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Message
Best Kids' Smart Watches
Posted on 7/5/21 at 4:25 pm
Posted on 7/5/21 at 4:25 pm
Hey Folks.
So my kid are finally of an age where I finally got the wife to allow them to go off and be on their own a bit more lol.
They'll start riding their bikes to school nearly a mile away and just being able to do their own thing in the neighborhood, bikings over to friends' houses a couple of streets away, etc.
I don't really want them to have phones as I feel they'll likely lose them or break them, especially carrying phones as they play with friends in the neighborhood.
So I'd prefer to get them a couple of smartwatches with GPS tracking that'll still allow them to talk and text, so I come here asking if any of you have done any research or have recommendations on smartwatches you may have bought for your kids.
I'm not sure I fully understand. I know generally, like my wife has a Samsung smartwatch but it's not like she can just leave her phone at home and have her smart watch work if she's not near it, but I believe there are kids' specific smartphones that don't need a phone to connect to, right?
Here's an example of one I've been looking at, Xplora (Amazon link)
For something like this, I'd just need to buy some sort of sim card and get on a monthly plan, and they'd be able to talk/text and have GPS tracking, right?
ETA: In a perfect scenario, they'd get something they can use on my wife and I's plan, but we have Google Fi, so I'm assuming we'll have to have a separate plan for them.
So my kid are finally of an age where I finally got the wife to allow them to go off and be on their own a bit more lol.
They'll start riding their bikes to school nearly a mile away and just being able to do their own thing in the neighborhood, bikings over to friends' houses a couple of streets away, etc.
I don't really want them to have phones as I feel they'll likely lose them or break them, especially carrying phones as they play with friends in the neighborhood.
So I'd prefer to get them a couple of smartwatches with GPS tracking that'll still allow them to talk and text, so I come here asking if any of you have done any research or have recommendations on smartwatches you may have bought for your kids.
I'm not sure I fully understand. I know generally, like my wife has a Samsung smartwatch but it's not like she can just leave her phone at home and have her smart watch work if she's not near it, but I believe there are kids' specific smartphones that don't need a phone to connect to, right?
Here's an example of one I've been looking at, Xplora (Amazon link)
For something like this, I'd just need to buy some sort of sim card and get on a monthly plan, and they'd be able to talk/text and have GPS tracking, right?
ETA: In a perfect scenario, they'd get something they can use on my wife and I's plan, but we have Google Fi, so I'm assuming we'll have to have a separate plan for them.
This post was edited on 7/6/21 at 9:07 am
2
Posted on 7/5/21 at 9:40 pm to shel311
Mine have iphones that we have completely dumbed down. They can basically text (messaging only, no pics or vids), talk, listen to music, and be tracked via find my phone.
Posted on 7/6/21 at 6:24 am to shel311
While not a smart phone per se, we use a Verizon Gizmo for our 10 y/o. He can call a limited # of folks (that we approve) and can send canned "text" messages to those with the app (that we approve). It has GPS tracking.
It's been a good solution (when he doesn't forget to charge it or put it on.)
It's been a good solution (when he doesn't forget to charge it or put it on.)
This post was edited on 7/6/21 at 6:29 am
Posted on 7/6/21 at 9:07 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:Thanks!
While not a smart phone per se, we use a Verizon Gizmo for our 10 y/o. He can call a limited # of folks (that we approve) and can send canned "text" messages to those with the app (that we approve). It has GPS tracking.
I just realized I botched my thread title by asking for best smart phones, when I my entire post was asking about best smart watches lol. I've edited/updated it.
Thanks for the feedback, the Gizmo is one on the list we've been looking at. With the canned text messages, do you get to set what the preset messages are?
Posted on 7/6/21 at 9:24 am to shel311
quote:
With the canned text messages, do you get to set what the preset messages are?
Yes. You can customize them. They can also leave 20 second voice responses.
They also get a whole set of emojis. We used them to communicate info that's outside of the set text messages. . For example, a message might look like "Are you a friend "A"'s house or Friend B's house? Respond
for A or 
for B" Oh, as the guardian, you are not limited to what you can send them via the App. It's like a regular text message.
This post was edited on 7/6/21 at 9:27 am
Posted on 7/6/21 at 10:56 am to Lonnie Utah
Thanks, sounds like a solid setup.
I'll add the Verizon Gizmo to the list with the Xplora one from my OP.
I'll add the Verizon Gizmo to the list with the Xplora one from my OP.
Posted on 7/8/21 at 8:37 pm to shel311
We gave our 11 year old daughter an Apple Watch SE with cellular data. She can call and text, but it’s not easy enough for her to want to sit there and do it a lot. She can still keep in touch with her pals but she doesn’t stare at it all day. It too tracks her.
Good solution for us and so far her too.
Good solution for us and so far her too.
Posted on 7/8/21 at 8:54 pm to Godzilla
quote:
We gave our 11 year old daughter an Apple Watch SE with cellular data. She can call and text, but it’s not easy enough for her to want to sit there and do it a lot. She can still keep in touch with her pals but she doesn’t stare at it all day. It too tracks her.
Same here. Ours was going to soccer practices and over to friends houses so we got her one for her 11th birthday. She’s 13 now and it has been a great decision. One thing to keep in mind is you have to have an iPhone to set it up with, or at least you used to. We had an old one we activated a line on for her and she only gets the phone at certain times but has the watch all the time.
Posted on 7/8/21 at 11:10 pm to Godzilla
We did the same thing for my 11 year old son and we have been very happy with it. We pay about $15 a month with AT&T. Another nice thing is you can restrict the numbers that he can talk and text with as well.
Posted on 7/9/21 at 9:34 am to Godzilla
quote:
We gave our 11 year old daughter an Apple Watch SE with cellular data. She can call and text, but it’s not easy enough for her to want to sit there and do it a lot. She can still keep in touch with her pals but she doesn’t stare at it all day. It too tracks her.
Good solution for us and so far her too.
A long way off from this but this seems like a really good idea.
Posted on 7/9/21 at 11:23 am to Godzilla
quote:Does this require an IPhone also to link it to?
We gave our 11 year old daughter an Apple Watch SE with cellular data
Posted on 7/9/21 at 5:14 pm to shel311
quote:
Does this require an IPhone also to link it to?
At least one family member needs to have an iPhone. Family Setup can then be used with some carriers to set up other watches not linked to that number. That’s what I can infer from the website anyway.
Posted on 7/12/21 at 11:41 am to STBTigerr
That is correct. I used my iPhone to set her up. She does not have a seperate iPhone.
We looked at Gizmo but felt like it was a little big and she wouldn’t want to wear it cause it was cool. The Apple Watch hasn’t had that problem.
We looked at Gizmo but felt like it was a little big and she wouldn’t want to wear it cause it was cool. The Apple Watch hasn’t had that problem.
Posted on 7/13/21 at 4:49 pm to Godzilla
Thanks all!
We opted for the Verizon Gizmo 2 smart watch. Like most kids these days, my boys are pretty advanced with technology and at 10 years old, I think these are probably not exactly for them, as I feel this watch is probably more so for 7 or 8 year olds, but they can still use these for a year or 2 before considering phones for them.
We opted for the Verizon Gizmo 2 smart watch. Like most kids these days, my boys are pretty advanced with technology and at 10 years old, I think these are probably not exactly for them, as I feel this watch is probably more so for 7 or 8 year olds, but they can still use these for a year or 2 before considering phones for them.
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