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If you're struggling to find ways to get your child more active, then a smartwatch for kids could be the key. Of course there are plenty of ways to get your child excited about playing outside: There's garden games or starting a new hobby like birdwatching, you could even invest in a gardening set for child. Going on a family walk can get them active outdoors, especially with a good old-fashioned scavenger hunt. But ultimately, having their own smartwatch to track their activity with will give them even more incentive to get outdoors and get moving – because kids love tech! If you have a smartwatch yourself, you'll already know how good they are at getting you to move more.
Choosing the right smartwatch for your child can feel stressful, especially if you're not that tech-savvy yourself. Plus, there can be some anxiety around exposing children to the sometimes darker impact of this kind of tech. For example, you might not be keen for your child to have a fitness tracker that exposes them to start calorie counting at such a young age. A child's smartwatch does focus less on the fitness element, however, it is still a good tool for encouraging your little one to burn off their energy, plus most also have features including games, a camera, an alarm clock and even the ability to make calls.
With some smartwatches including GPS tracking, messaging, and call functions, they can be a great alternative to giving your child a phone if you want to keep tabs on them. Plus many have an SOS call function for peace of mind. It can be tempting however, when able to track children via GPS, for parents to infringe on their independence. So keep in mind that this could cause problems in your relationships with them. There's definitely a lot to think about when choosing the best smartwatch for your child. But don't worry, because we're here to help.
In this article:
Best kids smartwatch at a glance
The best kids smartwatch 2025
To give you a helping hand with your decision, here are all the best options on the market.
Best first kids smartwatch
AmazonAre you searching for a smartwatch for your young child? This is the perfect first smartwatch as an introduction to the world of tech. With many incorporated educational features and of course, fitness tracking which allows for active play challenges and step tracking, it’s an ideal multi-functional watch for young kids. One customer who bought this for their child said: "Bought for a four-year-old, she loves it. She's very quickly got used to navigating the menus and watch faces. She loves taking pictures and applying the simple funny filters. She's had some fun with the built-in games, but also has time to grow into them more. Battery life is good and touchscreen is accurate and responsive."
Pros
- Helps kids with telling the time
- Lots of interactive features
Cons
- Extra charges for additional apps
| Dimensions: | 1.5 x 4.6 x 22.4 cm |
| Weight: | 200g |
| Screen: | 1.4" |
| Operating system: | Android |
- Educational
- Splash proof
- Motion sensor
- Pedometer
- Alarm clock
- Timer
- Stopwatch
- Voice recorder
2.
Kids Smart Watch
Best smart watch for keeping in contact
AmazonFrom taking pictures to receiving calls, is there anything this kid's smartwatch can't do? If you're little (or big!) one needs to contact you in an emergency, they can directly click on the SOS location on the home screen. It will automatically call the first two numbers in the phonebook, which you can programme. Plus it includes 16 different games as well as music, camera, alarm clock, puzzle games, calculator and torch. One user who purchased this for their son commented: "My son is over the moon with this. He loved it so much. Very easy to set up. He's 8-years-old, and I didn't want to buy him a mobile yet, but with the homeschooling happening from time to time, I needed him to have a way to contact me easily when I need to go out for the school runs. Even when we are out and about is always peace of mind to know he has a way of contacting us or asking for help if something happens. So with all this in mind, this smartwatch is great!! Very safe for their age as there are no apps or messages, just calls to the numbers you choose. Perfect!"
Pros
- Children can get in contact with you if they need to
- Great for games
Cons
- Needs at least a 2G Simcard for the SOS features to work
| Dimensions: | 5.6 x 5.3 x 1.2 cm |
| Weight: | 60g |
| Operating system: | Android |
- 16 games
- SOS calls
- Messaging
- Torch
- Music player
- Calculator
- Alarm clock
- Voice recorder
Best smart watch for toddlers and babies
AmazonHow about a toy version for your baby or toddler? With two interactive buttons, colourful lights and realistic smartwatch sounds, tiny techies will love the Laugh & Learn Time to Learn Smart Watch! There are so many fun activities packed into this interactive smartwatch. From dialling up their good pal, Puppy, to rocking out to fun songs or clicking on the buttons and pressing on the side toggle. A reviewer, impressed with its sturdiness said: "The watch is nice and chunky which makes it easier for little hands to hold and is not too complex either, just the right amount of functions for babies and young toddlers to enjoy using it, the music played was catchy and the lights made it very attractive. The music is one that sticks to your head. The downside is that the strap isn't adjustable so you can't allow them to use it properly as a watch. The switch and the winder are such a bonus."
