Best Picks: Best GPS Watch for Kids
Smart watches or smart watches have become popular in recent years. It is not only a nice accessory, but also a product that makes our daily life considerably easier. There is a plethora of different models and colors. Many of the watches have similar characteristics and capabilities. Here we list some of the most popular GPS watches on the market.
Recently, the Cmee Play Pro G5 was introduced, an advanced version of the popular GPS watch for children, which was launched in the fourth quarter of 2023. This model continues to include key features like previous models, such as mobile phone capability, 4G coverage, a parental app, and GPS positioning. However, the Cmee Play Pro G5 has been expanded with several new features.
A novelty is the integration with the Safekid app, previously used in other GPS watches such as Safekid Nova and Safekid Rocket 4G. This app, which is now compatible with the Cmee Play Pro G5, is free to use. However, users still need a SIM card, and here one is free to choose the operator.
Among the new features are an upgraded chat feature that now supports posted images, and the ability to send messages through the app. Another demanded novelty is the possibility of receiving and sending SMS directly from the watch, with support for emojis.
The watch also includes a scheduling feature. Here, parents can put in the child's activities or homework, so that the child can follow his schedule right from the clock. Users can also set different types of alarms, with a choice between sound signal or vibration.
The camera in the Cmee Play Pro G5 is multifunctional, useful for taking pictures, recording videos or making video calls. Parents can even use the app to ring up the bell and see through its camera, which can be useful in emergencies.
The watch also has a school mode, which minimizes distractions during school hours by activating a Do Not Disturb mode. In addition, there is an SOS button where you can program up to three numbers for emergencies.
For personalization, the watch offers several background designs and layouts for the watch face and apps. Users can choose between analog and digital dial and customize the apps' presentation in the settings.
In addition to these features, there are also handy tools such as calculator, Google Translate, voice memo, stopwatch and calendar. A special function for draining water from the watch will help protect against water damage.
Safekid has released a new GPS watch for children, Zenit, in 2024. Safekid has been operating since 2017 and has since sold GPS watches for children. The company has continuously improved its products to meet the needs and safety requirements of parents, which has led to a strong position in the child safety products market.
What sets Zenit apart from other Safekid children's GPS watches is, above all, the improved screen. The screen is sharper and brighter than previous models thanks to OLED technology. In addition, Zenit has a better battery than its predecessors, the Rocket V2 and Safekid Nova V2. The battery capacity is now 900 mAh instead of 680 mAh that the other two models have.
Safekid has also chosen to remove the eavesdropping feature for this version. Unlike the Rocket V2 and Nova V2, Zenit also does not have an SMS function. Communication instead takes place via the SafeKid app through the chat feature, where you can record voice messages, make video calls, send pictures or emojis. It is not possible to write messages via the watch, but this can only be done through the app.
Zenit even has WhatsApp as a communication option, where you can chat using text messages. This is convenient for parents who usually use WhatsApp as a mode of communication and for children who want to be able to write messages. The WhatsApp chat feature is limited to your child only being able to communicate with people who are in the phone book, which you control via the app. To create a Whatsapp account you need to be 13 years old according to their terms of service.
As a parent, you can monitor and control much of the watch's usage through the app. You can set when to turn off the watch and when to start it up, add numbers to the contact list, and block unwanted numbers. If you wish, you can also read the SMS of the watch.
To use the watch, a SIM card is needed. Safekid offers its own subscription, Safekid Verbal, which is adapted for these watches, but you can use other providers if you wish. Data demand is low, usually between 0.5 and 1 GB per month.
The Zenit GPS watch comes with two bracelets and bezels in different colors: one black and one pink. Also included is a magnetic charging cord, but you will need a USB charger/adapter with a maximum power of 5 watts and 1 ampere.
This GPS watch is the latest of the premium models for Xplora. The predecessor was the Xplora X5. A very good update in our opinion is that the battery life has improved slightly. The Xplora X5 Play had an 800 mAh battery and the Xplora X6Play has an 880mAh battery. This watch has the best battery in the whole test which is a big plus and makes it easier since you don't have to charge it as often. Of course, it can vary depending on how much you use the camera, as it uses a lot of battery.
One major upgrade that has been made is the camera. The X6 Play has a full 5 megapixel, which is a big upgrade when its predecessor had 2 megapixels.
