The best smartwatches for kids, according to parents

A smartwatch list wouldn't be complete without an Apple Watch. While it's not made specifically for kids, the Apple Watch SE is an excellent smartwatch for older kids with standout features plus parental controls. Along with enabling phone calls and text messages, the Apple Watch SE tracks your child's sleep, has state-of-the-art health trackers, features an SOS capability, and pairs with thousands of apps.

Also: Apple Watch SE vs Apple Watch Series 7: Which should you get?

Victoria Taylor, a parent, teacher, and founder of BestCaseParenting.com, told ZDNET that her kids use an Apple Watch SE and love the many features. 

"It is easy to use, with access to apps, games, and more," she said. "The Health app also makes it easy to track activity levels and sleep patterns, helping parents stay in the know about their child's health."

In addition, you can utilize Apple's Family Setup to check your kid's location, set up shared contacts, implement parental controls like screen time usage, and more. They don't even need their own iPhone to have an Apple Watch -- they can pair it up with yours, so you're fully in control. 

This smartwatch is recommended for older kids who are ten and above. Plus, verified customers like that their kids can pick their favorite band thanks to Apple's wide selection. 

Apple Watch SE features: GPS | SOS feature | Offers parental control 

One way to ease your kids into the world of smartwatches is to start with a fitness tracker, which can also get them to move more as a bonus. The Fitbit Ace 3 is a kids' smartwatch with an animated clock face and fun band colors. With up to eight days of battery life, it tracks your child's movement and sleep and reminds them when it's time for bed.

The Fitbit Ace 3 allows your kid to participate in fun fitness challenges where they can compete with friends, siblings, cousins, or even you to earn virtual badges if they win. Verified customers say this watch is perfect for kids ages six and above. 

Theresa Bertuzzi, Chief Program Development Officer and Co-founder of Tiny Hoppers, said that the Fitbit Ace 3 is the perfect smartwatch for younger kids thanks to its fun incentives to get moving. 

"The Fitbit Ace 3 even allows the parent to set up fitness challenges and keep track of their child's sleep, steps, and activity, all through Bluetooth connection to their smartphone," she said. "Therefore, if you have any concerns about how your child uses the watch, you can keep a close eye." 

Bertuzzi added that fitness tracking should be fun, and if it becomes obsessive, consider opting for a different watch. 

Fitbit Ace 3 features: 8 days of battery life | Allows kids to participate in fun fitness challenges | Tracks sleep

If your little one is obsessed with taking photos on your phone, they'll love the Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX3. This watch has dual cameras that capture pictures and videos, adding effects like stamps, frames, and filters. Kids can set their clock face to a photo they took or choose from over 50 animated ones.

This smartwatch also lets kids share preset messages with friends or siblings who also have a Vtech watch, and they can play games with them as well. 

Bertuzzi said this is the best smartwatch for kids today because of its affordability and multiplayer games. 

"I really think it has all the fun features that will make your child actually want to wear it, plus functional features like a notification system to remind them when it's time to do chores," she said. "Plus, if you are worried about your child using it at school or daycare, you can turn the watch on to 'School mode' so it only shows the time."

The parental controls allow you to give your kid daily reminders, like when it's time to do chores or when they've reached their screen time limit. This smartwatch is recommended for kids aged four years old and above.

Vtech Kidizoom DX3 features: Takes pictures | Added effects like stamps and filters | Parental controls include chore reminders and screen time limits

Kids who enjoy playing games will like this smartwatch option. The Vivofit Jr. 3 from Garmin lets your child unlock games and activities based on their daily activity time. Once they reach their goal, they can play a game from their watch.

The Vivofit Jr. 3 has great parent features, as well. Parents can schedule reminders for chores and other tasks from their phones so their kid receives them on the watch, letting them know that playtime is over and it's time to clean up. 

Mark Joseph, a father of three and founder of Parentalqueries.com, told ZDNET this is his preferred smartwatch for his kids based on the combination of features for the price. "The watch comes with a one-year subscription to its app, allowing me to set daily goals and rewards for my kids when they accomplish them," he said. 

Reddit users also praised the parental controls on the Vivofit Jr. 3, saying they can easily track who their kids are talking to online and block any contacts they deem unsuitable. This smartwatch is best for kids ages 4-7 years old.

Garmin Vivofit Jr. 3 features: Unlock games based on daily activity time | Parents can schedule chore reminders | Set playtime limits

If you're not quite ready to get your kids a smartphone but still want to stay in touch during the day, the TickTalk 4 allows phone and video calls and text messaging. 

The smartwatch has two 5MP cameras for taking pictures and video calling to talk to your child face-to-face. Other great features verified customers noted they liked include GPS tracking, activity tracking, and unlimited access to kid-friendly songs and podcasts via iHeartRadio. 

Bertuzzi said this watch is a great option for those willing to shell out a few extra bucks. "It has many similar features [to the Vtech Kidizoom DX3], plus voice calling and text capabilities when connected to Wi-Fi or Cellular, which can be super helpful for parents who need to contact their children after school." 

The TickTalk4 is best suited for kids ages 5-12 years old. 

TickTalk 4 features: 20+ parental controls | AT&T network compatible | Free unlimited streaming music

The Garmin Bounce includes communication features, health and sleep monitoring, games, and more, along with real-time location tracking. Regarding tracking, parents can use location tracking on the Bounce to view their child's current whereabouts in the Garmin app and receive notifications when they leave pre-approved areas.

Mo Mulla, a father and founder of Parental Questions, especially likes the Garmin Bounce's sleep-tracking ability for his restless sleepers. "It has a built-in sensor that measures and records their heart rate, skin temperature, and other metrics which can be used to give insights about their sleep patterns," he said. "The watch also includes alarms for when it's time to go to bed or wake up and alerting parents when their children are not getting enough rest."

In addition, LTE connectivity (which you can purchase from Garmin for $10 per month) lets you have two-way texting and voice messaging with your kid for up to 20 parent-approved contacts. 

Other health metrics include steps and active minutes to monitor your growing child's health. Plus, parents who purchased this Garmin watch liked the activity-related games within the watch so kids could unlock rewards for meeting their activity goals or completing chores.

Garmin Bounce features: Two-day battery life | Real-time tracking | $10 per month