The Best Smartwatches for Kids, Tested by Our Expert
When a child over 5 starts becoming independent but isn't ready for a smartphone, a kids' smartwatch is a great transitional option—no unrestricted internet or social media. The best kids’ smartwatches combine GPS tracking, calling features, and step counting in one wearable. And unlike flip phones (despite their comeback), smartwatches add durability and style to everyday wear.
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Best Smartwatch for Elementary School
JrTrack 4 Kids Smart Watch
- Monthly cost: $18/month
- Connectivity: Cosmo Mobile
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 24 hours
- Features: GPS tracking, emergency SOS, school mode, pedometer, water resistant, unlimited talk and text, Spotify Kids compatibility
Why We Pick It
We were great fans of the Costmo JrTrack 3, our previous choice for best for elementary school children, and are even more thrilled with the revised version, the JrTrack 4. On the parents' side, we found it quite simple to set up; for children, it was a snap to understand. Its highlights are a 2 MB camera, limitless call and text, and compatibility with Spotify Kids. The watch's more adult look and how well it matched more high-end technology items pleased our test child.
The strong safety features of the Cosmo JrTrack 3 gave our tester's parent great peace of mind. Tracking was really accurate and simple. She observes, "I could locate him anywhere in the neighborhood, which was really useful." There is also a "SOS Mode" on the gadget that raises location monitoring refresh rates, creates a private communication line, and notifies parents right away. Though distinct from SOS Mode, it can also dial 9-1-1; this function can be turned on or off.
Regarding parental restrictions, the watch may be completely controlled via an app on the parents' smartphones. Everything is parent-approved from the beginning since only parents may add applications and contacts on the device.
Just Keep This in Mind
The sound clarity in calls did cause problems for our tester's parent, who said it may be hard to understand her child. "It's hard to tell though because 9-year-old boys are basically never still," she does remark.
Users were encouraged to run the first setup lesson again every time the watch died, which is another source of annoyance. Although contacts and other information remained in sync, being taught over and again how to operate the same gadget was a hassle. An update fixed this; so, if you have the same problem, double-check that your program is completely current.
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Best Smartwatch for Older Kids
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
- Monthly cost: Depends on provider (no cost for GPS-only devices)
- Connectivity: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Xfinity Mobile, Spectrum Mobile
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 18 hours
- Features: Texting, calls, app compatible, crash and fall detection, emergency SOS, daily activity, workout app, heart rate monitor, Apple Pay, swim-proof, sleep tracker, medication app
Why We Pick It
The Apple Watch SE is the same smartwatch adults can use, so it has all the same features and convenience of other Apple products—something older kids will value and more quickly adjust to than younger children. You can choose a GPS-only model that operates by being linked with a parent's phone (and GPS tracking operates even when they're not near your phone or a Wi-Fi signal), or GPS + cellular watch that can call and text without a nearby phone or Wi-Fi. Whether for gaming, texting buddies, or timer setting for schoolwork, our tester's youngster found the watch quite stylish and trendy on her wrist. Its use was rather simple for her as well.
Once our parent tester got used to the Apple Family Sharing app, which lets you control the apps your child downloads, lets you share contacts with them (though you can also add unlimited approved contacts outside of Apple as well), and lets you set up Apple Pay for individual members, parental controls were simple to navigate.
Once everything was ready, our tester's daughter enjoyed using her watch and was especially thrilled about shutting her "activity rings" (time spent moving, exercising, and standing). Her father enjoyed using it to track her location at any particular moment.
Just Keep This in Mind
It's not as simple or easy for younger children to operate as it's meant for adults, and it lacks a camera like many of the other children's watches. The version designed to sync with phones also costs much less than the one with cellular connection. Finally, this watch's battery life is rather user-dependent; if your child is actively using many options on the watch, such as games or music, it may deplete the battery more quickly. For our test subject, average usage persisted a whole day.
