Jennifer Allen
Fitness trackers aren’t just for adults anymore. There are plenty of options for fitness trackers for kids, but how do you know which one is worth the money? Read on to check out our favorite fitness trackers for kids.
When it comes to fitness trackers for kids, you’ll have a few different considerations than you would if buying for yourself. You want to make sure that each fitness band is fairly hard wearing. After all, your kids probably aren’t too fussed about remembering to take their tracker off before hitting the pool, and they’re likely to knock it about a bit too. You also don’t want anything that needs regular charging because that’s just plain inconvenient.
And, naturally, you want it to be fun so your kids don’t feel like they’re suffering, right? Don’t worry. All these fitness trackers are good for all that. They’re sure to be seen as a fun toy of sorts by your child, rather than a way of you keeping tabs on their activity levels. They might even encourage a few healthier habits along the way too!
Here’s our pick of fitness trackers for kids.
Best For 4-6 Year Olds: LeapFrog LeapBand ($35)
The LeapFrog LeapBand turns active play and healthy eating into a game with virtual rewards tied to it. For each healthy action your child performs, such as jumping, running, wiggling, or dancing, they earn points that they can send on their beloved virtual pet. The LeapBand has 50 active challenges that are perfectly aimed at the younger market such as ‘pounce like a lion’ or ‘wiggle like a worm’, with parents able to set play times so that kids don’t get too carried away.
It’s a bulky looking wristband but thats because of rugged construction (if you’ve ever watched a kid use a LeapFrog toy as an impromptu hammer, you know how durable they build things). On top of all that, it’s water resistant. It also works as an analog or digital watch, so it’s good for teaching your kids how to tell the time.
Best For 6-10 Year Olds: Garmin Vivofit Jr 2 ($80)
The Garmin Vivofit Jr 2 is the kind of fitness tracker that I wish existed when I was a kid. Available in a variety of different guises, including Captain America, Minnie Mouse, Star Wars, and The Avengers, it’s instantly super appealing to kids.
It rewards their good behavior such as when they finish their homework or chores, as well as keeps track of their steps. Once your child meets their 60 minutes of daily recommended activity, they unlock a special themed mission in the companion app, so it’s a pretty neat reward.
Parents can easily set up chores and schedule alerts via the app too. In addition, it comes in a stretchy band option for kids who struggle with clasps, and it’s waterproof like all of Garmin’s other wearables. On top of all that, it rocks a 1-year battery life which completely eliminates charging hassles.
Finally, if the list of features seems like a perfect fit for your child but they’re not into the themes available on the stock bands (superheroes, princesses, etc.), there are a ton of third-party replacement options including very low-key looking bands like these Apple-watch-sport-band looking types.
Best For Young Teens and Above: Fitbit Ace ($96)
Fitbit has the adult fitness tracker market neatly tied up so it makes sense it would also have a device aimed at kids. The Fitbit Ace is a smart looking wristband that looks ideal for young teens and above who don’t want to wear anything too kiddy. It’s essentially a Fitbit Alta with a simplified app that allows for parental supervision. Parents can provide rewards and badges for hitting goals, as well as arrange step off competitions via the family account function.
For the child, they can see how many steps they’ve achieved throughout the day, and they can opt to customize the watch face to their choosing.
The wristband is also water resistant and has a 5-day battery life so it’s fairly low maintenance too.
Best For Kids Who Don’t Like Wristbands: Fitbit Zip ($80)
Not all kids like to wear wristbands. Either due to sensory issues, or simply because they’re liable to damage it that way. In which case, buy them a Fitbit Zip. It’s a clip-on tracker with a ruggedized rubber body. You can simply clip it onto their belt, clothing or their backpack, so it can still keep an eye on their steps.
Because it’s not aimed at kids in particular, there’s no reward system to speak of, and it’s fairly rudimentary. However, if you simply want an easy way of tracking steps, this is a good option—and there’s certainly no reason you can’t work out a reward system of your own based on how many steps your child takes while wearing it. The simple it-just-works design extends to the battery life, you can expect 4-6 months between recharging sessions.
Best For Educating Your Kids: UNICEF Kid Power Band ($39)
Rewards for your kids can also come in the form of education. The UNICEF Kid Power Band has you unlock food packets for severely malnourished kids elsewhere in the world. We’re going to assume that UNICEF doesn’t actually hold back on food deliveries if your child doesn’t achieve their total for the day, but it’s a neat method of encouragement. Each time your child completes a mission, they unlock a video via the companion app that teaches them a little bit about the world and different cultures. It’s a great way of educating your children while keeping them active.
As well as that, the wristband is water resistant and has a 5-day battery life. It also promises to only take an hour to fully recharge too. Perfect for when you’re in a rush.
