12 Best Kids’ Smart Watches Reviewed in 2024
Smartwatches are popular with kids because they feature touchscreens that give access to hundreds of apps. With these apps, they can play games, change the screen features and colors, and get fun additions to their videos and photos. Smartwatches will allow many activities and abilities such as uploading content for customizing. In our world of technology and thousands of possible apps, kids must learn at an early age how to use them and how to add and delete them from devices. These smartwatches are a fantastic way for them to gain this much-needed knowledge. We feature here a wide variety of these devices that are suitable for kids as young as three-years-old and as old as teenagers. Each of these smartwatches has been selected for this list because it is a top choice among online buyers. Here are our picks for the best kids’ smart watches reviewed in 2019.
In a Hurry? The test winner after 35 hrs of research
Has a watch face that is always on
Get calls, texts, and notifications directly
Can control music with a simple swipe or tap
Comes with a set of earbuds
Will resist extreme temperatures, dust, and water
10 Best Kids Smart Watches Reviewed
1. Samsung Gear S3 Frontier
Has a watch face that is always on
Get calls, texts, and notifications directly
Can control music with a simple swipe or tap
Comes with a set of earbuds
Will resist extreme temperatures, dust, and water
A few problems with Bluetooth connection
Issues with the GPS feature
We feature two of the best Samsung smartwatches on this page, with this one, the S3 having a higher rating and more reviews than the other one, the S2. The S3 includes a unique steel bezel for accessing notifications and apps, and it has a watch face that is always on.
Read moreIt has CPU speed of 1GHz and comes with a set of earbuds as part of this IconX bundle. It will resist extreme temperatures, dust, and water because it is built with military-grade materials. The earbuds offer Bluetooth streaming for five hours, MP3 listening for seven hours, and talk time for four hours. It uses Google Voice or Bixby for the speech commands and will monitor fitness goals of calorie tracking, speed, and distance. The earbuds come with ear tips in multiple sizes in the box, so you can obtain the perfect fit. Use these earbuds to take calls or stream music from the IOS tablet or handset.
Connectivity
This great smartwatch in combination with the earbuds allows you to do many things from answering your phone to making payment with your credit card. Streaming is also possible to make you less dependent on your smartphone.
Apps
With a Bluetooth connection, you can get calls, texts, and notifications directly. This smartwatch is compatible with IOS and Android smartphones with Bluetooth capabilities.
Ease of use
Make payments with this watch where you would normally tap or swipe a credit card using the Samsung Pay feature. Always remain connected with the apps and notifications possible.
Value
This is a durable, long-lasting watch that will take much abuse and issues from wear. It is made of military-grade materials and will not be damaged by harmful elements or rugged use.
2. Samsung Gear S2 Dark Grey
Has a circular interface and a rotating bezel
Made of durable stainless steel
Compatible with most IOS and Android phones
Includes a charging dock that is wireless
Has sharp text and crisp images
Band may break easily
Does not hold a long charge
Samsung’s Gear S2 SmartWatch is a chic option that we think older children and teens especially will appreciate. This watch sends and receives calls, holds and alerts you to calendar notifications, updates you on the news, and is compatible with thousands of third party apps. It can even pair with bluetooth headphones to play your favorite music. The watchface is customizable and the software works with both Androids and iPhones. It charges wirelessly and even includes a spare wristband.
Read moreThis watch includes a wearable platform that is OS-Tizen based and contains durable construction of stainless steel and a circular design. Other abilities include skimming restaurant reviews, checking scores of sports games, and tracking your own fitness among many others. The availability of third-party apps is in the thousands, and the smartwatch has sharp text and crisp images to show these well. You can customize this Samsung smartwatch with available with faces and interchangeable bands in hundreds of styles, formats, and colors. This wonderful watch includes a charging dock that is wireless and uses separately purchased Bluetooth headphones Level U. Use these to listen to music with this great smartwatch.
Connectivity
It is compatible with almost all IOS and Android smartphones and has a dual-core and processor speed of 1 GHz Exynos 32SO. You can access your notifications and apps with ease, such as receiving and sending news updates, calendar notifications, and texts from your wrist.
Apps
The incredible number of apps that can be accessed with this smartwatch is in the hundreds! It will be very hard to decide which ones to put on the watch for you to enjoy every day.
Ease of use
You can customize this watch with many band and face types and styles purchased separately. The manufacturer offers hundreds of these options, so you can make the watch exactly the way you want it.
