If you worry about where your kids are going when you’re not with them, you can use the watch to track them. There’s an SOS button on it which can dial pre-assigned SOS numbers, or send a short message to a phone or sound an alarm on your phone. Naturally, things have advanced since then, and this gadget offers lots of safety features. It comes in two kid-friendly colours and reminds us a little of the GShock watches we wore in the Nineties. This will appeal to some kids, but might mean it’s a bit too large for youngsters. We were immediately struck by the size of this watch – it’s bigger than our own Apple Watch, and much chunkier too. This is great for kids up to maybe about 10, as older children may find they want a little more from their smartwatch. The display isn’t as eye catching as some others we tried – while it’s OLED, so very bright even in direct sunlight, it’s greyscale only so no eye-popping colours here. Sadly it doesn’t get them to brush their teeth or put their shoes on, but we can’t have everything. ![]() It will remind kids when to go to bed, and gently wake them in the morning in time for school. The tracking function is also pared back – it simply tracks activity and sleep, and you can set family challenges if other members have a Fitbit too. While you do pair it with your smartphone, there’s a children’s app view and a parents’ one – a feature we really liked. ![]() It’s specifically designed for children, with a lightweight and durable face and strap, a long battery life and a pared back interface. One of the best-known fitness-tracker brands, Fitbit, have produced a new iteration of their smartwatch for kids. ![]() 2 comes in plenty of other themes too, from Frozen to Star Wars, as well as other Marvel superhero characters. You can review your child’s progress in the app when it’s connected to your phone via Bluetooth.įrom this app you can set chores for your child – once they’ve completed the chore, they get coins (you decide how many per chore) and then they win a Spider-Man themed adventure. The small screen shows Spider-Man’s face and then one piece of data, and you can toggle between the information displayed, using the single button on the watch. You need both an adult’s and kid’s version of the Garmin app, but aside from that it’s easy to set up. This put to rest our concerns about introducing too much tech into our young child’s life. However, all use of apps can be overseen by parents and there’s no need for them to interact with the app at all. Our Reception-aged child felt really grown up with it, and it had enough features to keep him happy without being overwhelming. We loved the simplicity of this smartwatch too – it’s pitched at ages four and over, and we’d say that’s dead on, with an upper age of about 12 years old. It’s bright red with Spidey embossing on the strap, which makes it easy to spot if it’s left lying around. This Spider-Man themed smartwatch is our five-year-old’s dream. If this is an option, purchasing smart watches that enable interconnectivity (e.g., linking both devices to the same app) can allow parents to easily monitor their child’s health, and even prompt healthy competitions and collective challenges!” “This can initiate conversations about health and allow family members to support one another. On the whole, though, getting the family in on the act is a great idea. “Some smartwatches offer gamification components, such as challenges, virtual rewards, and avatars, which are typically favoured by children, but it is worth considering whether these features align with your child’s interests.” Amy also advises conversation and caution when approaching teenagers and monitoring their physical activity, as smartwatches can be anxiety-provoking. She adds that, involving your child in the purchasing decision is also beneficial. ![]() So, how do you choose the best smartwatch for your child? “Parents may consider the importance of parental controls, such as setting bedtime alerts or restricting access to certain features.” Suggests Doctoral researcher, Amy Creaser, from Loughborough’s School of Sport, Exercise and Science. Some go further and do GPS tracking, calls and some even have cameras. Many smartwatches for children offer similar perks to those for adults – activity tracking, goal setting and life-admin functions such as calendars. While perhaps investing in an Apple Watch for a five-year-old is a bit much, there are plenty of options when it comes to smartwatches designed for children. If you’ve got a smartwatch, you might find your child is fascinated by it and might even like one themselves.
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