When and how to introduce your child to technology might be a hard decision to make. Perhaps, you might want to check out smartwatches for kids and consider them as an alternative before giving your little one a mobile phone. Smartwatches for kids are packed with lots of functions and features that will help you guide your child wherever they are.
They provide parental controls that will give you peace of mind as they can help you keep an eye on your little one. Considering that parents are often busy, we're here to make everything easier and faster for you, so we've made a buying guide, fact-checked by Dr. Joey Cuayo-Estanislao, and a list of our top 10 recommended products that you can buy online.
Dr. Joanna Pamela Cuayo-Estanislao is a pediatrician and child health specialist based in Metro Manila. Doc Joey is passionate about health education and empowering families to become informed advocates of their children's health and wellness. She uses social media to educate and raise awareness about important issues and topics in the field of pediatrics and child care.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
The products and services listed are ranked independently by the editorial team based on the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide (as of 01-16-2023).
Giving your kids a smartwatch will boost their confidence and help them build the courage to explore and move around freely. It will make them feel that you trust them in taking care of themselves. Plus, it will teach your kids to be responsible for their daily routine, which in turn, will help increase their productivity.
The main advantage of a smartwatch for kids compared to ones that are for adults is that the former is specifically designed for children. They might not enjoy and benefit from the functions that a smartwatch for adults have.
Also, your child will find it more convenient and easy-to-use if their smartwatch has a kid-friendly interface and system. Plus, they will surely benefit from all of its features as it will fit their needs.
Here are some key points to consider:
Aside from the necessary functions to monitor your little one, make sure that the smartwatch has other applications which will grab their interest from the get-go. Below are some of the functions that your child's smartwatch should have.
The most important function of a kid's smartwatch is the GPS or Global Positioning System. It uses an LTE or Wi-Fi connection to track your child's current location. GPS is used for the Geo-fence or Safety Zone function to set a boundary of an area.
When it detects that your child has passed the boundary, the smartwatch will send out a signal and notify you on your smartphone. It is also good for tracking the history of your kid's destinations for the whole day, and it helps you find them easily in case they get lost.
Your kid's smartwatch should have two-way communication tools so that you can always stay connected with them. Some smartwatches feature voice messages which are best for pre-schoolers. For your child's safety, other models automatically block calls and messages from suspicious contacts.
The SOS Mode function is very reliable when it comes to emergencies. Pressing it for 3 to 5 seconds will automatically call the first person in the contact list.
If the first person is not picking up, it will keep on contacting every person on the list until someone does. In case everybody missed the call, it will send a text message including all the details you'll need to get to your child faster.
To encourage your child to keep using their smartwatch, it should include additional applications to grab their interest. Some smartwatches feature 3 to 5 mini-games that could help stimulate their auditory and visual skills. Also, some smartwatches come with an MP3 player so that they can listen to their favorite tracks.
Also, look for one that is compatible with your current smartphone system since you have to download the smartwatch's application for it to synchronize all the information from your kid's smartwatch.
For example, if the smartwatch is only compatible with the Android system while your device operates on an iOS system, you wouldn't be able to synchronize your child's data and information. This is important to consider as the application is a huge help in keeping an eye on your kid remotely.
Another thing to consider is the smartwatch's design. Each smartwatch in the market comes with various features, functions, and product designs that are perfect for your child's specific age. For example, what's suitable for a three-year-old might not be suitable for an eight-year-old child.
For children aged three to seven years old, they might love a cute smartwatch with a colorful or cartoon character design. They don't necessarily need one with lots of functions as they might find a techy smartwatch hard to use. For this age range, monitoring functions are the most important, as well as some mini-games to keep them entertained.
On the other hand, eight to twelve-year-olds tend to like cool smartwatches with simple designs. Ones with an intercom function and social media platforms are perfect for them to keep in touch with their friends. Still, monitoring functions are a must-have, so you can keep an eye on them even if they're starting to learn how to be independent.
Kids are playful and adventurous, so they'll need a durable smartwatch which they can use for a long time. A smartwatch with a dustproof feature is recommended for kids who often play outdoors. Additionally, a smartwatch with a screen protector and a shockproof feature is ideal for active kids who play sports.
Lastly, if your little one loves playing in the rain, a smartwatch with waterproof and splashproof features are a must-have. This feature is also advantageous for children since they may forget to remove their smartwatch when they wash their hands.
Another thing to consider when it comes to durability is the band of the smartwatch. The most common band type for a kids' smartwatch is silicone rubber because it does not wear out easily, and its water repellent features make it easy to clean. Also, it's recommended for children because it is soft and smooth to wear.
As smartwatches for kids come with lots of functions, look for one with a large battery capacity. That's because the more functions it has, the more energy it consumes. Usually, smartwatches with 280 to 400 mAh battery capacity tend to last for 1 to 2 days, especially if they don't have a lot of applications.
Meanwhile, smartwatches with 480 to 720 mAh battery capacity allow your child to use them for up to 2 to 4 days. This is recommended so that they'll optimize the usage of the functions.
From ₱3,010
Let your child be physically active with this smartwatch. It is scratch-resistant, waterproof, and dustproof, which makes it durable for daily use. Its sweat-proof feature allows your kid to use it comfortably even when they play outside all day.
Also, the explosion-proof and drop-resistant features are what makes it tough, even for the most active kids. It has a large full touch screen for your little one to navigate easily. The educational applications will help your little one develop their visual skills, math skills, and more.
Another fun thing about this product is its love reward feature that allows you to send them hearts as a reward whenever they do a good job. Aside from these great features, it also has parental control functions and two-way communication tools to help you monitor your child.
