Should I buy a smartwatch for my kid?

Have you considered buying a smartwatch for your child? It might be something that has crossed your mind as an alternative to buying a smartphone for your kid, with safety and their wellbeing as key considerations, but also to being able to reach them when you need to.

The Spacetalk Adventurer 2 is a smartwatch designed with your child in mind, with the Adventurer 2 offering calling, texting ⁽³⁾ and video capabilities, on-device GPS tracking, and water resistance ⁽¹⁾. Unlike a smartphone that can browse the web and access social media, a smartwatch, like the Adventurer 2, could be the perfect way to make sure you can reach your child when you need to.

Let’s talk about the benefits of picking up a smartwatch for a child.

Less screen time while being reachable

Making sure kids aren’t getting too much screen time is a front of mind concern for Aussie parents, and a smartwatch could help with that. Smartwatches, by design, aren’t intended for video streaming, social media browsing or web searching, but include core features like calling and texting with a plan. If you’re looking for a device that allows you to stay in contact with your child, a smartwatch covers all the basics without the extras.

On-demand location tracking

The Spacetalk Adventurer 2 is a smartwatch specifically designed with parents in mind, and comes with handy location tracking. With the Spacetalk app set up on a parent’s phone and a plan activated on the watch, you can check your child’s location provided they're wearing their watch. ⁽²⁾.

Affordable and quality tech

Broadly speaking, smartwatches are not as expensive as their phone counterparts, and while smartwatches are typically designed to complement a smartphone, a quality smartwatch, with cellular capability (via eSIM and with a plan activated), could be the perfect device for a child that doesn’t need access to the web or social media. If you want your child to have a device that you can call or text them on, keep a smartwatch in mind.

Essential features without anything extra

If you simply need your child to have a device that they can reach you on, or that you can call, or that you can check the GPS location of, a properly configured smartwatch with an attached plan can do all of these things. Apart from some handy extra apps, such as a stopwatch or a calculator on select models, smartwatches lack the same online content capabilities as smartphones, meaning you shouldn’t have to worry about your child accessing the web on their wrist. Additionally, some smartwatches also offer features such as ‘School Mode’ on the Spacetalk Adventurer 2, which turns the gadget into a simple watch during school hours, and enables the smartwatch features outside of them.

When is the right time to buy a smartwatch for a kid?

Smartwatches are great gadgets that can be handy for kids to have so that they can remain in contact with parents – but you should consider when the right time to buy one is and when isn’t. As an example, Spacetalk says their watches are made for ages five and up, but you should consider your child specifically: are they responsible enough to have a smartwatch, or could they lose or break it? Alternatively, are they maybe too old for a smartwatch, and would a phone be more fitting?

It all comes down to you and your child, and the best decision that you can make for them.

The bottom line: Should my child use a smartwatch?

Buying your child a smartwatch may be a good option if you want to be able to contact them by phone call or text message. Some models, like the Spacetalk Adventurer 2, come with video calling capabilities, and some come with GPS tracking with an attached app for a parent’s phone. If you want to keep safety front of mind for your child and don’t want them accessing the web, it’s worth considering a smartwatch.

Which smartwatch is best for a child?

The smartwatch that best fits your child depends on what you’re expecting from the device. The Spacetalk Adventurer 2 is purpose-built for children, though you may want a more feature-rich device for your child, such as an Android or Apple Watch. Alternatively, you may even want to consider a smartphone over a watch, if your child is of an old-enough age to use it responsibly.

Disclaimers

1. Adventurer 2 has a dust and water-resistant rating of IP67, making it splash proof and protected up to a depth of 1 meter for a duration of up to 30 minutes. Splash, water and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease because of normal wear. Spacetalk does not recommend actively swimming or bathing while wearing Spacetalk Adventurer 2.
2. Functionality requires the Spacetalk app and a valid subscription via SubHub (included with Optus Choice Plus Family Watch Plan).
3. Call, text and video call on the Optus 4G network with a stand-alone number, coverage required. Check coverage.