The best kids' smartwatches to buy in 2026

Winning the top spot for best kids' smartwatch is the VTech Kidizoom DX2 Smartwatch, a fantastic first smartwatch for kids. Both affordable and versatile, it has lots of fun and useful features that will delight little ones and reassure you that learning and physical activity are being encouraged, with a healthy focus on movement.

While it’s a little bulky for those in the lower half of the recommended age group, this splashproof smartwatch is robust and comfortable to wear. The watch face has 55 personalisation options, so it can easily be customised to suit your child’s preferences including both digital and analogue clocks. The full colour touchscreen is easy to use even for younger children - simply slide through menu options and press to confirm.

We like the games, especially Monster Detector, which will inspire kids to hunt for creatures in the garden or park, while the step tracker is accurate and helps children take part in fun challenges. Children will also enjoy the built-in camera, which is easy to use and includes a wide range of filters and stickers to help bring photos to life.

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If you’re after the best kids' smartwatch for your child that tracks step goals but won't break the bank, they don’t come much more affordable than the Tikkers Activity Tracker.

With a soft silicone strap and slim, lightweight design, this clever watch can track steps, distance and calories burned as well as set goals - motivating and encouraging your tween to get up off the sofa and head outside for some re-energising fresh air and exercise. With a simple-to-use touchscreen interface, it can provide call and text notifications so your child isn’t constantly reaching for their smartphone.

It’s worth mentioning that the Tikkers Activity Tracker does require the use of a compatible app - Reflex Active - and unless you want them to receive all your notifications, they’ll need to have the app installed on their own phone or device.

It also doesn’t have a built-in camera, but it can be used as a controller for your kids’ phone camera, making it handy to have around when snapping a selfie with friends.

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The Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 is probably the best kids' smartwatch in terms of clever features that parents will love almost as much as kids. With a comfortable silicone strap and a small square watch face, it’s a non-bulky smart watch for younger children that's less likely to catch on clothing than other brands. With motivating prompts that encourage an hour of physical activity a day, you can monitor your child's movements, active energy and sleep.

This brightly coloured kids’ running watch has Disney-themed educational games and rewards children when they hit their step count, go to bed on time or complete parent-set chores. There's also a variety of designs to choose from, including Disney and Marvel favourites, which makes this a great birthday present too.

We were impressed with how easy the Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 is to use and like that the battery won’t need charging for at least a year.

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The offers many of the features you may be familiar with from adult Fitbits including a comfortable, slimline strap and the ability to track steps and active minutes. The Fitbit Ace 3, however, is made specifically for kids, encouraging a 60-minute activity goal and 10,000 steps a day target with motivating rewards for achieving their goals.

Lightweight and soft, it’s simple to use and can be connected to the Fitbit app alongside existing devices in the house, allowing everyone to join in family goals and keep each other motivated.

This attractive watch can be worn all the time, including for swimming. As it's water-resistant (up to 50m), aqua-based activities and a little sweat won’t harm it, so it's an ideal choice for active or messy kids.

The battery lasts for ages (eight days of average use) and the watch comes with a handy charger cable. Reviewers also found the features and app easy to set up and use.

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The Spacetalk Loop Kids' Smartwatch has a really sleek design that older kids and teenagers will actually want to wear. It doubles up as a GPS tracker, so you can give them a bit of independence without constantly worrying about where they are.

It’s also brilliant for keeping an eye on how active they’re being. The step counter and charts make it feel like a bit of a game, and with the added heart rate monitoring, it’s a nice way of encouraging them to move more without it feeling naggy. Plus, there’s a school mode where you can set the watch to switch off everything except the time during lessons – which teachers will definitely appreciate.

On top of that, it works as a mobile phone but with proper safety features built in. There’s an SOS button, and you can control exactly who they can call or message, so you don’t have to worry about random contacts or internet access.

It’s not the cheapest kids’ smartwatch out there, and a few parents have said the battery life could be better, but the peace of mind you get from all the safety features might just make it worth the spend.

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The Little Tikes Tobi Robot Smartwatch is the best kids' smartwatch for younger children. The more they play with it, the more fun it is. The watch engages kids by allowing them to capture videos and photos with the two featured cameras, and it has a pedometer along with dance games to encourage movement. It ticks the educational boxes too, including activities that help them learn to tell the time.

Essentially, this watch acts as a wearable ‘friend,’ and we like that your child can use it to pair up with other Tobi 2 watches to compete in games with friends or siblings. In addition, it allows them to send messages to other Tobi 2 watches, so they can still chat to friends if they’re not quite ready for a phone yet.

One of the most popular features of the Tobi is the interaction it allows, displaying over 100 silly facial expressions on its screen.

This quirky watch is comfy to wear but we like that it can also be stood on a desk or table, acting as a bedside clock too.

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If you’re looking for a smartwatch for your older child or teen, you can’t go far wrong with the Apple iWatch. While the newer models have additional features that may appeal to fitness fans, the SE models are packed full of impressive functionality but come with a far more affordable price tag.

The lightweight Apple iWatch SE has a fully adjustable sports band and syncs seamlessly with other Apple products including your child’s iPhone. As well as helping them keep track of appointments, reminders and notifications, it offers great insights into their overall health, including a step counter, sleep metrics and workout tracker to record their runs, walks and exercise. It’s even waterproof up to 50m, making it a great choice for teens who love to swim. 

On the downside, the 18-hour battery life on the SE models could be better, so they will need to remember to charge it every day to avoid disappointment. 

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A recent upgrade from the Xplora X5, the Xplora X6 play makes a great alternative to a smart phone for older children and teens, especially those that are walking to school alone. Providing some welcome reassurance for parents, the Xplora X6 Play has built in GPS tracking, allowing you to track your child’s movements on the app and be alerted when they’ve safely made it to their location. 

The Xplora X6 Play comes with loads of useful features, including a step counter calculator, calendar and alarm. It can also be programmed with parent approved contacts, meaning they can easily get in touch in case of emergency or chat with friends without some of the challenges of WhatsApp or Snapchat. 

Kids will love the built in camera with 8GB of storage, however you don’t need to worry about internet access - this phone is completely free from games and social media. 

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The imoo Watch Phone Z1 is a great choice for children who need a smartwatch with both fun and safety features. Thanks to its water-resistant design, children can splash and play without worry, and the long-lasting battery, powered by advanced silicon anode technology, ensures they stay connected throughout the day.

For parents, the Class Mode and Stranger Rejection features provide peace of mind, allowing children to focus in school without distractions or unwanted calls and we like the built-in alarm clock that helps children manage their time better. The imoo APP also makes it easy for family members to stay in touch via video calls, voice chats, and messages, and children can connect with friends by pairing their imoo smartwatches.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks. The watch doesn’t support third-party apps, which limits additional functionality compared to some other smartwatches. Also, while the built-in features are great for communication, it lacks advanced fitness tracking options that some parents might want for active kids.