Smart Phones are a great tool for many things, but it takes effort to teach and manage a child’s usage. I credit my youngest’s phone with her love of history and how she has gone down many rabbit holes on youtube to learn things. So much so she is going to be a history teacher.
There is good and bad about most things our children grow up with. Sports can end up taking up too much time and affecting academics. Theatre & Band can do the same.
As far as kids playing outside organized sports and the public’s perception that crime has risen affected that long before phones got in their hands. When I grew up in the late 70s and 80s life was much more dangerous than it is now.