From ₱2,459
With this smartwatch's fun and cool design, your child will surely want to keep this on their wrist. Its body can be flipped and rotated 360 degrees and has front and rear cameras. Kids can also take pictures in a fun way using its voice photography feature, which automatically captures by saying "take photo."
Your kids can customize it by changing its display theme and wallpaper. Besides its fun features, it is also built with parental controls such as the Geofence function so that you'll be notified about your kid's location. Plus, it has a reliable SOS function whenever your kids need it.
From ₱1,339
One of the reasons why you need to limit your kids' use of tablets and smartphones is to protect them from exposure to too much radiation. Smartwatches are the alternatives to those technologies so, you also have to give them one with an eye protection feature, which this product has.
Its ultra-low radiation allows your kid to use it while keeping their precious eyes protected. Aside from this feature, it has two-way communication, SOS, and accurate positioning functions. However, this is best suited for children ages three to seven years old as they do not include features that older kids might look for.
From ₱2,990
Some older kids are more interested in things that involve communication with their friends. For a kind of smartwatch that includes intercom features, this product from Imoo is perfect for them. This smartwatch allows your kid to automatically add friends to their contact list by slightly bumping it to their friends' smartwatch.
It refuses calls from suspicious contacts and blocks foreign messages for your kids' safety. It also uses 4-type security protection to keep your kids' data safe as well. Accurately track your kid's path and destinations using one of its five accurate locating features including GPS, Wi-Fi, and base station.
Even when it's packed with lots of functions, it uses less energy which allows them to use it for a long time. It is built with chip power management charging protection that prevents the smartwatch and the power outlet from blowing up while charging. Also, its waterproof feature is noteworthy, especially if your little one washes their hands often.
From ₱773.9
To live a healthy lifestyle, you need to teach your child that exercise is important. In case you need help doing this, Aolon's smartwatch for kids is here for you! Its smart meter step function counts every step they make, which is helpful when they do sports and other physical activities.
It is paired with a smart optical sensor that allows them to track their heart rate accurately. It also has a sedentary reminder function to remind them that it's time to do their physical fitness routine.
The sleep monitoring function allows them to record their sleeping patterns and improve them with this feature's help and suggestions. Another feature that makes it perfect for older kids is that it supports social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
From ₱479
This smartwatch for kids from ESeed is a great deal as it comes with full parental control functions to monitor your kids within a very affordable budget. Its base station positioning function allows you to track, monitor, and determine exactly how far away they are from home.
Its application helps you to keep an eye on your kids remotely as it updates you about their location and activities from time to time. It includes an SOS alarm and two-way communication tools, so this smartwatch will indeed give you peace of mind.
It also comes with an HD camera that your kids can use whenever you want to see how they're doing. Also, it comes with a fashion design wristbands made with natural materials, so it's very safe to use. Another good feature of this is that it has its own customer service platform to guide you and your kids in using it.
From ₱529
If you're looking for a smartwatch that is perfect for emergencies, this smartwatch might be the one you're looking for. Its SOS mode is combined with a location tracker that helps you get to your kids faster the moment they call for your help.
Its two-way calls and messages platforms come with a simple design, so your kids can use them faster with ease. To keep your kids safe from strangers, you can set this to receive calls and messages only from those in the contact list.
Its standby mode helps prolong its battery life for your kids to use it for a long time. Also, it comes with a comfortable silicone strap. What's great about this product is that it is not too techy so it is also suitable to use for younger kids.
From ₱666
Need a smartwatch to introduce to your little one? Then this smartwatch is recommended for you! It has a user-friendly interface to help them figure out how to use it easily. The big touch screen allows them to glide their fingers and navigate the smartwatch with ease.
This smartwatch includes basic functions such as SOS, call, message, time and date, and alarm clock function. Also, the educational and fun mini-games will surely catch your child's attention.
Another feature of this product is its call firewall that blocks other incoming contacts for your kids' safety. However, take note that this only supports a 2G network connection, so make sure that it will always have mobile data to use its intercom functions.
From ₱543
When your kid goes out with their friends, you may want to check on them every once in a while. Thanks to this smartwatch mainly designed for positioning purposes, you can now have peace of mind by letting it do the job for you. You can follow your child's footprints while you're doing work or chores using its satellite positioning feature.
If you don't want your child to go to a certain place, you can use its electric fence function that allows you to set boundaries in certain areas. If they passed through these boundaries, the smartwatch will vibrate to remind them that they're going too far. It also has a two-way communication and a sports mode function for active kids.
From ₱395
If you're looking for a basic smartwatch for kids that will help keep your kids safe, this one is for you! It might not have many functions, but it has all the necessary ones that you'll ever need to track your kids' location and activity throughout the whole day using its real-time positioning and route record query.
The amazing feature of this smartwatch is its 3D map display for easy locating. Also, its camera is rotatable so that your kids can take pictures with ease. Also, the two-way communication functions plus the energy-saving flashlight are helpful in case of emergencies.
A smartwatch can be a helpful tool in helping keep your child safe. However, like with any gadget that connects to the internet, do ensure that the smartwatch has security features that enable you to safeguard it from would-be hackers. Remember that if you are able to track your child through the device, anyone who can figure out how to access the smartwatch can also track your child.
The never-ending growth of technology brings about more innovative systems. In particular, smart technology has a lot of benefits and makes our daily lives easier. So, if you want to try out more of them, check out our other articles below!
Author: Erika Nollora Ceguerra
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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