Whether it is going to school or a friend’s house, your kid will have to leave the house from time to time. No matter how protective you are, you’ll have to eventually allow them to explore the world for themselves. However, even the thought of a kid getting lost can terrify any parent. For this reason, many parents invest in a GPS watch for kids. These watches are compact and help parents have peace of mind with real-time location data for their children. Moreover, these devices are fairly easy to set up. So, if you’re a parent and your kid is going to school soon, consider getting them a GPS watch. Hopefully, you’ll be able to avoid a disaster before it presents itself.
Is GPS watch good for kids?
Generally, a GPS watch for kids can be a great tool to help you keep track of your child. Not only will you get real-time updates from these devices, but you’ll also be more willing to let your child go out for the day. Still, I’ve seen a few parents claim that these watches are too expensive or they don’t last as long. Personally, I don’t think that you should be thinking about budget too much when it comes to your child’s safety. As long as you’re confident a purchase will keep your family safe, it is worth it to spend a couple of extra bucks. However, if you still can’t decide if you want to buy a GPS watch for your child, just go through the following list of cons and pros.
Cons of kids GPS watch
- Somewhat expensive.
- Hard to find a watch that will last a couple of years.
- The features are often limited.
- Kids can easily break these watches.
- Possible privacy and security problems in cheaper GPS watches.
Pros of kids GPS watch
- Offers features like emergency alerts and quick contact with guardians.
- Lets kids feel more independent as they don’t have to report their every move.
- Gives you peace of mind about your child’s whereabouts.
- Kids can’t use these watches to distract themselves from their schoolwork.
- The location tracking accuracy from GPS watches is pretty decent.
Best GPS watch for kids in 2024
Finding the best GPS watch for kids can take a hot minute, especially if you don’t know what you’re aiming for. Most of the time, it is a good idea to start with a budget and then look at the reviews held by each option you shortlist. From there, you can decide which GPS watch best suits your child’s needs. Here are some options I’ve found to be pretty useful for kids in 20204.
1. Angel Sense
Angel Sense is the best tracking watch for kids in 2024 because of its assistive technology. Not only does it offer exceptional real-time location tracking, but you’ll also get access to a ton of additional features for special kids and elderly. Moreover, the emergency alerts on Angel Sense far surpass any other option on the market. So, if you need a permanent tracking solution for kids in 2024, Angel Sense would be a good point to start.
- Monthly Cost: $49.99/mo on the yearly plan with SIM card included.
- Connectivity: Unlimited live tracking with SIM card.
- GPS Tracking: Complete location tracking history and real-time data.
- Battery Life: 16-24 hours.
Features
- SOS call button.
- Auto answer calls.
- Assistive speakerphone.
- Proactive alerts
- One-way audio access.
2. Gizmo Watch
The Gizmo watch might not be the most high-tech option on the market, but its battery life and accurate tracking still make this option worth it for your kid. Your child will not be able to access the internet with this smartwatch, and it is purely used for parental control. Moreover, the design is pretty decent, and your child will not be hassled a bit when you ask them to put on this watch daily.
- Monthly Cost: $4.16/mo on the 3-year plan (149 total).
- Connectivity: Verizon services.
- GPS Tracking: Real-time data and location history.
- Battery Life: 3-4 days.
Features
- Video calls.
- Fitness tracker and relevant assistive features.
- Contact approval by guardians.
- Quick updates through the Gizmo phone app.
- Geofencing alerts.
3. SpaceTalk Watch
The SpaceTalk watch is a feature-rich GPS tracking option for your child. It offers quirky features like funny sounds and an uplifting UI for your kids. Moreover, the camera quality is perfect for video calls. Consider the SpaceTalk watch as a blend between Gizmo and Angel Sense. It offers the battery life of the Gizmo watch while still maintaining the features you’ll get from the Angel Sense option.
- Monthly Cost: $5.99/mo on the yearly plan.
- Connectivity: Supported 4G SIM with a minimum of 1GB of data each month.
- GPS Tracking: Real-time access to GPS data and route history.
- Battery Life: 24-40 hours.
Features
- Quirky sounds.
- Wellness tracking.
- No access to social media or online content.
- SOS button.
- Contact approval by guardians.
