Best Smartwatches for Kids

For parents who need to stay connected to their kids, options can feel slim. Smartphones can be distracting for younger kids and GPS trackers can feel invasive for older kids. Smartwatches strike a balance between the two with kid and parent-friendly features. 

The best smartwatches for kids can track your kids' location, send messages and call, al while having enough features to keep them excited about the device. 

The Gabb Watch 3, for example, has a virtual pet that your child can care for with coins they earn from chore lists that parents set. Cosmo JrTrack 3 allows your kids to call and message parent-approved contacts from their wrists. And the TickTalk 5 has kid-safe music streaming and "school mode" to avoid distractions.

After 10-plus years of testing and wearing family safety devices, we know what makes a kids smartwatch stand out (or not). Here's a peek into our process and features to look for when picking the best kids smartwatch for your family.

• Price and monthly costs
• GPS tracking
• SOS call button
• Durability
• Parental controls
• Connectivity
• Ease of use
• Video calling
• Fun games or activities 

In addition, it's important for parents and caregivers to have an open, ongoing dialogue with the children in their lives about the goals for getting a smartwatch and how to use and take care of it responsibly. 

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The Gabb Watch 3 is an affordable and simple watch with no camera, but a digital pet helps motivate kids to stay active and complete chores. Plus, the latest model (Gabb Watch 3) includes IP68 water resistance and an ultra-strong Gorilla Glass 3 screen to withstand whatever kids put it through.

Our testers said it was one of the easiest kids smartwatches to set up since it comes with its own SIM card.

The parents we talked to felt satisfied with the Gabb Watch's features: location  tracking, safe zones, to-do lists and reminders, and easy text or voice communication.

There's no video calling, no 911 option, and no discreet audio check-ins, which help keep the price affordable and the battery chugging along. 

Check out the details—including more of our test group's opinions and images—in our full Gabb Watch review. Or get all your questions answered on our Gabb Watch FAQ page.

The COSMO JrTrack 3 was designed by a father with the needs of both parents and kids in mind. It combines safety features with cool colors, comfortable straps, and the convenience of a full-size keyboard.

We like that it has all the features you need (GPS tracking, safe zones, SOS button, two-way talk) plus nice extras like a camera. Best of all, COSMO Membership plans are simple, straightforward, and affordable. 

With COSMO you get to talk, text, and share photos as much as you want—everything is unlimited. It's a huge relief to not worry about data limits when you need to stay in touch with your little ones.

COSMO Plans: Get unlimited 4G talk, text and data.

• 3-month plan: $17.99/month
• 6-month plan: $14.99/month
• 1-year prepaid plan: $12.99/month
• 2-year prepaid plan: $9.99/month

The big, bright, colorful TickTalk 5 smartwatch has everything your youngest wants in a device. They can send voice memos, messages, and video call with trusted contacts like family and friends who also have TickTalk watches. It comes with a pre-installed SIM card for AT&T and T-Mobile users, making it easy to add on to your existing family cellular plan.

We like the TickTalk 5 for younger users because its features lean more in favor of parents. Kids still get fun features like music streaming, e-cards, and emojis. But parents get the lion's share of control over the watch. And the on-board camera will be fun for kids to take pictures of their adventures and video call with loved ones. 

Parents can set reminders and timers for chores and activities. So if your kids need an extra nudge to pick up their toys, Mom or Dad can do it through the TickTalk app and send it straight to their child's watch. 

Parents can also set do-not-distrub modes on the watch for school hours and focus time to lock the watch from use. Thankfully, its SOS and 911 features can still work in case kids get in a tough situation. 

The TickTalk 5 also has improved GPS and mapping features, allowing parents to get a more accurate picture of their child's location. 

We had to see if the TickTalk performed well in the real world before crowning it a best kids smartwatch. So, we asked a mom and her kids to put it through the ringer. 

