Our children eventually grow up and become more self-reliant. Maybe they’re riding the bus to school by themselves, going to a friend’s, or just spending more time alone. This can be concerning for any parent used to being with them all the time, ensuring their safety. That’s where watches for kids can step in.
We need to find other opportunities to keep a watch on them (pun intended), and we know we can’t keep them at home indefinitely. But we still need that peace of mind. The first idea is undoubtedly a smartphone. However, your child may not be responsible enough to hold their own phone based on their age.
So, a GPS watch is a suitable option. You won’t have to think about them misplacing it the way they could a smartphone because it will already be on their wrist when they’re out.
We’re not just about high-end smartwatches. Indeed, we aim to cater to all budgets. Instead, we’ve rounded up the top ton kids’ GPS watches. For fun we also just added the new Apple Watch SE 2 as your last option (see below), depending on whether you want to splash the cash.
Table of Contents
- 1. Garmin Bounce
- 2. Cosmo JrTrack 2 4G
- 3. XPLORA X5
- 4. Xiaomi Mi Band 7 and Smart Band 7 Pro
- 5. 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch and Phone Tracker
- 6. Smart Gadget Kids’ Waterproof GPS Smartwatch
- 7. PTHTECHUS 4G Watch
- 8. Laxido 4G GPS Smartwatch
- 9. Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
- 10. Fitbit Charge 4/5
- 10. Apple Watch SE 2
- Conclusion
1. Garmin Bounce
Finally a GPS smartwatch for kids you can trust! We truly appreciate the new Garmin Bounce and what it gives you as a parent and also your kid. You get a smartwatch which allows you to reliably track the whereabouts of your kid. You also get the ability to Geofence their location. They get a great touchscreen Garmin watch they can use for sports tracking, playing games and monitoring their activity. It’s a win-win for parents and kids.
The Garmin bounce is only available to buy directly on Garmin.com at the moment and requires a monthly subscription for Garmin to handle the services of special features for the watch (e.g. message filtering and secure contact management). This is in addition to LTE subscription plan requirement if any from your service provider.
2. Cosmo JrTrack 2 4G
The first on our list of kids GPS watches is pretty adorable, plus it offers a lot for kids ages 4 – 12.
The watch helps you keep track of your child’s whereabouts, ensuring that they are secure and within sight.
With the school mode, your child can happily wear it to school. It’s got a touchscreen interface and can also set reminders from the control App. It has many handy features, including a camera, two-way call, SOS mode, GPS safety zones, and a Pedometer.
This watch comes with MISSION CONTROL GUARDIAN APP to help you connect, manage and control all the smartwatch features.
To use this watch you must also purchase a COSMO connect data plan which starts at $14.99 per month and allows for 4G connectivity.
Features
GPS Tracker with Accuracy
Using a 3 point system working together using Satellites, Wi-Fi and LBS. This enables it to transmit precise real-time details about your child’s location. Once the watch is connected to your mobile, you can monitor its position any time you need.
Built in eSim + a service package.
With this watch you don’t have to worry about finding the right carrier for mobile connectivity. You are offered a month, 6 month or an annual plan that covers you.
Trusted Contacts
But don’t forget to assign the contacts as soon as you first get the watch. Otherwise, pressing the panic button would be useless. Particularly for beginners, parents praised this watch for its ease of set-up.
Two-Way Calls
Your child can make two-way calls with chosen contacts using the Cosmo.
It won’t be a particularly private chat because the watch uses a speaker, but it’ll suffice for sending short voice notes. You should also set up school time for your child while they are at school or wherever silence is needed – say studying at the library or hanging out with grandparents.
Remember to keep it simple
Despite its many features, the watch is ideally designed for younger kids. It is suitable for children aged 4 to 12, but in reality, we think maybe 8. On the other hand, the style and simplicity are potentially the best fit for kids under the age of ten.
You can get the Cosmo JrTrack Smartwatch watch on eBay and Amazon here.
3. XPLORA X5
This GPS watch is ideal for active girls. It has great features that allow your child to keep track of their health. Since it is water-resistant, they will wear it when participating in sports.
With the built-in camera, they can capture all of their special moments and share them with family members. You can keep track of your kid and encourage self-reliance via alarms and concentration during do not disturb times. All by connecting to the app.
