Maybe your child has added a new smart watch to the top of their Christmas wish list, or searching for the right gift has led you to consider buying one. You might now be wondering if smart watches are worth it, and most importantly, if they're appropriate for children.
Here we break down the most popular kids smart watches, which range from a durable fitness tracker, to a hybrid kids phone and watch.
Apple Smart Watches
Purchasing an Apple smart watch will involve spending some serious cash. Willing to splurge on a Christmas or birthday present for your child? Expect an older model such as the Series 3 to cost at least Rs.20900.There's currently no Apple watch for kids, however most Apple smart watches are kid-friendly and incorporate parental controls.
WatchOS 7 software is compatible with all smart watches currently being sold by Apple, including the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 6 and Apple SE. This software includes an Apple Family Setup function, which is activated by a parent or carer pairing their phone with their child's smart watch. This function enables Schooltime and Downtime modes. Schooltime limits features during school hours, and Downtime mutes notifications during the night.
A smart watch is a compromise for children not ready for a mobile phone. 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity facilitates communication via phone calls and texts, but you can restrict the content your child can access – resulting in an age-appropriate kids smart watch and phone rolled into one. This is also a suitable option for older children who've outgrown "childish" watches.
VTech Smart Watches
Toy company VTech produces kid-friendly walkie talkies and cameras in addition to smart watches. The popular VTech Kidizoom Smart Watch Dx2 is intended for children between 4 to 9 years old, and costs $79. The Kidizoom smart watch has plenty of interactive and educational games, which encourage creativity and lateral thinking. Learning to read the time is made fun with customisable watch faces, and counting games help children practise addition and subtraction.
The Kidizoom is water resistant but doesn't function as a waterproof kids smart watch. It's important to remember the Kidizoom is not an advanced piece of tech and works more like an electronic toy. This smart watch has limited capabilities and cannot be used to communicate, nor is it intended for health purposes. With a short battery life, heavy usage will only allow a day's worth of use.
Garmin Smart Watches
Garmin smart watches for kids share similar activity-tracker features to adult Garmin smart watches, yet differ due to their colourful Disney and Marvel themed designs. They're also around half the price, costing between $120 (for the vívofit® jr. 2) to $150 for the Garmin vívofit® jr. 3).
The newest Garmin vívofit® jr. 3 smart watch has exciting games and activities based on popular kids' movies, for kids aged 4+. Children can pretend to be their favourite Avenger or Disney Princess while they follow a map and complete challenges. Garmin smart watches are made of durable silicone material, safe for outdoor activities and for clumsy kids prone to dropping their belongings.
These smart watches also suit traditional fitness activities, with a step counter for going on a run, and a waterproof build for swim practice. For uninterrupted fun, the vívofit® jr. smart watches have an extended battery life, with a full year of usage before the battery needs to be replaced.
Kogan Smart Watches
Many kids will often move on from their gift soon after they receive it, leaving parents feeling as though they've spent a copious amount of money on something that's barely used. In this case, it's a wise idea to limit the amount you spend and buy a cheap smart watch.
Online retailer Kogan sells colourful blue and pink children's smart watches, with prices as low as $40. A smart watch at this price point features only a limited amount of games, a music player, and an alarm clock. $100 Kogan smart watches for children boast a wider variety of games, and each model also functions as a kids GPS watch. GPS tracking can provide ease of mind if your child is walking home from school or going away on camp.
Fitbit Smart Watches
True to Fitbit’s purpose as a brand, the Fitbit Ace 2 Activity Tracker for Kids is fitness and health orientated. Kids that are always on the go and enjoy fitness will appreciate this smart watch. Useful features, such as step-tracking, movement reminders and incentives for completing fitness activities will ensure that children are getting a decent amount of exercise per day. The Fitbit Ace 2, at the price of $130, boasts a durable silicone design and waterproof build, suitable for a range of outdoor activities.
This smart watch offers a range of bright and bold colourful bands that are adjustable and interchangeable and you can purchase a different colour to customise your FitBit with - but it’ll cost you $50 extra. Recommended for children from the ages of 6 and above, this watch will not be appropriate for younger children or those seeking games and puzzles. Currently, Fitbit only provides one smart watch option for kids, opposed to their vast selection of activity trackers for adults.
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