, news, and games | Small icons, pop-up alerts, and updates that move buttons around |
| Smart display (Echo Show and similar) | People who struggle with touchscreens; voice starts the call | Needs Wi-Fi and an account; review who is allowed to connect automatically |
| Wi-Fi digital photo frame | Anyone, including people with memory changes | Most frames can’t make calls; some charge for photo storage |
| Senior-focused tablet with cellular data | Homes with no Wi-Fi; family wants to manage settings remotely | Monthly service fee; read contract and cancellation terms |
| Smartphone in simplified mode | Grandparents who already carry a phone | Tiny text by default; set up large text and favorites first |
| Big-button or captioned phone | Voice calls only, or hearing loss | No video; captioned service needs registration |
Tablets
A tablet is the most flexible choice. It handles FaceTime, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and Zoom, plus photos, reading, and games. The trade-off is clutter. A new tablet is full of apps, alerts, and settings a grandparent never asked for.
Fix that on day one. Remove apps they won’t use, move the calling app to the first screen, turn off most notifications, and raise the text size. Both iPads and Android tablets have a setting that locks the screen to a single app, which helps if a grandparent keeps getting lost in menus.
Buy a stand that holds the tablet at eye level and keeps it plugged in. A tablet lying flat on a table gives the grandkids a view of the ceiling, and a dead battery is one of the most common reasons calls don’t connect.
Smart displays
A smart display is a screen with a voice assistant built in. The grandparent says a name and the call starts. For someone with arthritis or a tremor, that removes the hardest step.
Most smart displays can be set so approved family members connect automatically. That feature is useful, and it deserves a review. Limit it to a short list of people, and make sure the grandparent understands how it works and agrees to it. Use the physical camera shutter when the device isn’t in use.
A note on used gear: Meta stopped selling its Portal video-calling devices on December 31, 2022, and says it won’t ship new features for them. A secondhand Portal is a poor choice for a new setup.
Digital photo frames
A Wi-Fi photo frame asks the least of the grandparent. Family members send pictures from their phones, and new photos appear on the frame without anyone touching it. For a grandparent with memory changes, a steady stream of labeled family photos can be easier to enjoy than a live call.
Most frames don’t make video calls. Treat a frame as a companion to a calling device, not a replacement. Check whether the frame needs a paid plan to store photos before you buy.
Senior-focused tablets with cellular data
Some tablets are built for older adults and come with their own cellular connection, so they work without home Wi-Fi. Family can usually manage contacts and settings from their own phones. This solves the no-internet problem but adds a monthly bill. Ask what the fee covers, whether there’s a contract, and what happens if you cancel.
Phones, big-button phones, and captioned phones
Don’t overlook the phone. If a grandparent already uses a smartphone, set up large text, a short favorites list, and one-tap video calling to the family group.
For hearing loss, the FCC oversees Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service. It’s free to users who register with a provider and self-certify that they need captions, and it shows live text of what the caller says. A voice call every Sunday beats a video device nobody uses.
Apps that turn a call into something to do
“How was school?” runs out of steam in about two minutes, especially with little kids. Apps that give everyone something to share help calls last longer.
- Shared reading apps. Several apps put a picture book on both screens during a video call, so a grandparent can read a bedtime story and turn the pages. Good for ages 2 to 7.
- Video message apps. Asynchronous video apps work like a video walkie-talkie. A grandparent records a short message, and the grandchild replies after school. This helps across time zones and busy schedules.
- Group video. A standing weekly group call on FaceTime, Google Meet, WhatsApp, or Zoom lets cousins, aunts, and uncles join at once.
- Games over video. Word games, chess apps, and simple games like I Spy using what’s on each other’s screen work well for ages 5 and up.
- Shared photo albums. A private shared album lets parents post daily snapshots that grandparents can browse and comment on.
For children under 13, a federal law called COPPA requires apps to get a parent’s permission before collecting kids’ personal information. Parent-controlled messaging apps for kids let the parent approve every contact, which suits young children who want to message a grandparent directly. Parents should pick the app and approve the grandparent’s account.
Activity ideas by grandchild age
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| Grandchild age | What works | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | Short calls, singing, peekaboo, showing pets | Keep it to about 5 minutes; a parent holds the screen |
| 2 to 5 | Bedtime stories, show-and-tell, songs | Same time each week so it becomes a routine |
| 6 to 9 | Reading together, drawing the same picture, simple games | Mail a book ahead so both have a copy |
| 10 to 13 | Cooking a family recipe together, chess or word games, homework help | Let the grandchild pick the activity |
| Teens | Short video messages, texting, family history interviews | Ask about their interests, not their grades |
Cooking over video works well for school-age kids. The grandparent reads out the family recipe, everyone gathers ingredients ahead of time, and two kitchens make the same dish at once.
Family history works well with older kids. Have a grandchild interview a grandparent about where they grew up, their first job, or how they met their spouse. Record it. Families tend to treasure those recordings later.
A 30-minute setup plan
Do this in person if you can. If not, do it on a phone call with the grandparent holding the device.
- Charge and place it. Put the device on a stand, plugged in, next to the chair where the grandparent sits most.
- Connect Wi-Fi and write the password down. Put it on the card in step 7.
- Update the software before the first call, so the screen doesn’t change a week later.
- Cut the clutter. Remove unused apps and turn off notifications except calls and messages.
- Make it readable and loud. Raise text size, turn up the ringer, and turn on captions if available.
- Add favorites. Five contacts at most, with photos, so the grandparent taps a face instead of reading a name.