The watch comes in two colors: pink and blue (if you’re into gender stereotypes). It is suitable for children aged 5 – 12.
Features
This is one of the most ideal watches for kids who participate in a variety of activities. It will also allow a parent to track the location of their kid using the App. An exercise tracker is included with the watch, which records steps and monitors your kid’s activity levels. It’s also water-resistant, which is handy for durability.
Wide, High-Definition Display
A 1.44-inch HD screen is included in the watch. It’s ideal for playing games and watching incoming calls, among other items. The touch screen is simple to use, allowing your child to browse through the contacts list and other apps easily.
Camera
The front-view camera allows your child to document their daily activities. What’s more, they can send these moments onto chosen contacts in the family.
School mode
Do not disturb hours can be scheduled for your child when they’re at school. You can set up to 3 separate/different periods a day, and you can access it from your phone’s app.
Remember
You’ll need to use a compatible SIM card. Most key features won’t work otherwise. The manufacturer’s recommendation for the United States is T-Mobile.
You can get the Xplora X5 Play watch on both eBay and Amazon
4. Xiaomi Mi Band 7 and Smart Band 7 Pro
The Mi Band 7 does not offer a built-in GPS – only the pro model does. Still we list it here because it’s a great fitness tracker for kids and could be your first entry point into the world of smartwatches for kids. The Mi Band 7 is perhaps the most popular smartwatch in general and for kids in particular. It boasts extremely good value for money as the quality of this watch and its features are sometimes better than much more expensive smartwatches out there. It’s waterproof so that’s a great plus for kids and it is a great activity tracker and health monitor.
Your kids get many smartwatch features and can play around with a smartwatch that offers quite a lot. It’s just the right size as well as it’s not too big for their wrists.
Product | Supplier |
Mi Band 7 | AliExpress |
Mi Band 7 | eBay |
Mi Band 7 Pro | Amazon |
Mi Band 7 | Amazon |
The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro is the bigger brother of the Mi Band 7. It’s got a 50% bigger screen and luckily also has a built-in GPS. The GPS is mainly used for tracking your sports activities but can also be used to track the location of your kid. We are going to test these features very soon so stay tuned for our full review in this regard (see link above).
You should be able to get this slightly cheaper on Aliexpress if you are willing to wait a couple of weeks to get it.
5. 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch and Phone Tracker
This PTHTechUS watch is ideal for kids who love being busy. With an incredibly accurate GPS, the ability to send and accept phone calls, as well as video and voice chat, this is a great addition to this list of kids GPS watches.
Your kid can wear the watch everywhere, including the pool and school. It has a variety of entertaining features, including some educational games.
By installing and connecting to the accompanying app on your smartphone, you can easily set up all the features.
Although there is no stated age range for this watch, it is possible that any child over the age of 8 will find it appealing because it does not have a babyish look.
Features
Entertainment
This watch is more than a GPS tracker; it also contains educational games that teach your child maths. There’s even a video feature that lets your child film their day and show you later.
Water-resistant
The watch is ideal for summer since it allows the wearer to swim or run through sprinklers easily. It can also be worn when your child is bathing. However, don’t try to use it if submerged underwater.
Alarms
The big-time indication on the watch allows your child to easily keep track of the time. They can also set alarms for themselves, or you can with the app to wake them up in the morning.
Do not disturb
Furthermore, when your kid is in school, you can set up strict do disturb hours. Much of this is managed by the app.
Two-way Calls
Once you’ve set up the device, your kid will be able to call and receive phone calls from the numbers you’ve chosen. It also helps you to create three phone numbers that can receive calls and messages in the event of an emergency.
24-hour format
It’s worth noting that the time is shown in 24-hour mode, which is one of the only flaws. Some parents would have favored a 12-hour format because not all children are used to military time.
6. Smart Gadget Kids’ Waterproof GPS Smartwatch
This watch is worth considering if your kid participates in after-school clubs. It has gained positive feedback from parents, indicating it is worthy of a place on this list of the best kids GPS watches.
The watch has a lot of features that your child can use. They can use their phone to make calls, send texts, set alarms and notifications from apps. Additionally, the precise onboard GPS enables parents to accurately monitor and track their children’s whereabouts from an app on their mobile.
