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Best Kids GPS Watches of 2023

Updated
Know where your child is at all times with one of these top GPS watches.

A GPS watch can help you protect your child as they grow more independent. But with new models popping up daily, each boasting a wide range of features and claims, we parents can quickly become overwhelmed.

That’s why we’ve chosen some essential criteria to focus on in our search: accuracy, battery life, durability, and ease of use. With these necessary features, we’ve narrowed down hundreds of models to find the six best GPS watches for kids. Not only did these units impress us, but thousands of parents agree that these are better than the rest.

Keep an eye on your kids from afar — without breaking the bank — with a top-quality GPS watch.

Our Top Picks

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Image
Model
Product Comparison Table
Features

Product Image of the TickTalk 4G LTE Kids Smartwatch
Best Kid's GPS Smartwatch
TickTalk 4G LTE Kids Smartwatch
  • Accurate GPS tracker
  • 100 hours runtime
  • Facetalk
Product Image of the Kids Smart Watch Phone, GPS/LBS Tracker Smart Watch for Kids for 3-12 Year Old...
For the Active Child
Rayph Store Kid's GPS Smart Watch
  • Fantastic for various activities
  • Large, high-quality screen
  • Classroom mode
Product Image of the Blackview Smart Watch for Android Phones and iOS Phones, All-Day Activity...
Best GPS Tracker
Blackview GPS Waterproof Smartwatch
  • Multifarious color options
  • Waterproof materials
  • Sleep tracker
Product Image of the Efolen Smart Watch for Kids GPS 4g WiFi LBS Tracker Real Time Position HD Touch...
Best GPS Watch for Watersports
Efolen Smart Watch
  • Waterproof
  • SOS call function
  • More than 12 features
Product Image of the Xplora X5 Play
Best for Girls
Xplora X5 Play
  • GPS tracker
  • Smart emergency button
  • School mode
Product Image of the PTHTECHUS 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch Phone - Boys Girls Waterproof Watch with GPS...
Best for Boys
PTHTechUS 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch
  • Fun features
  • Flashlight
  • Two-way calls

Review Methodology: At Mom Loves Best, we meticulously analyze, assess, and compare the top GPS watches for kids using our hands-on experience and professional evaluation methods. Our team conducts thorough research and collects data to measure and rank each product based on key decision-making factors like performance, design, and usability. We share these results to help you make an informed choice. Our reviews are grounded in factual evidence, and our methods provide a benchmark for quality. We identify unique features, evaluate from a user’s perspective, and provide first-hand evidence about why a specific GPS watch might be the best for your child. Trust us to guide you in finding the perfect GPS watch that satisfies your child’s needs.



The Best GPS Watches for Kids of 2023

Using our list of features above, we set out to find the best kid’s GPS watches. We researched leading sites on the subject as well as analyzing parent reviews. Here’s our top seven:

TickTalk 4 Unlocked 4G LTE Kids Smart Watch

Best Kid's GPS Smartwatch

The TickTalk 4 is super cute and has much to offer children between the ages of 5 and 12 years.

The watch lets you track your child’s whereabouts, ensuring they’re safe and within range. With the parental control app, you can approve all watch contacts and block unknown numbers, keeping your young one away from strangers.

Your child can even wear it in school thanks to the no-disturb function. Aside from being water resistant, it has several useful features like a camera, video and voice calling, secure messaging, talk-to-text, SOS button, activity tracking, 911 response, and historical routes.

What We Like

Accurate GPS Tracker

This smartwatch utilizes accurate GPS location tracking. This allows the watch to send real-time information about your child’s whereabouts. You connect the watch to your smartphone, and then you can track its location anytime.

SOS Button

A must-have safety feature is the SOS button. If there’s an emergency when your child is out, they can push a simple button. As they do this, the watch will call the three guardian numbers you’ve chosen and send them all a notification.

Remember to add the contacts when you receive the watch, though. Otherwise, the emergency button won’t help. Parents praise how easy it is to set up and use, even for a technology novice.

Long Battery Life

The unit can give you 100 hours of runtime. The battery is superb, using around half of the battery when playing music for 2 hours, which is exceptional.