Value
The many apps are placed around the perimeter of the clock face and can be assessed by the simple touchscreen. This is ideal because of the distinct circular interface and rotating bezel.
3. Motorola Moto 360 Stone Grey
High-quality craftsmanship
Gives updates in seconds and at a glance
Will respond to your voice for tasks
Can track your fitness and health
Comes with a quick-start guide, wall charger, and a charging dock
Band is not replaceable
Cannot do the initial setup without an Android phone
The Motorola Moto360 is a beautiful and sophisticated piece. If you’re looking for a gift that really wows (maybe it’s Graduation?), you can stop right here. This exquisite smart watch is scratch-resistant and made with a stainless steel base and leather strap. This watch is voice-activated and tracks your fitness and health. It’s compatible with any smartphone running Android 4.3 or higher.
Read moreIt is made of glass that is scratch-resistant, real Horween leather, and durable stainless-steel materials. This terrific watch will give updates in seconds and at a quick glance. It will respond to the sound of your voice to perform tasks such as checking the weather, making a reminder, or sending a text. You can track your fitness and health by monitoring your heart rate, calories burned, distance and steps walked. This great smartwatch is compatible with any Android smartphone that is 4.3 or more, plus it comes with a quick-start guide, durable wall charger, and a charging dock that is wireless.
Connectivity
Compatible with Android phones, the many features of this incredible watch are enjoyed and accessed easily. Updates are fast and the tracking is reliable for accurate data and communication.
Apps
Using a smartphone and the company’s app, you can access plenty of qualities of this wonderful device to make your life easier and fulfilled with important data. There are many aspects for the user to pick from simply.
Ease of use
The charging dock that is wireless is a wonderful accessory for this smartwatch because you cannot always be where there is a place to plug in to recharge. This allows you freedom of mobility when you need it most.
Value
The voice-controlled tasks available with this watch are great and perfect for times when you don’t have a free hand to press buttons. Many things can be monitored by simply speaking to the watch during these critical times.
4. Pebble Time Black
Gives notifications with a simple glance
Features Pebble Health tracker
Is water resistant up to thirty meters
Includes a microphone
Works well with all of the 8,000+ apps
May work slow
Possibly disconnects often
The PebbleTime SmartWatch has a cool retro appeal with its square face and thick band. It includes an activity and sleep tracker that breaks down your results by day as well as well. A built-in microphone allows you to record voice notes and send quick replies to texts and emails. It takes calls and keeps track of calendar events so you’ll always have everything you need right on your wrist!
Read moreIt gives notifications with just a simple glance such as incoming calls, emails, text messages, and calendar events. Available in three wonderful colors of white, black, and red bands, this exciting smartwatch works well with all of the 8,000+ Pebble Appstore watch faces and apps. It is compatible with any Android device that uses 4.0 and up and will support international characters and other languages. Included are an ergonomically curved profile and a thin chassis, plus tactile buttons for eyes-free easy control. Made of polished and matte finishes, PVD coating, stainless-steel marine-grade bezel, and tough 2.5D display of glass, this terrific smartwatch will work in any USB port with the magnetic charging cable.
Connectivity
This fabulous watch features Pebble Health, which is a sleep and activity tracker that is built-in with weekly insights and daily reports. Connecting to an Android device will make the many apps available usable on this product.
Apps
This is a highly customizable watch with over 8,000 apps from the manufacturer. Just about anything you want to look at or monitor can be placed on the watch face easily.
Ease of use
International characters and other languages can be supported with this smartwatch. This is great for those that converse with others in foreign countries and speak dialects other than English.
Value
It contains a vibrating motor for silent alarms and discreet alerts and has a charged battery life of seven days. This great watch will perform well with both iPhone and Android smartphones.
5. Apple Series 4
Available in 6 different styles
Includes fitness tracker
Keeps tabs on if you fall or if your heart rhythm is irregular
Fast processing unit
Includes its own speakers
Can’t play music over speakers, only calls
Fitness tracker isn’t always accurate
The AppleWatch may well be the watch that started it all. This incredible device syncs to your iPhone and can receive and send messages, calls, and emails. It includes GPS and heart sensors that work both electrically and optically.
Read moreConnectivity
The watch connects to your phone and functions as a proxy. Apple Watches require the iPhone 5s or newer to properly pair, with an iOS of 11 or 12 and beyond.
Apps
This watch can handle the usual functions of your phone in addition to GPS, a fitness tracker, fall detection, an Emergency SOS system, and its own speakers.