Features
When your child is outside, the onboard GPS is extremely reliable. GPS, Glonass, and Galilean precise positioning are all supported. A weather forecast can also be accessed and monitored, ensuring that your child remains healthy and dry.
Water-resistant
Your child will wear the watch even when participating in watersports because it’s made of waterproof materials. The watch has a 5ATM rating, which ensures it can withstand water up to 50 meters.
Sleep Monitoring
Your child’s sleep quality, as well as their bedtime, would be automatically recorded by the watch.
Notification settings
Some parents wish their children would concentrate on their studies at certain times of the day. And we know if the watch is synced with a social media app, it can divert their child’s attention away from the task at hand. It’s a good thing you’ll be able to turn off notifications easily with your smartphone.
7. PTHTECHUS 4G Watch
A great gift for boys and girls aged 4 to 15 years old.
Two-Way Calling
Using two-way calls to communicate with your child is extremely simple! Chat with your child whenever and wherever they are (just don’t get them in trouble at school!).
Because all contacts must be added to the watch via the companion app by a parent or primary guardian, it only allows friends and family members to contact your child.
Once WiFi is enabled, your children can use the watch to make video calls or send messages, regardless of whether they have a SIM card.
GPS Tracking
You can easily and precisely access your child’s location using the smartphone app, so you always know where he or she is. It should be noted that indoor positioning can be accurate to 100 meters, while outdoor positioning can be accurate to 5 meters. When Wifi is turned on, the watch will automatically detect wifi and perform precise positioning.
SOS
There is potential danger everywhere, but children frequently lack the ability to detect it at first. The SOS feature is a simple single-button assistance feature that allows them to stay safe and in touch when needed.
Photos
Kids can use the 0.3-megapixel camera and remote control to take a selfie.
Or, you can also use your smartphone to control your kids’ watch and take photos from your app.
Connectivity
WiFi Internet access is included. All you have to do is look for available WIFI and enter the password. Once WiFi is enabled, your children can use the watch to make video calls or send messages, regardless of whether they have a SIM card.
You can track your children using a WiFi network, even if they are wearing the smartwatch in an area with poor signal strength (like the woods).
Pedometer
This Kids Watch can also be used as a Health Fitness Tracker; parents can use the app to track their child’s steps, distance, calories, and sleep patterns; simply enable the Pedometer in the app. You can also use the APP to set alarms to wake your child up or to remind him of tasks he needs to complete.
Alarm Clock and School Mode
You can set up to three reminders on the app to encourage your child to stick to their plan. Fortunately, it will vibrate to alert them. Wake up the kids in the mornings, for example, or remind them when it’s time to go home.
You can set three time periods in the app so that children cannot use the watch while paying attention to what they are supposed to be, such as at school or during homework times The SOS function, on the other hand, will remain operational.
It’s available on both eBay and Amazon
8. Laxido 4G GPS Smartwatch
This children’s wristwatch includes seven learning games. Parents can limit their children’s daily gaming time, allowing them to play for an appropriate amount of time.
SOS
When in a crisis, children can press the SOS key for 3 seconds to call the numbers in a circle for assistance. It is possible to program up to two SOS numbers. Excellent assistance for children in an emergency situation!
This smartwatch with GPS is an excellent choice for your child’s personal security. You may follow the device in real-time from anywhere using your smartphone. Rest assured as the brand also offer free lifetime support for both the Android and iOS version of the app. As well as the web tracking platform.
Phone and video calls
As long as your SIM has a data plan and voice functionality, you can call Laxido and they will assist you in connecting your SIM.
As long as your SIM has a data plan and voice functionality, you can call Laxido and they will assist you in connecting your SIM.
IP67 waterproof
IP67 waterproof This GPS watch is waterproof, so you may wear it in the rain or in the shower. Electronic Fence Alert (Geo-fence): You may create a safe zone, and if/when your child exits that zone, the watch will instantly sound an alarm on your phone app. You may also keep track of multiple watches at once.
In the event of an emergency, users may simply click the SOS button to contact family members in a circle for assistance.
Voice chat
The watch and the parents’ smartphone may exchange voice notes.
Historical GPS Route Tracking
The last 1 month’s positions of the GPS watch will be saved in the system for future reference.
