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Best Kids' Smartwatches

Updated September 2023
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX
VTech
Kidizoom Smartwatch DX
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Educational Smartwatch
Bottom Line

Positively packed with fun and educational features, this smartwatch for kiddies offers unbeatable features for money.

Pros

Teaches children to tell time in both analog and digital format. Comes loaded with educational games, and more can be downloaded from the app. Feature-rich design boasts a camera, voice recorder, calculator, calendar, and more.

Cons

Camera resolution isn't the best, but being for children, this is forgivable.

Best Bang for the Buck
Little Tikes Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch
Little Tikes
Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch
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Feature-Packed
Bottom Line

This watch has a built-in interactive robot that will bring some personality to its functionality.

Pros

Contains many helpful features such as a stopwatch/timer, calendar, and alarm clock. It has 2 cameras for photos and recording videos. Games available include educational, fitness, and arcade options. Has parental controls, more than 50 watch faces, and a pedometer.

Cons

The watch strap can be a bit flimsy.

XPLORA X5 Play Watch Phone
XPLORA
X5 Play Watch Phone
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

A good alternative to a smartphone, as it is able to make and receive calls and messages.

Pros

Has a SOS button that the child can use in an emergency situation, GPS tracking, and a safety zones feature. The settings are set up and controlled by parents or guardians in a separate app. Watch has a built-in camera, a step tracker, and is waterproof. Available in a few different colors.

Cons

Some of the customers had issues with the GPS location tracking being inaccurate.

Marvel Spiderman Kids Smartwatch
Marvel
Spiderman Kids Smartwatch
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Fun Design
Bottom Line

This option is great for any superhero fans with its Spiderman-themed watch face and strap.

Pros

Fitted with functions for everyday use, namely an alarm clock, calculator, and timer. Charges via a USB cord that is included with purchase. Has a self-cam, voice recorder, and games for additional fun.

Cons

The screen isn’t very durable.

INIUPO Kids Smartwatch
INIUPO
Kids Smartwatch
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Easy to Use
Bottom Line

With the ability to play music and video, this watch provides entertainment in addition to useful operations.

Pros

Has the option for an SD memory card to download music, photos, and videos. The alarm clock, flashlight, and calendar, among other functions, are easy for kids to use. Also has customizable backgrounds and up to 17 puzzle games.

Cons

Does not contain a headphone jack for listening to music. Some customers noted that it feels flimsy.

HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

51
Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
8
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for shopping guide for smartwatches for kids

While smartwatches can be helpful to adults for so many reasons, they’re also great accessories for kids.

If you’re thinking about buying a smartwatch for a special child in your life, you may want to consider one that has been specially designed for children.

If you’re struggling to figure out where to begin your search, we invite you to check out our product picks for smartwatches for kids.

No products were donated or given to the company during the review process. This is our policy in order to avoid bias and create the most trustworthy documentation possible.

If you’d like to learn more about smartwatches, please read our helpful buying guide.

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If you buy a kids’ smartwatch for your child with the intention of being able to connect to it from your smartphone, make sure your do your homework first to be sure the two devices are compatible.

The pros and cons of smartwatches for kids

We’ve come to think of smartwatches as an “adult” thing, but let’s face it: some kids want in on the high-tech fun.

Here are some of the pros and cons of giving a child a smartwatch.

Pros

  • If the smartwatch has GPS, you may have an easier time locating your child. This could be particularly helpful in the event of an emergency.

  • If the smartwatch syncs with your phone (and many do), you can contact your child via phone as needed.

  • Smartwatches made specifically for kids are designed with kids in mind. They are typically quite durable and able to withstand some rugged wear and/or abuse.
     

Cons

  • A smartwatch is yet another device to which your child would be connected. For people trying to minimize their dependence on technology, a smartwatch could feel like a burden.

  • The child may dislike the fact that he’s being “tracked” via GPS. Furthermore, the GPS on kid’s smartwatches is not always reliable. In general, these are less-costly watches with features that are less sophisticated.

  • The watch could be stolen at school or in another area where the child is unsupervised.

Smartwatch features

The features on kids’ smartwatches can be broken down into two categories: those that are found on a regular adult smartwatch and those that are specific to smartwatches for kids.

You can find the following features on adult smartwatches as well as some (but not all) smartwatches for kids.

  • Bluetooth: This feature allows the watch wearer to connect with other Bluetooth devices.

  • Texting: A child with a text-enabled smartwatch can receive texts from Mom and Dad.

  • Camera: Some smartwatches have forward-facing cameras, meaning kids will have fun taking selfies as well as videos.

  • Fitness/activity tracker: A child wearing a smartwatch with fitness-tracking abilities may be able to tell you how many steps he took at school today.

  • Media player: A smartwatch with a media player delivers the entertainment goods. Music, TV, and movies are all within reach on some smart watches. Notably, this could be a distraction for a child in school.

  • Calendar: Using a built-in smartwatch calendar, a child can track sports practices, homework due dates, and more. Of course, she might still need some reminders from Mom and Dad.

  • GPS: The benefit of having GPS around your child’s wrist is a good one, indeed. But as mentioned above, this feature is not always 100% reliable.

  • Emergency information: You can load emergency information onto a smartwatch. This allows the wearer to be identified in case of an emergency.

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For your safety
Check to see that the smartwatch you choose has decent security and encryption. You would not want your child’s personal information to fall into the wrong hands.
STAFF
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Kid-specific smartwatch features

Not all kids’ smartwatches will have the following features, but they are certainly nice to have.

  • Fun, educational games: Some watches feature games that help entertain the wearer during downtime.

  • Connection to parents’ phones: Lots of kids’ smartwatches today can be connected to a parent smartphone. Parents appreciate the ability to easily contact the child at any time.

  • Durability: This is an important one for all wearers of smartwatches, but for kids in particular. The most durable kids’ smartwatches are scratch resistant and splashproof.

  • Fun designs: Smartwatches for kids are made with kids in mind. Many can be customized in various ways. For example, you might be able to swap out bands or personalize the screen.

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Perhaps most important of all – at least to the child – is the “cool” factor. Many kids want their own smartwatch simply because it makes them look cool and/or they think it’s cool to own one.

FAQ

Q. Can kids just wear an adult smartwatch?

A. A child could certainly slip an adult smartwatch, but this brings about a few questions. First of all, will it fit? Many of today’s more adult smartwatches are too big for kids. Second, do you as a parent or guardian want to send your child into the world wearing a highly expensive piece of technology on her wrist? Many parents don’t. A smartwatch made just for kids is a low-risk, viable alternative for kids who really want this technology.

Lastly, a smartwatch for adults may not have the same apps or games that a smartwatch for kids does. Check the specs before investing in any type of smartwatch to make sure it has what you want.

Q. Are smartwatches allowed in schools?

A. Some schools allow kids to have smartwatches in class and some don’t. The same is true for smartphones. Some adults worry that in addition to interfering with classroom activities, a smartwatch in the classroom could allow a student to cheat on a test.

Q. How often do smartwatches need to be charged?

A. It all depends on the individual smartwatch and how it’s being used, but keep in mind that the more features a watch has and the more often it’s used, the shorter the battery life will likely be. In general, you can expect a smartwatch charge to last from a few hours to a few days.

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