Ease of Use
A 64-bit dual processor ensures that this watch can keep up with your busy schedule. The interface is intuitive and the screen has been improved to make it 50% larger than former iterations as well as its competition.
Value
This is the most expensive product on our list but with good reason. It does a lot more than standard smartwatches including alerting you about irregular heart rates and health issues, and offering a 911 option should you fall or be experiencing a medical emergency without your phone on hand.
6. VTech Star Wars BB-8
Has plenty of memory
Has fifty face designs for the clock
Is splash proof and sweatproof
Has a rechargeable battery and a USB cable
Wristband is adjustable
Touchscreen stopped working for some buyers
A few were disappointed with the overall quality
May the force be with you--and it can be with this awesome watch! Perhaps the most stylish and funky product on our list, this sweet BB-8 Smartwatch has 36 Star Wars-themed backgrounds, features a camera with Star Wars special effects, and has enough memory to store 1,600 pictures or eleven 1-minute videos. Kids can trigger lightsaber sound effects with a built-in motion detector and there are even three games already stocked up on the watch!
Read moreIt is available in five great colors and has plenty of memory to store hundreds of pictures and video. It includes a camera with photo effects, a voice recorder that has voice changing options, a video camera, and a touchscreen. This wonderful kids’ watch has fifty face designs for the clock face and is splash proof and sweatproof. Included are a timer, an alarm, a stopwatch, a calendar, a motion sensor, and a calculator. It has a rechargeable battery and a USB cable, plus there is a lock for the games when you don’t want kids to play them at certain times. The wristband is adjustable on this watch that is perfect for kids aged four- to nine-years-old.
Connectivity
This wonderful watch is more of an activity device for younger kids to learn how such items work with the things they are most interested in. it does not depend on apps or a company site to use it or load it with functions for access.
Apps
While this incredible watch is mostly for the younger age set of kids, it does not sport the multitude of apps that the others have. it does have plenty of activities for children to learn and occupy their idle time with, however.
Ease of use
Kids will be excited with all of the things to do with this smartwatch. They can shoot video, take pictures, and play games, plus much more. It will keep them occupied for many hours of idle time.
Value
Because this watch has wonderful games on it for kids, it comes with a lock to please parents. This will prevent them from playing the games when they are places it is not appropriate such as school and church.
7. Topffy
Bluetooth enabled
Loss prevention feature
Takes calls, texts, and emails
Calendar, calculator, and alarm functions
Also works as a fitness tracker
Buttons are tiny and can be hard to manage
Don’t let the simple design of Topffy’s Smartwatch fool you; this watch is full of surprises! Use it to play your favorite music (via a Bluetooth connection), wake up to its alarms, and receive and answer texts. This watch is compatible with Android smartphones and features a loss-protection feature that allows you to locate either your phone or watch if they ever go missing. Make hands free calls, take pictures and video, monitor your activity and sleep, and so much more!
Read moreConnectivity
Whether you’re hoping to crank up some tunes or check out your heart rate and fitness performance, this little watch has you covered. It can connect via bluetooth to smartphones and speakers so you can play your favorite music. And all of your activity reports are logged and can be accessed via third party apps on your smartphone if you want an expansive history or an overview of the week!
Apps
Besides the standard functions of a smartwatch (emails, texts, calls, and calendar), this watch also provides an alarm a calculator, a fitness tracker, and a loss-prevention system when you hook it up to your smartphone. Browse the internet, play music, record your voice, and take photos and videos of your favorite moments as well.
Ease of Use
The interface on this watch is extremely intuitive. It’s made to last so you won’t have to be taking it in for frequent maintenance. A lifetime warranty protects against factory defects or lemon parts. The buttons are a little small though so take that into consideration.
Value
This watch is below the calculated average of our list. It provides all standard features plus a few extra goodies and the lifetime warranty is a great selling point in our eyes.
8. Pebble Time Steel Silver
Works with iPhone 45 and up running IOS 8
Is water resistant to thirty meters
Battery lasts ten days on a charge
Includes a band of real Italian leather
Comes with a charging cable that is magnetic
May not hold a charge long
Screens were hard to see for a few people
This second smartwatch that we feature from Pebble Time works with the iPhone 45 and up that runs IOS 8+. It includes a microphone built-in for voice messages and fast replies and has an e-paper display in color with a backlight of LED.