Video Chat

The TickTalk kids smartwatch is compatible with SIM cards, so if you choose to add one, your child can engage in calls with selected contacts pre-approved by you.

You can also select three no-disturb times for when your child is at school or other places where quiet is necessary.

Camera, Voice Recording, and Other Fun Gadgets

Your kid can also have some fun with this watch. It includes a front and rear camera to snap memories.

Among many other features, the watch has an activity tracker that reminds your child to set daily step goals, perfect for achieving a healthier lifestyle. Do note that there isn’t a single game installed.

What We Don't Like

Simple

Although the watch has a lot to offer, it’s best suited for younger children. It’s recommended for ages 5 to 12 years. However, the design and the simplicity are probably better suited for children under 10.

Product Specs

Recommended age 5 to 12 years
Color Pink, blue, black
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call Yes

Our Ratings

Accuracy
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
4.5 / 5
Durability
4 / 5
Ease of Use
4.5 / 5
Total Rating
4.25 / 5

Community Feedback

This TickTalk 4 smartwatch has been a great purchase for my granddaughter, despite a few minor issues. The battery life is impressive, and the call clarity and connectivity are solid. The cameras take surprisingly good photos and the parental controls are a fantastic feature. However, the location accuracy could be improved, and the screen can be difficult to read in bright sunlight. Despite these drawbacks, I'm pleased with the functionality and features of this smartwatch and believe it offers both safety and entertainment for my granddaughter.

Rayph Store Kid's GPS Smart Watch

Best GPS Watch For the Active Child

For active children, we recommend this GPS watch. It features excellent functions, enabling your child to track their fitness goals. They can use it while doing almost any sport, even swimming.

It has a camera and photo album — catching all your child’s important moments. Connecting to the app allows you to keep track of your child and help them set alarms and no-disturb times.

The watch is available in both pink and blue. It’s recommended for children between the ages of 5 and 12.

What We Like

Fantastic for Various Activities

This watch is excellent for active children who engage in various sports. The watch includes a fitness tracker, which counts steps and monitors your child’s activity levels. It’s also waterproof and can be submerged for up to three hours — ample time for swimming lessons.

Large, High-Quality Screen

The watch includes a 1.44-inch, high-definition screen. It’s perfect for viewing incoming calls and playing games, among other things. The touch screen is easy to use, enabling your child to scroll through the phonebook and other included apps effortlessly.

Camera

Your child can record their life using the front-view camera on the watch. They can snap plenty of photos, which you can later upload to your computer using a USB cable. You can also view the images in the watch’s album, which can hold up to 32 MB.

Classroom Mode

You can set no-disturb times for when your kids are in the classroom. You can identify up to three different periods per day and control it all from the app on your phone.

What We Don't Like

Not Useful Without a SIM Card

You will need to purchase a compatible SIM card — otherwise, most of the essential functions won’t work. In the U.S., the manufacturer recommends T-Mobile.

Product Specs

Recommended age 5 to 12 years
Color Pink or blue
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call Yes

Our Ratings

Accuracy
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
4 / 5
Durability
4.5 / 5
Ease of Use
4.5 / 5
Total Rating
4.25 / 5

Blackview Kid's GPS Waterproof Smartwatch

Best GPS Tracker for Kids

If your child does a lot of after-school activities, this watch is worth a look.

The Blackview GPS watch offers plenty of functions your child can use. They can call, text, set an alarm, or even get notifications from applications installed on their phone. Plus, it allows parents to easily track their kids’ whereabouts with the accurate built-in satellite positioning system.

You can control it all and keep track of your child from a mobile app.

What We Like

Precise GPS

The built-in GPS is incredibly accurate when your child is outdoors. You can even view a weather report, ensuring your child will stay safe and dry.

Waterproof Materials

Made with waterproof materials, your child can continue to wear the watch even during watersports. The manufacturer was certified to 5ATM standards, which means that the watch is water-resistant for up to 50 meters within 10 minutes.

Sleep Tracker

The watch will automatically track your child’s sleep quality and sleeping time.