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Best Parental Controls
Gabb Watch 3e
- Monthly cost: $13-18/month
- Connectivity: Gabb cellular plan
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 12-48 hours
- Features: Texting, calls, emergency SOS, GPS tracker, safe zones, focus and silent modes
Why We Pick It
The Gabb Watch 3e has so many parental control features that it helps to ease the transition if you're worried about diving in and purchasing your kid a smartwatch. The Gabb Watch 3e is a wonderful introduction to smartwatches for parents and children alike, allowing them to approve all contacts, set exact geo-zones for close location tracking, and use a parent-friendly app interface to easily block apps and focus their child's phone.
Indeed, our dad tester could have preferred this watch somewhat more than his son, who already owns a smartphone and grew tired fast with the smartwatch capabilities. He did, however, value being able to reliably monitor his son's whereabouts and establish unambiguous travel limits. The parental controls software was also loved by our parent tester for its intuitiveness.
When we evaluated this watch, it was first known as the Gabb Watch 3. Gabb has since changed the name to 3e and improved the software; the watch itself remains unchanged. Updating the software will provide you the most recent version of this watch if you own a 3.
Just Keep This in Mind
This watch only functions with Gabb's cellular service, which costs $13 to $18 monthly, more than most others on this list. Our parent tester said the watch could have more capabilities for that price; and while the parental control app is fantastic, there aren't many additional apps to download or features to utilize. It also has to be daily charged.
Best Games
Fitbit Ace LTE
- Monthly cost: $10 a month or $119 for the year
- Connectivity: Fitbit Ace Pass (4G LTE)
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 16 hours
- Features: Texting, voice, activity tracking, games, GPS, Tap to Pay
Why We Pick It
The brand we know best for activity trackers has worked with Google to create this 4G LTE-connected watch that mixes the best of both worlds. Our 7-year-old test subject was really excited about the games that praised him for being active, particularly one that allowed him to create a "room" for an Eejie character. His father, on the other hand, was glad he could monitor his son's whereabouts and contact him using the Fitbit Ace app.
Contacts (up to 20) may only be added via the Ace app, which is also the only way to connect to the watch; hence, no watch-to-watch communication is permitted here. According to our testing father, using a Google account and WiFi made setting up the watch an app simple. Calls were roughly as clear as anything on speaker phone (not great, but acceptable!). He also valued the watch's screen-protecting bumper rather much. For children who are prepared to control their money, the Tap to Pay choice is fantastic; they will need their own Greenlight or Acorns Early debit card to access it.
Just Keep This in Mind
Communication is only via the app (there's no photo number), and to be an accepted contact, you'll need a Google account and must be at least 13 years old (leaving out many grandparents and siblings). Many claim the Velcro on the wristbands wears very fast. Your child will also need to be careful about recharging as the battery doesn't last beyond a day.
Best for Active Kids
Garmin Bounce
- Monthly cost: $10/month
- Connectivity: Garmin LTE plan only
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 2 days
- Features: Real-time location tracking, text messaging, two-way voice messaging, check-in reminders, live assistance, up to 20 contacts, sports and activity tracking, school mode, games, waterproof up to 5 meters
Why We Pick It
The Garmin Bounce provides voice and text messaging as well as preset messages children may select to send to their contacts, so if you're after the fundamentals, this device makes communication easier than ever, regardless of how used your children are to texting. Without internet access, your child cannot obtain unsuitable material.
Still, the Garmin Bounce has more to offer in other specifications. It measures activity, which was quite motivating for our child tester, and also passed the style test: According to our child tester, it looked "cool and smart" and didn't seem like a children's watch (which was a positive thing, in his view!). The watch seemed as good as new after a month of testing, and he could quickly and easily understand how to operate the interface.
The location boundary choices also pleased us; our parent tester could define limits for home, school, and both parents' offices and get watch notifications when her son crossed or left a border. After a whole day, we discovered the battery still had 70% remaining; the watch is waterproof up to 5 meters, as is typical for Garmin goods.
