Home The Best Smartwatches for Kids in 2023
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Smartwatches for kids do more than display the time. Apparently, they can help keep children and parents connect to each other, as well as to their friends. Some smartwatches offer perks, such as texting, GPS tracking, and emergency calling to help parents ease their minds. But, smartwatches aren’t only built for that.
Smartwatches for kids also come with features that are dedicated to kids; hence the name. This includes games, music, and picture-taking abilities that appeal to them.
Overall, smartwatches can provide a range of benefits for kids, from safety and communication to health tracking and educational value. It’s important for parents to carefully consider the features and capabilities of different smartwatch models, as well as any potential risks or drawbacks associated with their use, in order to make an informed decision about whether a smartwatch is right for their child.
If you’re a parent who’s looking for the best smartwatch for their kids, you’ve come to the right place. We rounded up some of the best options you can choose from in the market today. Check some of the best ones below to see which ones suit your requirements best.
The TickTalk 4 doesn’t go too far from the aesthetic of Zack Morris’ vintage cell phone from Saved by the Bell. Although it isn’t quite as big or boxy as a phone from the early 1990s, it does have some of the same design cues, such as sharp corners and excess bulk. In addition, it weighs a lot—about 2.4 ounces. For comparison, the 41mm aluminum Apple Watch Series 8 weighs 1.37 ounces, or almost half that.
But, the heavy bumper’s advantage is that it safeguards the device from damage in the event that your child ever drops it or treats it roughly in any other way. It has an IP67 designation for water and dust resistance, so it ought to withstand the occasional tumble into home plate or swim in the neighborhood pool.
Comfort is a different matter. The watch can be too big and heavy for a child’s wrist because it is so big and heavy. The TickTalk 4 can fit wrists up to 7.5 inches in circumference, which is big enough for a child. Some children may experience the watch face hovering just above their arm and the band squeezing each side of their wrists. The wearer may have an odd and unpleasant sensation as a result. Also, unlike many other smartwatches, the band cannot be changed.
For cellular service, TickTalk collaborates with Red Pocket Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). Every US order for the watch comes with a Red Pocket SIM. There is no contract with TickTalk’s service, and the pay-as-you-go monthly costs are reasonable (beginning at $9.99 per month). It’s one of the more affordable monthly plan choices for a kid’s smartwatch.
With one significant exception, the TickTalk app makes it simple to monitor your child’s location. TickTalk 4 does not enable geofencing.
Offers texting, as well as voice and video call supportDurable buildTwo camerasAffordable monthly plans
No geofencingChunky design
Cosmo JrTrack 2 has a modern design. Although the watch is made of a dark-hued plastic, you can choose from one of five different colored silicone straps: black, blue, orange, pink, or purple. Added straps are $9.99 each. Kids will probably prefer the more streamlined design because unlike some of the children’s smartwatches we’ve examined, this one doesn’t have mass added around the watch’s perimeter to protect it from drops. The watch has an IP67 classification for water and dirt resistance while having a slimmer chassis.
Children can only do a few things with the JrTrack 2 without parental consent; the Cosmo app provides parents total control. For example, parents must approve contacts (up to 10) before their children can call or text them. This prevents a youngster from contacting just anyone, and vice versa. Under the watch’s settings, parents can turn on support for 911 emergency calls.
Calls are placed easily: a parent or other authorized contact chooses the contact phone number on the watch, the watch rings, and the child can speak straight on the speaker of the watch. A child can choose the person they wish to call from the pre-set list and carry on a discussion in the same way from their end. Supported contacts can make calls to the JrTrack 2 using their phone’s native app, but all text messages go through the Cosmo Mission Control app.
Unlike the TickTalk 4, the Cosmo JrTrack 2 sadly does not feature video calling, but it does allow you to record movies and voice messages that can be sent to parental phones via the app.