Read our full Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Time to Learn Smart Watch review here.
Pros
- Great for older babies and toddlers
- Encourages role play
Cons
- The strap isn't adjustable
| Dimensions: | 3.39 x 3.15 x 4.72 cm |
| Weight: | 240g |
| Age: | 6 months - 3 years |
| Power supply: | 3 x LR44 batteries |
- Pretend smartwatch with lights and music
- Encourages role play
- Buttons to press for phrases and colours
- Includes: toggle switch, turn dial, and clacker beads
Best children's smartwatch for sports and fitness
AmazonA great smartwatch for sport fans, it features a fitness tracker which monitors kids’ heart rate and tracks blood oxygen, as well as monitoring how long children sleep each night. For sports there are 100+ sport modes including running, riding, basketball, football, and even swimming. Your little one will then get unique awards when they reach their sport goals. The smartwatch will also remind kids to wash their hands, drink water and stand up to walk. It can also log adolescent girls’ menstrual cycles. One reviewer, Libby, said: "I had bought and returned 3 watches before trying this one. It is everything you need in a smart watch! Simple and easy to understand but also thorough and informative. Alarm, sleep tracker, step counter, everything is great and the Very Fit app is better than glory fit which most budget smart watches use. Highly recommend!!"
Pros
- Over 100 sports modes
- Tracks health and fitness
- Can set helpful reminders
Cons
- Some reviewers said it doesn't accurately track steps
| Dimensions: | 27 x 12.9 x 1.9 cm |
| Weight: | 100g |
| Screen: | 1.8" |
- Sleep and alarm clock
- Bluetooth calling
- Heart rate and SpO2 tracker
- Stopwatch and timer
- 100 sport modes
- Camera
- Weather tracker
- Torch
- Speaker and music
5.
FRLONE Kids Smart Watch Phone
Best waterproof kids smartwatch
AmazonA great watch for kids who love water play or rainy weather! You can put the watch into 10 M deep water for up to 10 minutes. Plus it has a reassuring SOS key to call family numbers for help. With 5 learning games, a camera, calculator and stopwatch, your little one will love this watch. One reviewer who got this for their daughter said: "I didn’t want my daughter having a phone just yet at the age of 10, so this was the next best thing. She can call me when at her dads, with no internet etc for me to have to worry about. It’s a great little watch. Happy daughter and mum!"
Pros
- Waterproof
- SOS calls
Cons
- SIM card required for built-in safety features
| Dimensions: | 11.5 x 9.5 x 4.6 cm |
| Weight: | 2g |
| Operating system: | Android |
| Age: | 3 - 12 years |
- Silent mode
- 5 learning games
- SOS calls
- Waterproof
- Camera
- Alarm clock
- Calculator
Best kids activity tracker smartwatch
AmazonIf your little one is a fan of Star Wars, they'll love the Garmin vívofit jr.2. It features a bright orange Star Wars design band and there is a corresponding mobile app that motivates kids to achieve goals that unlock adventure, games and icons featuring Rey, Kylo Ren and other Star Wars characters. You can also set reminders for tasks such as homework and brushing their teeth. One customer said: "Bought for my 8 year old at Christmas. He loves it, and it does more than I thought it would. Great for seeing how active he's been each day and how much sleep he's had. I can set chores and give reward coins and he saves them up for a treat. Each 60mins activity gets a move on the game on the app too."
Pros
- Interactive games to encourage movement
- Can set reminders for homework
Cons
- Requires Garmin Jr. app to be installed on a parent's compatible smartphone
| Dimensions: | 17.78 x 7.62 x 12.7 cm |
| Weight: | 8.5g |
| Operating system: | Nintendo Wii |
- Interactive games and rewards
- Can set reminders
- Fun design with adjustable strap
- Activity tracker
Best themed kids smartwatch
Smyths ToysThe ideal smartwatch for any PokéMasters in the making. It comes with an alarm clock, a camera and a voice recorder. There are 10 different Pokémon-themed faces for your little one to customise their view, plus Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle are featured on the strap. A reviewer said: "This is a great watch. I like that it has an analogue face display to reinforce learning the time. My son likes it because it has a camera and video for recording! He loves Pokemon so anything Pokemon is always a hit. The strap is soft and fits well. It’s rechargeable which is better than messing around with batteries. The calculator is a useful feature too."
