Pondering the idea of gifting your offspring their inaugural mobile device? You might want to think about a child-friendly smartwatch as a more suitable and secure alternative to a regular phone. A lot of guardians desire their children to own a phone for easy communication and tracking purposes. However, adult-oriented smartphones aren’t always the best option. Internet connectivity, unrestricted calls and messages, and various other features may not be safe for youngsters, and there are other methods to maintain contact with your child. For instance, smartwatches for youngsters have gained popularity in recent times. Here’s everything you need to understand why delaying the purchase of an iPhone in preference of a child’s smartwatch can be a wise decision.
Why Are Smartphones Not Suitable For Children?
This is a valid question to ponder. As a caretaker, you might know other guardians whose children, who are still in elementary school, possess smartphones. They could have expressed their relief at being able to reach their child whenever required, or that a location tracking app on the phone provides them with a sense of security. These are common reasons why children often own smartphones. In fact, a 2019 study revealed that over half of the children have a smartphone by the time they are 11. Unfortunately, there are several reasons why this trend isn’t optimal.
Firstly, smartphones are primarily designed for adult usage. They come equipped with internet connectivity, social media applications, and the capability to receive calls and messages from anyone—like those fraudsters who ring you up insisting you need to pay the IRS, or random individuals who send inappropriate images. Do you really want your children interacting with such individuals? Or stumbling upon social media before they’re mature enough to handle potential risks?
Secondly, smartphones aren’t the only means to stay connected with or locate your child—the two primary reasons guardians provide for purchasing their children a smartphone. The appropriate children’s smartwatch allows you to call your child—but only you and other individuals you authorize can call them. Internet connectivity and social media applications should be entirely blocked, and the integrated GPS tracker should allow live monitoring of your child’s whereabouts. Most crucially, these devices are specifically designed to provide children with more independence while safeguarding them and offering you peace of mind.
Due to these reasons, an increasing number of parents are seeking high-quality alternatives to smartphones. They desire the finest child GPS tracker, not merely the latest offering from Apple. They want devices designed for children, not adult technology repackaged for kids. When it comes to children’s smartwatches, the benefits are hard to overlook.
Refer to our children’s smartwatch buying guide if you’re contemplating acquiring one for your offspring.
A Children’s Smartwatch Is User-friendly For Kids
The demand for children’s smartwatches is burgeoning, pushing smartwatch manufacturers to focus on designs that cater to the needs of both children and parents. Most come with basic functions that even five-year-olds can operate with ease.
On the other hand, smartphones are designed keeping adults in mind, making it challenging to find age-appropriate mobile devices for your youngsters.
Since they block sites not suitable for their age, like social media, and are specifically designed for children, children’s smartwatches are straightforward and simple for children to operate. The ideal model should have a large, easy-to-clean display, with uncomplicated icons that a child can easily use. It should come in vibrant colors that children would love to wear and should be highly durable.
The watch design is also perfect for kids as it greatly reduces the chance of the child misplacing their device. Plus, children’s smartwatches are far more cost-effective than smartphones, so if your child’s device does get lost, stolen, or damaged, the replacement cost won’t be as steep.
Children’s Smartwatches Come With GPS Trackers
Most parents are concerned about their children when they’re out of their sight. However, with a smartwatch tracking their movements, you can check on them at any time. The best children’s smartwatches have a GPS tracker that operates globally and sends regular location updates to the parent’s phone. Additionally, some smartwatches have an SOS calling feature that allows kids to send an alert to approved contacts in an emergency.
Although most children’s smartwatches are designed to provide specific details about a child’s location, not all relay this information in real-time. For parents who prefer constant updates on their children’s location, purchasing a smartwatch with such capabilities is logical.
The watches can be programmed to provide relevant information at customized times for the benefit of parents. To obtain the same information from a smartphone, you would need to download a third-party app that requires an additional subscription to access all its functions.
Smartphones usually have GPS tracking, but this function is easy to turn off. Additionally, it doesn’t work if the battery runs out (and kids don’t always remember to charge their devices).
With a children’s smartwatch, location data is integrated into the app and included with your existing children’s smartwatch data plan. Plus, compared toa smartphone, smartwatches often have longer battery life, ensuring that the GPS tracking and other necessary features remain active for longer periods.
Controlled Connectivity
A children’s smartwatch is designed to connect kids only with a pre-approved list of contacts. Parents can manage the contact list and limit who can call or message the child. This feature is crucial in ensuring that your kid doesn’t receive calls or messages from unknown numbers or potential fraudsters.
On the other hand, smartphones allow calls and messages from anyone, which can expose your child to unwelcome contacts or inappropriate content.
Physical activity and Health Monitoring
Many children’s smartwatches include fitness tracking features, similar to those found in adult models. They can track steps, distance, and sometimes even heart rate. They often include reminders to get up and move if they’ve been sitting too long, and some even have sleep tracking capabilities.
These features can help encourage kids to be more active and develop good habits at a young age. Also, it can be a fun way for kids and parents to challenge each other and stay motivated to be active.
In contrast, while smartphones do have some of these features, they are not usually as accessible or kid-friendly.
Limit Screen Time
Excessive screen time can negatively impact a child’s eyesight, sleep, and overall well-being. A smartwatch, which has a smaller screen and limited functions compared to a smartphone, can help to reduce screen time. It enables essential communication and safety features without the distractions of games, social media, or unlimited internet access.
Smartphones, however, are designed with numerous applications and features that can lead to excessive screen time, which is not ideal for young children.
Concluding Thoughts
While a smartphone might seem like the obvious choice for keeping in touch with your child, a children’s smartwatch can be a safer and more appropriate alternative. This device provides necessary communication functions, tracking capabilities, and added features that promote physical activity—all while limiting exposure to potentially harmful content and reducing screen time.
Remember, every child is different, and what works for one family may not work for another. Consider your child’s maturity level, needs, and your family’s lifestyle when deciding between a smartphone or a smartwatch. Always prioritize the safety and well-being of your child when making this decision.