Connectivity
The 2G network in the United States will soon be phased out, therefore you’ll want this watch with 4G compatibility, which will operate well in the United States.
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9. Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
The updated GTS 2 Mini was released in December 2020, along with the Amazfit GTS 2e and GTR 2e, which are also accessible internationally. We’ll disregard those two watches for the time being and focus on the GTS 2 Mini.
The GTS 2 Mini offers a lot of what the more costly GTS 2 and GTS 2e, which sit above it, has to offer for the money.
Design
The Amazfit GTS 2 Mini is a smaller version of the GTS 2, which is Amazfit’s top square smartwatch in the fashion watch category. Making it ideal for children.
The square watch from Huami has been reduced in price to around $100, making it a more affordable option for youngsters. Especially when it foregoes several smartwatch functions (which, for a parent, might be a plus for you). However, it manages to keep many of the features that made the Amazfit GTS 2 so popular.
While there is now a 40mm casing, it still employs the same titanium alloy and plastic case combination, however, there is a bit more plastic on display. It’s been downsized to a 1.55-inch AMOLED screen, which has a lower resolution but still provides a bright, colorful display for fitness data and extras like weather updates.
Fitness tracking
It has the same health and fitness features as the GTS 2 and GTS 2e, including Huami’s newest BioTracker health sensor, which is designed for continuous heart rate monitoring.
It excels at 24/7 fitness tracking and outperforms the top Fitbit’s extensive sleep monitoring capabilities in terms of accuracy. Built-in GPS works well for sports monitoring in general. You can link it to apps like Strava, but I’m going to guess that’s not going to be for the majority of parents.
Smart features
The offline voice assistant, built-in music player, and ability to accept Bluetooth calls that were all available on the GTS 2 are all gone. During exercises, features such as notification support, which is while rudimentary, works well enough, and music controls may be utilized. There’s also a decent selection of customizable watch faces, which is cool for letting your little one add their own style.
Battery life
Huami claims that with heavy use, you should receive a week’s worth of battery life.
10. Fitbit Charge 4/5
You’re here because having a GPS function is important to you. And the Fitbit Charge 4 or Charge 5 are a wonderful choice for active kids and teenagers – especially if they already have a phone. The Fitbit is not a kids Tracker though. We noted that utilizing the GPS drains the Charge 4’s battery quicker than the seven days it can last without it, but you can activate Dynamic GPS to save battery life by having it use your phone’s GPS instead when it’s nearby.
Design
The black version has a chunkier strap and a more manly design than the Inspire 2. If you want to switch things up, you can snap on a new band, which comes in a variety of styles ranging from stitched leather to a beautiful rose gold steel alternative.
Features
The Charge 4 and 5 can be woken up by pushing the side of the screen, twisting your wrist, or tapping the screen, much like the other Fitbits we tried, although our tester noted that it didn’t always react the first time. It was quite simple to navigate between features and follow all kinds of activities – from swimming to tennis – once it had done so. You may customize the default shortcuts in the program, and you can use the GPS to monitor your pace, speed, distance, time, and heart rate, as well as watch your run on a map.
Smart features
The Charge 4 offers certain smart capabilities, like Fitbit Pay for mobile payments, while not being a smartwatch. It’s an excellent budget alternative for kids who want a GPS fitness tracker but don’t want to spend a lot of money on one.
You can take a look at some of our favorite Fitbit’s for kids here.
Compare prices and choose your favorite merchant on the table below.
Product | Supplier | |||
Fitbit Charge 5 | Amazon | View Offer | ||
Fitbit Charge 5 | eBay | View Offer | ||
Fitbit Charge 4 | eBay | View Offer | ||
Fitbit Charge 5 | Fitbit | View Offer |
10. Apple Watch SE 2
Last but definitely not least, we present the newly announced Apple Watch SE 2. This watch could certainly track your kid’s whereabouts and uses robust technology with a family setup feature that is second to none. You get the best smartwatch money can buy for kids. The only drawback is of course price.
Conclusion
There we have it, 11 awesome kids GPS watches for 2022! We couldn’t avoid adding any Apple Watch versions in order to be budget-friendly, but if you are in a position to get your little one an Apple device, head over to our recommended set-up for kids.
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Last Updated on January 2, 2023
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