ComfortableStylish designUses a dedicated phone numberOffers voice call and text supportFeatures selfie camera
Poor camera qualityNo video call supportNo Bluetooth connectivity
Since the Watch 2 is standalone, it can receive messages without a companion smartphone. With its 15 customizable text messages, audio messages, and emoticons, your child can reply. The wearable allows limitless text and chats with the subscription if a parent wishes to talk to the child. For enhanced security, parents can add up to 25 contacts, and no one else can add contacts to the phonebook without their permission.
Other than allowing your child to communicate independently, there are a number of features that add security and safeguard your children. Because the smartwatch has a built-in GPS, you can always see where your child is using the support app. Moreover, a safe zone that functions like a security fence can be customized. The parent will receive notifications if the youngster departs the specified region.
What’s more, with the help of an SOS button, your youngster can send an SOS in an emergency. By just pressing a button, the smartwatch will make an automatic call. Parents can specify the primary contact to be contacted when the button is pressed.
Another element that teaches responsibility to your children. Kids can earn money by checking off items on the repeating to-do list on the smartwatch.
SOS buttonGeofencing and GPS trackingGamified stem counter and to-do list
No video calling supportRequires Gabb Wireless plan
Without the innovative GoPlay platform, which enables kids to win virtual cash and real-world swag just by being active, the Xplora X5 Play kids smartwatch wouldn’t be as striking. The capacious 50-contact contact list and 1080p camera are the X5 Play’s next-best features. In addition, it has an SOS button, GPS tracking, geofencing, and school mode, making it a typical kids’ wristwatch.
Every contact has the ability to call and text from and to the Xplora watch. Contacts must utilize the chat feature of the smartphone app to share images, videos, and music files. There is no mechanism to restrict individual contact permissions.
The Xplora X5 Play has an SOS button for emergencies, like the majority of children’s smartwatches. Yet, we believe that the SOS sequence starts far too slowly. The button must be pressed by your child for a complete 10 seconds.
One of the two emergency contacts on the Xplora X5 Play is automatically set to be your phone number. The watch will call you first and notify the second emergency contact through push notification. The watch dials the second emergency number if you don’t answer. Subsequently, the procedure is repeated.
We adore how persistent the SOS calls are—the watch won’t stop trying until someone responds. Yet with various kid-friendly smartwatches available, having only two emergency contacts seems constrained. For instance, the Angel Watch’s SOS button only needs to be pressed for three seconds before it begins cycling through three emergency contacts.
The X5 Play’s location-tracking limits are clearly stated by Xplora, who adds that GPS signals can only be received when the watch is outside and has a clear view of the sky.
Parent-approved contactsGPS trackingCameraSOS button
No video calling supportOne day battery life with typical useSIM card sold separately
Tobi is a humorous animated character that can be interacted with. Depending on how children interact with him, his mouth and eyes can assume one of about 100 different expressions. To express his feelings, Tobi also makes nonsense noises. (The volume can be changed in the options menu.)
Your child can practice capturing pictures or videos if they need a break from playing electronic games. With a selfie camera, a point-of-view camera, and storage for up to 3,000 photographs or 30 minutes of video, the Tobi Robot watch has both. To transfer images from the watch to a computer, use the USB cord that comes with it. Manually deleting the files from the watch will free up storage space. When you get the files into the computer, the quality won’t be the best, but they’ll do for a kid’s smartwatch. The films are 320 x 240 pixel AVIs and the photos are 640 x 480 pixel JPEGs.
You can pair the two watches if your child’s best friend also owns a Tobi Robot watch, so they can enjoy the fun of exchanging emojis. They can only share items while they are roughly 50 feet apart because the controlled connection happens via Bluetooth.
Children can also send audio messages with amusing sound effects like “robot” or “chipmunk” or share photos they’ve taken. Any media your child sends to their friends’ nearby Tobi Robot Smartwatches will vanish after roughly 15 seconds.
The Tobi Robot will be a hit with younger children. It combines learning with exercise in a cute small package that offers lots of replay value. At the very least, it’s a cost-effective method to give your child a digital camera.
Can store up to 3,000 photos or 30 minutes of videoFeatures learning gamesActivity trackerCan be worn on wrist or beltSplash-proof
No GPS trackingBattery lasts 8 hrs with heavy use
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