Fitness is important regardless of age, and kids’ fitness trackers allow you and your child to accurately keep track of their activity levels. The best kids’ fitness trackers have a long battery life, will fit comfortably on your child’s wrist, are reasonably water resistant, and sometimes have extra features like games or rewards to make exercise fun.
When buying a fitness tracker for your child, make sure the device has a long-lasting single-use battery or can go for at least a few days between charges. You'll also want to make sure the device can comfortably fit on your child’s wrist — the good ones are stretchy to accommodate a range of sizes or feature adjustable bands.
As with standard adult models, kids' fitness trackers frequently count steps and track the amount of activity or sleep your child gets in a day. If you want to keep track of your child's stats, some trackers connect to apps that help you keep tabs. The best children's fitness trackers also tend to have fun extras, such as games that get your kiddo up and moving, or rewards (like virtual badges) to make exercising more enjoyable. If you'd like your child's fitness tracker to also function as a watch, camera, and more, you might want to opt for a kids' smartwatch instead.
Keep in mind that while fitness trackers are meant to be helpful, you should always consult your child's pediatrician before setting any health and fitness goals. But if you do want to buy a fitness tracker for your child, these four picks below are the best of the best.
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1
A Kids’ Fitness Tracker With A 1-Year Battery Life
Ages: 4 to 9 years
This Garmin vívofit jr fitness tracker boasts a super impressive one year battery life, which is honestly a game changer if you (or your child) can never remember to recharge devices. The fitness tracker is designed to track your kiddo’s steps, sleep, and activity levels. And the compatible phone app gives you access to all of the data. If you have several children with a vívofit jr fitness tracker, the app allows you to track multiple users, so you can see all of the data in one spot. The app even has chore management tools and a fun mobile adventure trail for kids to unlock.
The fitness tracker is water resistant, with a strap made of silicone that is comfortable, durable, and flexible. It fits wrists up to 145 millimeters (or roughly 5.71 inches).
Choose from three different designs. When it comes time to replace the battery, the fitness tracker takes one CR1632 coin cell.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "All three of our kids wanted "fit bits" and we were struggling to find a product that would allow us to put all three of them on the same app on my phone. This one works great! One app, and each child has their own profile on that app. Personalized with their photos and favorite color. They especially like that I can assign daily chores, and once complete I can mark it in the app, which adds a "coin" to their "bank" and gives them a satisfying "beep" on their device. Meeting the daily steps/activity goal earns them moves in an integrated game, which they think is a blast. My children are ages 7 and 4 (twins), and fairly thin. These bands fit their wrist perfectly, and have never slipped off. The app was easy to download and very intuitive. I LOVE and highly recommend this product."
2
A Fitbit For Kids
Ages: 6 years and up
With more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon and a solid 4.5-star rating overall, it’s clear that parents love this Fitbit Ace 2 activity tracker for their kids. The fitness tracker is loaded with features, including the ability to keep track of steps and active minutes. The device also helps kids get the shut-eye they need with sleep tracking, bedtime reminders, and silent alarms. Best yet, when your kiddo reaches their goals, they’ll earn on-screen celebrations and virtual badges, which are super fun and encouraging. The tracker is app-compatible, too, so your kids can challenge their friends to step competitions and send each other messages and cheers.
The fitness tracker features an adjustable band that fits wrists between 4.6 and 6.6 inches in size. The device is water-resistant, has up to five days of battery life (and it's rechargeable!), and comes in three different colors.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Very durable and waterproof! My kids love it.. they're in constant competition to see who can get the most steps. They also love seeing how they sleep through the night!"
3
A Budget-Friendly Kids’ Fitness Tracker
Ages: 5 years and up
Fitness trackers for kids can be pricey. However, this one from BIGGERFIVE is a steal at just $23. But even though it's cheap, Amazon reviewers indicate that this pick has plenty of useful features. The fitness tracker can keep track of steps, distance walked, calories burned, and sleep. The device even has a built-in silent vibration alarm clock.
The fitness tracker is slim, lightweight, and flexible. The adjustable band can fit wrists 4.5 to 6.9 inches in size. The battery can last up to a week, and it’s easy to charge with any USB adapter. The device is waterproof and connects to an app.
The only downside to this pick? It doesn’t have any built-in games or rewards, so it may not be as entertaining as some of the other options on this list. For older kids, however, that might be exactly what they're looking for.
Each fitness tracker comes with an extra band so your child can swap between colors. Choose from three sets of colors: pink/purple, blue/green, and black/blue.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "This is [an] outstanding deal. The price is right. I got this for my granddaughter that is 9. She is very happy with it. She is active and loves the outdoors anyway but she is more active trying to beat her activity level from the day before. The watch does everything it claims to do. Battery life is outstanding, we have had for 5 days and battery is at about 60%. Would recommend to family/friends."
4
A Kids' Smartwatch That Can Track Fitness
Ages: 4 to 12 years
With more than 3,500 reviews on Amazon and an impressive 4.5-star rating overall, this VTech smartwatch is a super cool wearable that's bursting with features. Two cameras allow your kid to take videos and pictures (selfies, too) that can be customized and made into watch faces. The built-in pedometer keeps track of steps, and each movement your kid makes triggers cool sound effects. Activity challenges and motion-controlled games help to get your child up and moving. Using the included micro-USB cable, your kid can recharge the battery, and download extra free content like games and seasonal clock faces.
The smartwatch is “splash proof” but can't be submerged in water. It also features an adjustable band to fit a variety of wrist sizes. Parental controls allow you to limit play time. In addition to the pink featured above, the watch comes in blue, black, and purple, too. (Just note that the brand doesn't specify the wrist size it will fit).
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Bought as a gift for our 8 year old. Worried it was too young for her, but she LOVES it. I like that it has the analog clock face in addition to a digital clock face. She loves everything about it - including the exercise game where she has to walk around with the pedometer feature and look for the 'monster' hiding. The camera is surprisingly good for a toy. Well done, VTech!"