The Xplora X6 has improved GPS positioning accuracy since before. However, it still distinguishes several meters in distance, so you do not get a precise positioning on the exact meter but the position has been optimized more than the previous model. As before, you can also open a directions to Apple map or Google maps if desired.
The look of the watch is basically completely black, but there are additional straps to wear around the dial of the watch as well as loops in pink and green if you want a more colorful design.
Xplora go3 is the latest model from Xplora of the base models.
It is very similar to its predecessor but has been slightly upgraded. Water resistance is better than Xplora go2. The camera has been radically improved as well as battery life. The Xplora go3 has an 850mAh battery and is one of the largest batteries in the test. The quality of the watch has improved since its predecessor, on the other hand, feels Xplora X6 Play Something more luxurious. But it also differs a lot in price. The watch is still quite large but weighs very little and is not heavy to carry.
The Xplora Go3 has different colors and you can also buy and wear several bracelets. The watch has a pre-installed screen protector to protect against the worst bangs. There is a screen as an accessory that you can buy for if needed. This is a very good watch for the money and a good start before buying a mobile for your child.
The Apple Watch SE is not a GPS watch for kids in the first place. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly the best smartwatch on the market with an incredible number of features.
What many do not know is that the Apple Watch SE has a feature that makes the watch a little more attractive for use by children. Usually you have to have an iPhone to use an Apple Watch, but with Family Settings you can pair your child's smartwatch with your own iPhone and so you don't have to buy one for your child. The child gets their own phone number and you can easily administer the watch from your iPhone.
Your child can then use all the features that come with Apple Watch SE, such as calling, messaging, streaming music, and downloading apps. As a parent, you can then schedule school hours for your child. In this way, the clock becomes limited in the time that the child needs to concentrate at school.
Another adaptation that Apple has made is that the activity rings do not tell you how many calories the child has burned, but how many minutes they have moved.
With Apple's handy Find app, you can easily keep track of your child's whereabouts and get notifications about where your child is arriving or leaving a specific location, such as home.
The Safekid Rocket 4G is a stylish and pretty watch with simple and good features that cover most things. The watch menu is easy to navigate between, you can also change the background to different preset themes. The watch can receive SMS with Swedish letters å, ä and ö, unfortunately these are not yet available when texting. There is an update coming.
The watch has school mode, which allows you to set it so that the watch can only be used as a clock during school hours.
Thanks to the GPS function of the watch, you can easily keep track of where your child is. You can also activate Safe Zones so you know when children arrive or leave safe zones. An SOS button is also available so that the child can easily alert if they feel unsafe or something has happened. You can limit who the child can communicate with via the watch. So you can set up so that only the contacts that are in the watch can be communicated with.
In the watch app you can also download Calendar, Google Translate and Calculator to expand the watch's functions.
Garmin is taking a bigger step into the market with its smartwatch/gps watch for kids that focuses on healthy habits. The watch has many of the features you would expect from a GPS watch today. Chat, voice messages, see where your child is on a map, water resistant, assistance features, LTE (4G) and inchime reminders. Some other nice features that this smartwatch has is that there are games and quizzes that the child can unlock by being active. As a parent, you can give tasks and distribute rewards in the form of a virtual monetary value that can then be used to play a game e.g. The watch can store up to 20 contacts and a subscription costs SEK 120 a month.
What is a GPS watch for kids?
In short, it is a GPS watch with a built-in mobile phone that has a GPS positioning function. It is a watch that allows parents with younger children to be able to easily stay in touch with them, when they are not together. GPS watches also have functions that allow the parent to see where the child is. There are also advanced features that allow you to set up so-called safe zones also known as geofencing. This means, for example, that you can mark your home as a safe zone.
Variety of functions
The watches also have various SMS functions that enable communication in writing form. In addition to communication and GPS, they include various functions such as pedometer, camera, calculator and activity apps. The range in the watches varies depending on the model and brand.
Variety of designs
The watches are available in different designs and sizes. The characteristics differ slightly between the models and it is important to consider what is important to you. Prices vary but are somewhere between 1000 kr to over 2000 kr in this test.
For children between 3-10
The watches are designed and designed to be worn for children between 3-10 years old. However, there are no exact guidelines as to what age the child should be. If the child is younger, then there is no need for as many functions and the smaller the size the watch should have, so that it is comfortable to wear for the child. GPS watches with more functions and with slightly larger screens are better suited for older school-age children between 7-10 years old, before they get their first mobile phone.