Pros
- Built in alarm clock
- Great for recording videos
Cons
- American date format cannot be changed
| Dimensions: | 7.62 x 7.62 x 15.24 cm |
| Age: | 6 years + |
- 10 different watch faces to choose from
- Camera and video recorder
- Alarm clock
- Timer
Best kids smartwatch for safety
www.uk.myfirst.techuk.myfirst.tech
The myFirst Fone R2 combines the functionalities of a phone, GPS tracker, music player, camera, clock, and fitness tracker into one convenient device for your little one. Plus it has a durable design which is useful for young children. One reviewer, David, said: "This watch has numerous functions, and my child's friend has one, so I bought one for her. I may now call my child without requiring her to have a smartphone. You may also send video calls, text messages and emoji messages to the watch. That's awesome! She can also add people to her friend list."
Pros
- Lots of great safety features
- Durable design and waterproof
Cons
- It is expensive for a children's watch
| Wrist diameter: | 85 - 145mm |
| Operating system: | Android 8.1 |
| RAM: | 1GB |
| Storage: | 8GB |
- GPS tracking
- Camera
- Make calls
- MP3 Player
- Heart rate and fitness tracker
- eSIM technology
- Water resistant
What is a smartwatch?
Understanding exactly what a smartwatch is and how one could benefit your child can really help you decide on whether or not you want yours to have one, as well as what the best kids smartwatch for them might be.
A smartwatch is essentially a wearable computer, with a range of fun and practical functions from taking and making calls and messages like a phone, to tracking fitness goals, taking selfies, and even having fun games for on-the-go entertainment. Some smartwatches are designed to be mor simple with younger kids in mind, whereas others have more features for older kids.
When choosing the best kids smartwatch take into consideration what features would be most useful for both you and your child. For example, GPS tracking is a useful tool for parents who want to keep track of kids. Built-in games not only entertain, but also provide incentives to help keep kids active, for example, fun activity trackers and games that include a rewards system for completing everyday tasks.
Features like these make a smartwatch more beneficial than a kids tablet when it comes to getting them to be more active, as tablets encourage kids to be sedentary for long periods, exposing kids to too much unhealthy screen-time. We talk more about what makes smartwatches worth it for kids in the next section.
Are smartwatches worth it for kids?
Smartwatches don't just entertain your child, they often have many safety and health benefits too. Unlike a tablet, which while useful, can mean your child is more sedentary, a smartwatch for children will encourage activity with a pedometer and activity tracker, with some even giving rewards for activity. Some smartwatches for kids also have health monitoring such as a heart rate tracker.
If your little one is getting to the age where they might walk to school alone, or meet friends without you, then a smartwatch can add reassurance with a GPS tracker and also the ability to make and receive calls or send messages.
All of the safety features aside, kids will love the games, the kids' camera and also features like a torch, calculator, and alarm clock. A good kids smartwatch can also help encourage your little one to tell the time with different options for watch faces.
How to choose the best kids smartwatch for your child
The biggest thing to consider before buying a kids smartwatch is the age of your child. Younger kids will want different things from a smartwatch to an older child. Smartwatches for younger children tend to be more basic, and can be both fun and educational, whereas ones for older children will have more interactive and safety features.
Don't forget that children can be a bit accident-prone, so it's also important to consider the durability of a smartwatch. Look for features such as scratch-resistant screens, waterproofing, and bands that can withstand a bit of wear and tear.
FAQ Smartwatches for kids
Common questions about kids smartwatches answered...
What age should kids get a smartwatch?
Kids from 5 years are wearing smartwatches. Kids smartwatches have functions and designs suitable for different age groups, so choosing an age-appropriate model is important. Young kids benefit from scratch-resistant screens and robust straps. Older kids will appreciate advanced functions.
Can a kid have a smartwatch without a phone?
Yes! A smartwatch is a great alternative to a phone for kids. They are more durable for young kids, and you can contact or track older kids without giving them access to the internet or social media like a phone.
Are watches good for kids with ADHD?
Yes, in some circumstances a smartwatch could be useful for kids with ADHD. For example, parents could set tasks and reminders, or even use rewards systems to provide incentive and help a child maintain focus and productivity throughout the day.
Zara Mohammed began working as a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby in 2024. She has 10 years freelance writing experience creating lifestyle content for various platforms, and 2+ years in parenting journalism. She's covered pregnancy, women’s health, child development and mental health and more. She's aunty to her teen niece.