Read moreIt is always on, and the battery lasts for ten days on a charge. This item is water-resistant to thirty meters, and the display is of durable and tough 2.5D glass. It includes a band of real Italian leather with pins that are quick-release. The buttons are textured and tactile for eyes-free simple control, and the fantastic watch has a stainless-steel marine-grade bezel and chassis with polished detailing of PVD matte coating. It comes with a charging cable that is magnetic and works well in all USB ports. Get your notifications quickly and easily such as incoming calls, texts, emails, and calendar events.
Connectivity
You can send voice replies with iPhone AT&T accounts and many major Android apps, plus manage music playback, calls, calendars, and notifications right on your wrist.
Apps
Thousands of watch faces are available in the Pebble app store for customizing this watch. You can have access to weekly insights and daily reports with the built-in sleep and activity tracker of Pebble Health.
Ease of use
This smartwatch is always on and the display can be seen at any time without having to press a button or tap the screen. This is perfect for those that must look at their watches frequently to stay on track during the day and night.
Value
Part of the fun of a new watch is being able to pick the color and style you want. This terrific watch has plenty of bands and faces that can be bought separately to make it unique to your tastes.
9. LeapFrog LeapBand Green
Is the first tracker of activities for kids
Can be preloaded with over fifty activity challenges
There are eight virtual pets to pick from
Promotes active play, healthy choices, and nurturing
For ages four to seven-years-old
Parents said it won’t hold a charge for very long
A few kids lost interest in it quickly
Got a little one begging for a smartwatch? It can seem like a risky idea to grant that wish unless you’re looking at the LeapFrog LeapBand. This smartwatch is made especially for young children between 4-7 years of age. It’s preprogrammed with 50 challenges that will get kids up and moving and you can easily set up playtimes. Cute little pet avatars are active alongside them and a rewards system motivates them to stay healthy!
Read moreParents are able to set challenges and play times for children on their activity band. It can be preloaded with over fifty activity challenges that will get kids on the move. Challenges are fun and exciting, such as “Pounce like a lion!” “March like an elephant!” “Wiggle like a worm!” as the activity level of children increases, they will earn points to unlock pets and their toys to enjoy. There are eight virtual pets to pick from, name, and choose their color. This device will promote active play, healthy choices, and nurturing. It has easy to press buttons on the front and is great for ages four to seven-years-old.
Connectivity
Toddlers and young kids will enjoy this smartwatch that will give them challenges and reward them for the ones they do. These are set by the parent’s smartphone and the provided app.
Apps
Using the Pentathlon Games app, there are plenty of activities and interests for kids to connect. They will learn the value and ease with which apps fill our daily lives, so they can adapt to real watches with these features quickly.
Ease of use
Using virtual pets, games, and challenges, children learn quickly how simple it is to operate and understand a smartwatch. You will enjoy their progress as they gain the knowledge needed for their future with such devices.
Value
Kids as young as four-years-old can get in on the action of having their own smartwatches to encourage them to get and stay active during the day. Hopefully, this will set a lifelong pattern of healthy activity for them.
10. VTech Kidizoom DX2 Blue
Includes two cameras for selfies and video
Includes five wonderful games
Has fifty-five Analog and digital clock faces
Comes with a pedometer and motion sensor
Is splash-proof
Damages easily
Some said it stopped working soon
We highlight three of the exciting kids’ smartwatches from Vtech because the ratings are so high, and the models are different in color and capabilities. This model comes in either blue or purple and helps children learn how to tell time.
Read moreIt includes two cameras that take selfies and video, which can be made into new faces for the watch. Kids can add filter, frames, stamps, and photo effects to selfies, videos, and photos. Included are five wonderful games and kids can download even more. This watch has fifty-five Analog and digital clock faces to customize, plus you can upload videos and photos with the included USB cable and charge the battery. This splash-proof smartwatch has a touchscreen and memory of 256MB. It comes with a pedometer and motion sensor for play challenges and operates on one Li-on polymer battery.
Connectivity
Two cameras are available with this model of a smart watch for kids. One takes video and the other takes photos and selfies. These can be downloaded and printed from a computer for keeping.
Apps
When connected to a computer, children can download more games and clock faces than the ones that come with the watch. Customizing a watch will become second nature to them in this technologically advanced world we live in.
Ease of use
There are five wonderful games that kids can play on this watch with the touchscreen. One is a game of capturing monsters in the real world and another is a logic puzzle to challenge their little minds.
