If you’ve got a smartwatch, you might find your child is fascinated by it and might even like one themselves. 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.
Many smartwatches for children offer similar perks to those for adults – activity tracking, goal setting and life-admin functions such as calendars. Some go further and do GPS tracking, calls and some even have cameras.
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.
She adds that, involving your child in the purchasing decision is also beneficial. “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.
On the whole, though, getting the family in on the act is a great idea. “This can initiate conversations about health and allow family members to support one another. 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!”
How we tested
When testing the smartwatches, we looked at the range of functions on offer, and how many tracking metrics they offered. We also looked at the interfaces – were they easy to navigate and age appropriate? We wanted some fun as well as function from the watches, along with something that was comfortable to wear and with decent parent controls.
Several children of different ages wore the watches during work and play over several weeks, to help with the testing. Here’s what got our hearts racing.
The best smartwatches for kids in 2022 are:
- Best overall – Garmin vivofit Jr. 2: £59.99, Runningxpert.com
- Best for teenagers – Honor band 6: £29.99, Hihonor.com
- Best SOS features – SFL 4G smartwatch for kids: £79.99, Smartwatchforless.com
- Best for younger children – Vtech KidiZoom DX2 smartwatch: £31.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for fitness tracking – Amazfit GTS 2 mini: £79, Argos.co.uk
- Best for primary school aged children – Xplora XGO2 android children’s smart watch: £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for family competitions – Fitbit ace 3: £49.99, Fitbit.com