As we expected, the kids loved playing music, making video calls, sending each other greeting cards, and engaging with all of the other kid-centric features of the watch. Mom, on the other hand, appreciated the safety side of things, like the closed communication network and listen-in function.

The Garmin Bounce matches advanced location and activity tracking features with the safety of a kids smartwatch. While your active kiddo enjoys outpacing their siblings on the family leaderboard, you can rest easy knowing they can't download apps or reach unknown contacts through their device. 

This Garmin kids' watch is swim-friendly and durabl enough to withstand the roughest horseplay. And like adult Garmin watches, it can track multiple activities like running, biking, walking, swimming and more. 

As the parent, you can manage their contacts list and permissions around who the speak with and when they can use their watch (no more classroom distractions). 

Read our full review on the Garmin Bounce watch to learn more! 

You still get the most important features with the Garmin Bounce: live GPS tracking, parent-controlled contact list, and geofencing. It also comes with some games, a rewards system for chores, and limited, pre-set texting. One of the most appealing features is that you don’t have to switch cell phone providers—Garmin uses its own network for the Bounce, and plans start at $10 per month or $100 for the full year.

Like the Angel Watch, AngelSense is a kids GPS tracker, health tracker, and phone service. The difference is that AngelSense is for parents who want a watch that is simple, game and video-free and easy to use.

Like the TickTalk4, the AngelSense Watch includes video calling and a listen-in feature, but it has fewer contact slots and zero entertainment for your kid. (Which can certainly be a good thing, depending on what you're looking for.) It works with either AT&T or T-Mobile networks.

AngelSense goes beyond the usual GPS tracking by getting to know the wearer's routine. Imagine if little Jimmy takes a different route to school—AngelSense will send you a heads-up. It's like having an extra pair of eyes on your loved ones.

Remember those hide-and-seek games in store clothing racks? With AngelSense, those mini heart-stopping moments can be a thing of the past. Can't spot your little adventurer nearby? Just trigger the watch's alarm and follow the sound straight to your cheeky hider. Plus, you can share a temporary tracking link with friends, family, or even the police to help locate the watch wearer quickly.

For those with loved ones on the move, AngelSense's Live Safe Ride Transit Tracking is a gem. It lets you check if the vehicle they're in is going a bit too fast—super useful for keeping an eye on teen drivers.

Curious about your child's activity levels? AngelSense can tell you if they're really joining in during PE class or if they are sitting on the sidelines.

And here’s something truly reassuring: fall detection. In case of an accident, you're alerted instantly, so you can swiftly get help.

One small thing to note: to keep this constant tracking going, the watch needs regular charging. We found that a daily charge is best to avoid any gaps in coverage and keep the insights coming.

Learn more in our full AngelSense Watch review.

Because the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3 combines the best features of the GizmoWatch 2 and the Disney Edition, it easily became our favorite kids smart watch from Verizon. Plus, there are new features on the Gizmo Watch 3 that make it more competitive against other kids smart watches in general, like location history reports, Bluetooth compatibility for earbuds, and more than 3.5 days of standby battery.

Parents can switch the GizmoWatch to quiet mode or vibration mode via the app. This allows incoming calls to show up on the screen but silences the ringtone and any of the watch’s sound effects. You can also set up specific quiet times to ensure, for example, your child’s ringtone doesn’t disrupt their class.

Another neat feature is “auto answer.” After parents toggle this setting on the GizmoHub app, the watch will automatically pick up your call after ringing for ten seconds. This lets you listen in to check on your child or talk through the watch in an emergency.

Learn more in our full GizmoWatch review or compare the GizmoWatches to the ever-popular Gabb Watch in our head-to-head review: GizmoWatch vs. Gabb Watch.

The Angel Watch is a kids GPS tracker, health tracker, and phone service rolled into one. We’re especially impressed with the Angel Watch’s SOS feature, which activates after a three-second press and calls three designated contacts in a loop until someone picks up.