Value
Durable and loaded with many features that smaller kids will love, this Vtech mechanism will be much appreciated by your child. the games, challenges, and qualities of it will activate the technological talents of even the youngest child.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Connectivity
All of these devices work by means of the Internet and apps connected to a smartphone that is usually kept by the parent. Apps are given with the purchase of the smartwatches, so it is easy to connect and get the watch up and running for your child to enjoy right away. Many things are possible for the kids to explore with these simple and easy to use apps. Connecting is easy and reliable, so the child can expand his or her world into the age of technology that is so relevant today.
Apps
These super watches teach kids how to tell time with some of them speaking the time as it is displayed. They will learn all about the wonderful world of apps that they can customize their watches with and change when they want. Apps are a huge part of our lives now for our phones, tablets, laptops, and watches, so kids need to learn how to use them early. You will be surprised at how easily even the youngest of children catch on to using apps and understanding them. Kids are highly adaptable to new concepts and technology since they are in the best learning stages of their lives.
Ease of Use
Smartwatches are devices that connect via an app using the Internet to a smartphone to provide movement and activity data to the user. These have many features in addition to telling the time and date, such as music, games, texts messages, phone calls, and social media alerts. These are all provided with the connection to the smartphone. Much knowledge can be gained to exercise and develop the thinking abilities of kids for critical thinking, concentration, logic, and problem-solving. These talents are valued for early development and well-being in future learning.
Value
Each product listed here is a best-selling model of a smartwatch or is a top-rated product that has buyers positively raving about its high-quality. These are the items that have been currently pleasing online purchasers the most and they have left their optimistic feedback for prospective buyers. We sort through all of the items in a category and highlight only the best for you to save you time in your shopping search for the best products for yourself and your kids. They are also the most-bought items as well.
Being left or right-handed does not matter much with a smartwatch. They do not have the wind-up function as regular watches do, but some do have buttons to access.
Smartwatches are not just for boys to enjoy. Even if the devices are only offered in blue or black, girls will love these just as much because of the many functions and qualities of the device.
Other Factors to Consider
Brand
Some of the best name brands for these watches are Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei. The ones that are popular for first-timers are the LeapFrog LeapBand and Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch. These have programmable tasks and chores for kids to do that are rewarded when completed. Smartwatches are a wonderful way to introduce children to the technology they will quickly become accustomed to in the near future. They promote independence, active play, healthy choices, and good sleep habits.
Age Range
Each of these smart watches is suitable for children of many ages. The simpler ones are for kids from three- to seven-years-old. The others are great for older kids and teens. All of the watches come in vibrant colors that appeal to kids and provide activities that are suitable for the age level of that child. it is best to start young kids off early with these devices that will be such a huge part of their everyday lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
q: For what child ages are these the most suitable?
We highlight a wide range of these smartwatches that cover the age range of three-years-old to the teen years. These watches are even suitable for adults because they do so much, look so great, and can fit a variety of wrist sizes.
q: What is the battery life of these watches in general? Do they need to be charged periodically?
Battery life varies greatly with all of these devices. Some of them will last a full year and not need recharging, while others need frequent recharging and come with a USB cable for that reason.
q: Are these for boys or girls or both?
All of these watches are for both sexes equally. Most of the colors offered cover both preferences that boys and girls would have for color choice. None of the watch faces are so big as to be a boys’ watch only either. Girls may prefer the larger watch faces that can often be easier to use, considering the many possible apps and activities possible on some of these incredible models.
q: Does left- or right-handedness matter with these watches?
No, being left- or right-handed does not matter with these watches because none of them wind up on the sides that would cause a problem. A few of the models for older kids and teens do have buttons on the right-hand side of the watch which would be troublesome for lefties to control. It is not impossible though and can be done. None of these watches are specifically for lefties or equally operable by both.
q: What do they do basically that a regular watch does not do?
All of these fabulous watches vary with what they do, but basically, they will monitor tasks given by the parents and/or track activities completed by the child. They can keep track of exercises and activity levels, with some of them rewarding kids with games, challenges, activities, and virtual pets.
q: Which smartwatches would be good to get for a very young kid that has never had a watch like this before?
The Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch and the LeapFrog LeapBand models would all be great first-time smartwatches for kids as young as three-years-old. They have simple icons on the screen, so they can learn the many activities, challenges, and games with the pictures.
Sources
- 5 reasons why you should get your kid a smartwatch, Blog Post ,
- Everything You Need to Know About Smart Watches, Online Article ,
- How Smart Watches Work, Online Article ,
- 6 Things You Need to Know About Smartwatches, Online Article ,
- What the Heck Is a Smartwatch, and Why Might I Want One?, Online Article ,