4. TickTalk
If you don’t want your child to get distracted by their watch and need a durable option, then TickTalk is the only real solution. This watch offers a robust design that your kid won’t be able to damage even if they wish to do so. Moreover, it offers over 100 hours on standby mode. It is engineered to be a rugged watch, and no matter how rough your child can get, TickTalk will handle it.
- Monthly Cost: $9.99 per month.
- Connectivity: AT&T or T Mobile’s network.
- GPS Tracking: Real-time data and location history.
- Battery Life: 60-100 hours.
Features
- Kid-friendly music and podcasts.
- DND mode.
- SOS and 911 calls.
- Detailed route history.
- Quick block option.
5. Comso Jr Watch
Unlike the rugged design of TickTalk, Cosmo Jr watches have a much sleeker presentation. However, that doesn’t mean that these watches are fragile. You’ll still get a water-resistant setup with a durable strap and touch screen. Moreover, kids can set up their own goals and track activities through this application. So, if your child knows how to take care of tech and wants a decent-looking watch, Cosmo Jr is the best pick.
- Monthly Cost: $4.16/mo on the 3-year plan (149 total).
- Connectivity: Unlimited live tracking with SIM card.
- GPS Tracking: Real-time data and location history.
- Battery Life: 3-4 days.
Features
- Video calls.
- Fitness tracker and relevant assistive features.
- Contact approval by guardians.
- Quick updates through the Gizmo phone app.
- Geofencing alerts.
Factors to consider when buying a GPS watch for Kids
If you’re still not sure which watch to get for your child, then you should first shortlist the essential features. There is no need to rush your decision, and it should be best to talk to other parents to find the best kid’s GPS watch. Otherwise, you’ll just end up wasting your money on a device that doesn’t fit your family’s needs. Here is what I’ll recommend you should consider when buying such tracking devices for your child.
- Durability: The watch should be water resistant, and the strap should be strong enough to handle rough usage. Kids aren’t that careful about their devices, and a GPS watch should handle some beating from the kids.
- Parental controls: The watch should only allow contacts after approval from the guardians. Moreover, the application paired with the watch should offer complete details on the child’s activities and route history.
- Location accuracy: There is no point in buying a watch that doesn’t offer an accurate location of up to 100 feet. Moreover, you should also consider the consistency of alerts when your child leaves any geofenced region.
- Battery life: The watch should be able to go for at least a day when it is fully charged. Any watch that doesn’t offer 24 hours of up-time can be really annoying for parents to manage.
Other than that, you should also ensure that the GPS watch itself isn’t too distracting for your child. If you just get your kid a smartwatch, they will end up spending all their time exploring its features. Moreover, you can’t access any parental controls to limit your child’s time on such watches. So, consider sticking with a GPS watch only when you wish to keep your child disciplined and focused on their studies.
[Bouns] How to use a smartphone for a child safely?
Even if you don’t get your kid a dedicated GPS watch, chances are that they already have a smartphone. Luckily, you can turn this smartphone into a tracker by using some parental control tools like FlashGet Kids. This application can be installed on your child’s phone within minutes to turn it into a remote tracker. You’ll be able to easily access all of your child’s activities and monitor their live location through this application. Moreover, it only costs $8.99 per month. So, consider using this application if you’re not planning to spend any money on a GPS watch. Here are the features you’ll get from FlashGet Kids.
- It offers live monitoring features to record your child’s mobile screen and take snapshots of their current activities.
- You can use the app blocker features to limit how much time your child can spend on an app.
- The screen time limits and weekly schedule from FlashGet Kids will help you keep your child away from cell phone addiction.
- The real-time location tracking and location history features will keep you at ease when your child is not at home.
- You can keep an eye on your child’s social activities with notification tracking and alerts.
These are just some of the features you can expect from FlashGet Kids. This app is a complete parental control solution that will far surpass any spy tool that you’ll find on the market. So, consider giving it a try, and I can almost guarantee that you won’t have to find any other tool for your child’s safety.
Conclusion
Every parent wants to keep their kids safe with a best kids GPS watch, but they can be quite expensive. I won’t deny that some of these watches are worth the investment. However, if your child already has a smartphone, you can use that as a remote tracker. That way, you will not have to spend a single penny on the hardware. Moreover, your child already knows how to take care of their smartphone, and they won’t have to go through any extra hassle. Hopefully, you won’t have to ever worry about losing contact with your child after setting up this application on their phone.