What Features Do Parents Look For In A Smartwatch (According to Their Children’s Age)

Most kids are now equipped with their own wearable tech in the form of a smartwatch, but how are parents choosing which one to get for their kids?

Parenting in the digital age can be an overwhelming feat, especially for first-time parents who are most likely from Gen X. Though a lot of these concerns are nothing new, times are different now which is why it’s understandable how today’s parents are more worried for their kids compared to how parents were back in the day.

A good example of this is knowing where their kids are at all times. Back then, when today’s parents were kids/teens themselves, all they had to do was tell their parents where they were going and then mom or dad would tell them what time they need to be home and that’s it. Parents back then know that if their kid lost their way, a kindly neighbor or someone else would help their kid get back to their home safely.

These days, with all the news of kidnappings and abductions going around, not knowing where your kid is can send you into a spiral. Thankfully, there are plenty of devices that can help ease parents’ worries and fears and one of the most popular ones is kids’ smartwatches.

Why Parents Love Kids’ Smart watches

Every year, the demand from parents for kids' smartwatches increases. As of 2018, the kids’ smartwatch market is valued at $364.3 Million. This figure is forecasted to reach $873.5 Million by the end of the year 2025 with a healthy compound annual growth rate of 13.9% from the year 2019 to the year 2025. If you’re planning on taking part in this growth, the best time to dive into the kids’ smartwatch industry is now.

But, why are parents getting their kids smartwatches? Is it just another fashion accessory for to make their kids look stylish? The answer is a big, resounding no. Smartwatches are more than just accessories worn for aesthetic purposes. They serve a much bigger purpose and that’s why parents love them.

1. Easy to use - just like a regular watch, all parents have to do is fasten the watch on their kids’ wrists and they’ll be able to enjoy the benefits that their kids’ smartwatch offers. Most kids' smartwatches have a touch screen display and a pretty basic user interface that anyone can easily navigate through as well so both parent and child can easily use all the features of the watch.
2. Convenient - kids are not the most responsible human beings on this planet. They tend to lose stuff all the time which is why giving them a cellphone is not advisable unless totally necessary. A smartwatch, on the other hand, sits on the wrist and won’t go missing unless the wearer takes it off and forgets about it. All features are also easily and readily available with a few taps so communicating via SMS or call can be done almost instantly.
3. Discreet - a lot of schools frown upon kids bringing their phones to school these days because it can be distracting and it could hinder the child from focusing and learning. A smartwatch, on the other hand, is small and discreet. There aren’t too many unnecessary features on it so kids won’t be tempted to play with them.

Useful Smartwatch Features According to Age

The target market for kids' smartwatches is pretty broad. Kids as young as 2 are already starting to wear their own smartwatch and parents are always on the lookout for the best and most age-appropriate one for their kids.

Speaking of age appropriateness, we all know that kids' smartwatches range from basic models that mainly tell the time and do calls and SMS to the more advanced ones fully equipped with cameras, GPS, and more. Some are so advanced that they even run on the same operating system as a regular mobile phone like Android or iOS.

Depending on how old a child is, the parent may choose a smartwatch model with specific features. Aside from the most basic call and text features, here are some of the most popular ones among parents, according to their children’s age.

Real-time location tracking - mostly found in 4G GPS Android watch models. This feature is available on smartwatches for kids that are equipped with a GPS tracker that will show the wearer’s location in real-time. This option is widely popular among all age groups, though parents think that this feature is more highly desirable for teens since they’re the ones who are often out and about with friends without parental supervision.

Location history - again, this feature is useful for all age groups, but more popular among parents with teens since it shows where they’ve been during certain periods of time throughout the day.

Geofence setting - parents with pre-schoolers (2 to 5 years old) and school-age children (6 to 12) love this feature because it allows them to set a virtual perimeter fence for where their children should be located during a specific period of time. Once the kids go beyond the fence, an alert is sent to the parent/s so they can be aware. It’s like an additional safety feature in case the school mistakenly lets the kid out of school earlier than expected.

Video Call - this feature is highly desirable for parents with younger kids (2 to 6 years) who might not be able to articulate what’s going on around them fully well yet. Being able to go on a video call and see their child’s surroundings can help a parent understand what’s happening around their child better.

Remote monitoring - this feature’s a little sneaky which is why it’s more popular among parents with teens. Remote monitoring means being able to see and listen in on the child’s surroundings without sending a notification to the phone. It’s undoubtedly useful for all age groups, especially younger kids who tend to be left alone with babysitters, but it’s usually something that more parents of teens look for. Although many argue that this violates the kids’ privacy, it’s a feature that many parents continue to look for when buying a smartwatch for their teens.

Do Not Disturb Mode - this feature is great for school-aged children and teens since it allows them or their parents to set a time when notifications are disabled so they can focus on the task at hand/their classes. Depending on the smartwatch model, this feature could also lock the smartwatch so the wearer can’t use it for anything to avoid distractions.

Waterproof - this feature is highly popular among parents with preschool and school-aged children. Kids at this age tend to be clumsy so a waterproof kids tracker watch really comes in handy.

Fitness tracker - this is a feature you’ll see on a lot of the more upgraded models geared toward teens. A fitness tracker can track your daily steps, heartbeat, and your sleep which makes it a great feature for teens who are conscious about their fitness and their health.

Call and text screening - this is one of the most useful features for younger children whose smartwatches are mainly used for communication. Because most young kids are still unable to tell who’s calling them, parents can save their own phone numbers (as well as other family members’ phone numbers) in the smartwatch’s phonebook and set it so that only calls and texts from the numbers saved there can go through. This feature also solves the issue of other parents worried about strangers being able to freely communicate with their children.

There are plenty of other features you’ll find on different models of kids' smartwatches. Some are entirely for aesthetic and/or entertainment only while others are amazingly useful and helpful in putting parents’ minds at ease.

Remember that the features included in a smartwatch often affect the price. More features often mean the smartwatch is pricier while entry-level kids' smartwatches are often the ones with the most basic features.

If you’re a retailer looking for kids' smartwatches to sell, knowing what features your customers want and need can help you decide which smartwatch model to sell. Find a supplier that can give you access to the latest models with the most innovative features like Wonlex. Known globally as one of the top suppliers of OEM and ODM GPS smartwatches, Wonlex also manufactures and supplies its partners all over the world with other wearable technology devices.