- Print a one-page card. Three steps: how to answer, how to call the family, and who to call for help.
- Test it. Make a real call from your phone. Have the grandparent answer and hang up on their own twice.
- Pick a standing time. “Sunday at 4:00” is easier to keep than “whenever.”
Low-tech still counts
Mail still lands. Kids love getting envelopes, and grandparents love keeping drawings. A postcard about the book you’ll read on the next call builds excitement. A plain phone call counts too.
Mix digital and paper. And don’t let a device replace a visit when a visit is possible.
Scam and privacy steps every family should add
Scammers target the grandparent-grandchild bond directly. The FTC warns that criminals can clone a loved one’s voice from a short clip posted online, then call a grandparent pretending to be a grandchild in trouble. The FCC gives the same warning and adds that caller ID can be faked.
The losses are real. The FTC reported that people 60 and older reported nearly $2.4 billion in fraud losses in 2024, up from about $600 million in 2020.
Build these into your setup:
- Agree on a family safe word that only family knows. If a caller can’t give it, hang up.
- Call back on a saved number. The FTC’s advice is simple: don’t trust the voice. Hang up and call the grandchild or a parent on a number you already have.
- Treat gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, and secrecy as red flags. A real grandchild won’t ask a grandparent to hide a money request from mom and dad.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
On privacy, limit auto-answer features to a short family list. Keep the camera covered when it’s not in use. Parents should decide which photos of their kids get shared, and where.
What it costs and where to get help
The device is a one-time cost. The ongoing costs are internet or cellular service and any subscriptions for photo storage or senior-tablet service. Add those up for a full year before you buy.
If internet cost is the barrier, the FCC’s Lifeline program gives eligible low-income households up to $9.25 a month off phone or internet service. Households qualify with income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or through programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal public housing assistance, or the Veterans Pension. Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household.
For local help learning a device, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. It connects families to their Area Agency on Aging, and many of those agencies run technology classes or volunteer tech help.
For devices beyond calling, see our guide to essential tech for seniors. For more on scams that target families, read our guide to protecting seniors from identity theft.
FAQ
What is the easiest device for a grandparent who isn’t comfortable with technology?
A Wi-Fi photo frame is the easiest to live with, because family does the work from their phones. For live calls, a smart display that starts calls by voice, or one set to auto-answer from a short approved list, is usually easier than a tablet.
Do grandparents need Wi-Fi for video calls?
Most devices need Wi-Fi. If the home has none, look at a tablet or phone with its own cellular data plan. Budget for the monthly fee, and check whether the household qualifies for the FCC’s Lifeline discount of up to $9.25 a month.
Is a tablet or a smart display better for a grandparent?
A tablet does more: calls, photos, reading, and games. A smart display is simpler because the grandparent can use their voice. If hands, eyesight, or menus are a struggle, lean toward the smart display.
How can young kids stay in touch with grandparents safely?
Parents should choose the app, approve the grandparent’s account, and control the contact list. Federal COPPA rules require apps to get a parent’s permission before collecting personal information from children under 13.
How do we keep video calls from getting boring?
Give the call a job: read a book, cook a recipe, play a game, or have a grandchild interview a grandparent. Keep calls short for little kids and hold them at the same time each week.
How do we protect grandparents from the “grandchild in trouble” scam?
Set a family safe word, and teach one rule: call back on a saved number before sending any money. The FTC warns that scammers can clone voices, so a familiar voice alone proves nothing.
Should we buy a used video-calling device?
Be careful. Meta stopped selling Portal devices on December 31, 2022, and isn’t adding features. Before buying any used device, confirm the maker still sends security updates for it.
Sources
View all 17 sources
Verified 2026-09-25. Government and standards sources first; one manufacturer page is labeled secondary.
- U.S. Surgeon General, Social Connection advisory (HHS): https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/connection/index.html
- National Institute on Aging (NIH), Loneliness and Social Isolation: Tips for Staying Connected: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/loneliness-and-social-isolation/loneliness-and-social-isolation-tips-staying-connected
- FTC, Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/scammers-use-ai-enhance-their-family-emergency-schemes
- FTC, Scammers Use Fake Emergencies To Steal Your Money: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/scammers-use-fake-emergencies-steal-your-money
- FTC, Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025: https://www.ftc.gov/reports/protecting-older-consumers-2024-2025-report-federal-trade-commission
- FCC, ‘Grandparent’ Scams Get More Sophisticated: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/scam-alert/grandparent-scams-get-more-sophisticated
- FTC, Children’s Privacy (COPPA): https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/privacy-security/childrens-privacy
- FCC, Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications: https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers
- FCC, Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/internet-protocol-ip-captioned-telephone-service
- ACL, Eldercare Locator: https://eldercare.acl.gov
- Medicare.gov, Telehealth: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/telehealth
- CMS, Telehealth coverage: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/telehealth
- NIST, 7 tips to keep your smart home safer and more private: https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/7-tips-keep-your-smart-home-safer-and-more-private-nist-cybersecurity
- NIST, Securing smart speakers for home health care (guidelines overview): https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2025/12/securing-smart-speakers-home-health-care-nist-offers-new-guidelines
- ADA.gov, Effective Communication: https://www.ada.gov/resources/effective-communication/
- CISA, 4 things you can do to keep yourself cyber safe: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/4-things-you-can-do-keep-yourself-cyber-safe
- Secondary (manufacturer): Meta, Support for Meta Portal devices: https://www.meta.com/help/portal/28980127478297747/