Just Keep This in Mind
Your communications are still constrained, though, even with a membership to Garmin's LTE network. Garmin Bounce does not allow video messaging or phone conversations.
Best for Toddlers and Preschoolers
VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX3
- Monthly cost: None
- Connectivity: No network or Wi-Fi availability
- GPS tracking: No
- Battery life: 2-3 days
- Features: Dual cameras for photos and videos, watch light for camera flash or flashlight, games, school mode, custom clock faces, daily reminders
Why We Pick It
VTech is a brand known for mixing technology with child-friendly qualities; the VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX3 reminds us why. Among the best aspects of this tiny kid-friendly choice are playing movement games and two-player activities like Tic-Tac-Toe with other DX3 watch users.
Unlike some of the other watches we tried, this one contains a camera for films and images. After honing their selfie skills—which is what our 6-year-old tester enjoyed doing with his watch most—kids may add stickers and frames. In terms of use, children can text using preset messages with other watch users (they must be connected); there is no call function or capacity to interact with other devices.
The watch can be set by parents to send alerts when their kid should, say, feed the dog or do their homework. The battery life is also child-friendly and may last almost two whole days without requiring another charge.
Just Keep This in Mind
Though she also believed it would be a reasonably priced and interesting choice for kids 4 and under, our parent tester found it a bit of a stretch to label this a smartwatch given the somewhat restricted capabilities and her son's early boredom. There is no call function or location monitoring; users may simply send preset messages with another linked DX3.
Best Tracking
Xplora XGO3
- Monthly cost: Starts at $9.99/month
- Connectivity: 4G LTE via Xplora Connect
- GPS tracking: Yes
- Battery life: 72 hours
- Features: Voice calls, messages, camera, GPS and safety zone, SOS button, Wi-Fi, parental control, pedometer, waterproof, school mode, stopwatch, alarms and reminders
Why We Pick It
The Xplora XGO3 watch's specific locati0n monitoring is quite remarkable; our parent tester could see real-time movement of her child with updated position timestamps, and the app indicated the actual building address she was in. Location tracking is also automatically activated upon watch activation; our tester, however, did not find a method to receive alerts regarding locati0n changes outside of preset zones.
But with the great emphasis on tracking, some other aspects may use some improvement as well. Our parent tester was disappointed that the watch only allows one parent to be the main "account" holder to view the child's activity and interact with them, hence requiring a second parent to be established as merely another contact. Your child can make phone calls and send text messages using the Xplora, but you and any of their authorized contacts will have to create an Xplora account and interact with them via the app.
Our eight-year-old child tester liked the alarm clock, the opportunity to submit photos, and the option to collect "coins" for every 1,000 steps she walked, which she could then use on games and material in the kid-friendly Activity Platform.
Just Keep This in Mind
Setting up is challenging: Our tester found some difficulties negotiating the website and customer service, which was mostly absent, and the box only provides a QR code in place of online-only instructions. At last, older children could also feel annoyed because they can only use prewritten texts rather than writing their own notes.
Phone vs. Smartwatch: Which Is Better?
Sadly, there is no suitable one-size-fits-all solution. Though not every child would benefit from smartwatches, our expert believes they do have advantages including location tracking, emergency contact capabilities, and of course, the ability to talk to your child when they are away from you. Smartwatches can let individuals engage with family and friends all without using a phone.
How to Use Smartwatches Safely
Before buying a smartwatch for your child, check these key safety features:
- Parental controls & privacy settings
- Location tracking
- SOS/emergency calls
- "Find my device" function
- School mode or no-call schedules
Safety Tips for Smartwatch Use:
- Assess maturity, not just age – Consider emotional readiness and responsibility level.
- Start simple – Choose basic models for younger kids, adding features gradually.
- Set clear rules – Discuss expectations upfront about when and how to use it.
- Understand data tracking – Know what information the watch collects and shares.
- Balance safety & independence – Use location tracking and emergency features wisely.
- Model good habits – Demonstrate healthy tech use with device-free family time.
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