Like the TickTalk4, the Angel Watch includes video calling and a listen-in feature, but it has fewer contact slots and zero entertainment for your kid. (Which can certainly be a good thing, depending on what you're looking for.) It works with either AT&T or T-Mobile networks.

The Angel Watch also helps parents monitor the health of their child via a vital sign sensor that rests against the skin. The watch can detect four vital signs:

• Body temperature
• Blood pressure
• Blood oxygen
• Heart rate

As neat as this sounds, the Angel Watch Company warns that these readings may not always be accurate. It’s also totally up to the parents to monitor vital signs and take action if needed. This device won’t send out an alert if there’s a worrisome deviation from the norm.

The Angel Watch also counts your kid’s steps and estimates the total distance covered and calories burned. If your child wears this watch to bed, it will also track sleep quality.

Learn more in our full Angel Watch review.

We don’t think the SyncUP Kids Watch is quite ready to knock our top five faves out of position. It has a few flaws:

• Available to existing T-Mobile customers only
• Available in stores only
• No video calling
• The 911 option can’t be toggled off in the parent app
• Camera quality is poor

The SyncUP Kids Watch retails for about $175 and requires a $10 monthly subscription through T-Mobile. Check back as we continue to test the SyncUP and share the good, the bad, and the ugly.

With Xplora's Goplay platform, your child earns one coin for every 1,000 steps logged on the watch. Coins can be redeemed on the Goplay platform to play virtual games or purchase products.

Physical fitness aside, we think this is a great incentive for kids to wear this GPS-tracking watch at all times.

This smartwatch includes a 2MP selfie camera and stores around 1,000 photos and videos. We’re impressed by the video and audio quality. In fact, we expected video calling to be included in this smartwatch since it has such a nice camera. But that’s the major downside of the Xplora X5 Play; you can’t hop on a video call with your kid. 

The Xplora X5 works best with the T-mobile network and does not work with Verizon, Sprint, or U.S. Cellular. You’ll also need to purchase a SIM card separately.

Learn more in our full Xplora X5 Play review.

This isn’t a GPS smartwatch, nor does it support texting or calling. That’s probably because it’s meant for kids as young as four years old, who probably remain under direct supervision anyway. But if your little one feels super left out when their older sibling gets a cool new gadget, this is what you could give them to keep them entertained.

This watch features a camera and impressive storage. Your budding photographer can store up to 30 minutes of video footage or 3,000 pictures. They can also add stickers to their photos.

Tobi also includes some basic games and an activity tracker/fitness tracker. If one of your kid’s friends also has a Tobi watch, they can send each other photos or emojis. 

The good news is that you don’t need to purchase a monthly cellular plan for this watch because it can't make phone calls.

Learn more in our full Little Tikes Tobi Robot review.

We decided to use price as a tie-breaker, and the VTech Smartwatch Kidizoom DX2 lost out because it costs more than double the Little Tikes Tobi Robot.

But we do love that there are plenty of extra learning games you can add to this smartwatch via the VTech Learning Lodge. Your kid won’t get bored if you add a new game to the watch every so often. And they might learn some neat skills like telling time.

Our favorite kids smartwatches meet in the middle between "fun gadget" and parental features. Kids will love having a direct line to their loved ones and the games and fun features certainly don't hurt. Parents will love giving kids more freedom while drawing fair boundaries. 

From our tests with parents and kids alike, we found the Gabb Watch 3 came out on top for its user friendliness, price, and ability to graduate into a similar ecosystem when your child's ready for a phone. 

We also loved the Cosmo JrTrack 3 for its pricing and the TickTalk 5 smartwatch for younger users. 

We ultimately came up with a list of 43 criteria for comparing kids smartwatches and sussing out the top candidates. We also read hundreds of user reviews to evaluate each contender’s performance and customer service.

We tested several brands including the TickTalk, Gabb, Cosmo, Angel Watch, Xplora, Apple Watch, AngelSense Watch, and also collected feedback from parents with experience using top kids smartwatches on the market. 

Learn more about how we rank and review.

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