What We Don't Like

App Notification May Be Distracting

Some parents want their child to focus on their studies at a given time. However, when the watch is synchronized with a social networking app, it may get their child’s attention, and they might lose their focus on the task. Thankfully, you have the option to turn off notifications in the app.

Product Specs

Recommended age Not specified
Color Black, pink, gray, green
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call No

Our Ratings

Accuracy
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
4 / 5
Durability
4 / 5
Ease of Use
4 / 5
Total Rating
4 / 5

Efolen Waterproof Smart Watch

Best GPS Watch for Watersports

If your kid loves swimming, paddle boarding, or diving, this is a great watch to consider. It doesn’t track physical activities, calories, or steps but is completely waterproof. So no matter where they are, the GPS function continues to operate.

It can track kids all day with super-accurate positioning. Keep in mind that if they’re indoors or somewhere with a bad signal, the positioning may be off.

What We Like

Waterproof

When a child gets a new watch, it’s exciting! With this watch, they never need to remove it because it’s waterproof. So if they’re out in the rain, swimming, canoeing, showering, or just doing the dishes, it can stay on at all times.

SOS Call Function

The SOS call function is a handy addition. Your kid can inform you of their SOS call with the press of a button. It calls the preset numbers in the watch until somebody answers their phone via the app’s alarm notification.

Calling Features

If you don’t want your kid to have a cell phone yet, but you want to stay in touch throughout the day, this is a top choice. Your child can call you directly from the watch. The watch has a built-in phone book so they can add all the contacts they need.

What We Don't Like

Poor Customer Service

One downfall is that the company’s customer service needs improvement. It can be hard to reach customer service representatives if you have an issue.

Product Specs

Recommended age 3 to 12 years
Color Blue
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call Yes

Our Ratings

Accuracy
4 / 5
Battery Life
3.5 / 5
Durability
4.5 / 5
Ease of Use
4 / 5
Total Rating
4 / 5

Community Feedback

After getting this watch, I found its performance underwhelming. Despite switching to 4G, it loses connection about once a week and struggles to maintain the correct time zone. The watch's associated app is also frustratingly unreliable, although the call clarity and location tracking are usually dependable.

Xplora X5 Play Watch Phone for Kids

Best GPS Watch for Girls

We found this cute GPS watch for your girl. Besides the pretty appearance, this watch has plenty to offer.

It utilizes multiple services to give you an accurate location, and there’s an option for you to set up safety zones around some locations, such as home and school.

You can keep a close watch through the app.

Among other things, it allows you to add your number as the primary contact.

What We Like

GPS Tracker

This watch uses multiple GPS services to give you the most accurate location of your child.

Smart Emergency Button

If your child is in distress, they can use the emergency button to contact you. It’s straightforward to use and doesn’t even require the wearer to watch the screen. As they push the button, the watch sends out notification calls to all of the three selected numbers.

Do Not Disturb Mode

One of the best things about this watch is that the parents are in charge of almost everything. Parents can set no-disturb times blocking their kid from accessing features like games or the camera, but it still allows for SOS emergency calls and the GPS.

What We Don't Like

Battery Life

The only drawback of this GPS watch is that it requires frequent charging — every two to three days.

Product Specs

Recommended age 5 to 12 years
Color Pink, blue, black
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call Yes

Our Ratings

Accuracy
4 / 5
Battery Life
3.5 / 5
Durability
4 / 5
Ease of Use
4 / 5
Total Rating
3.75 / 5

Community Feedback

In my experience with this watch, I found it to be a great communication tool for my 9-year-old who isn't quite ready for a phone yet. The watch allows for easy one-button phone calls to select numbers, a two-way chat feature only with guardians, and even has a built-in pedometer for tracking steps. It comes with a simple calculator, calendar, and customizable watch face too. The battery lasts about two days, but we recharge it each night to be safe. The Xplora app is user-friendly, allowing me to chat with my child and check their location. The setup process was a bit time-consuming, but once completed, the watch and app worked well together. The GPS accuracy and app stability could be improved, but overall, it's a nice and functional watch for a tween.

PTHTechUS 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch Phone Tracker

Best GPS Watch for Boys

This watch from PTHTechUS is good for boys who enjoy being active. The watch uses a GPS and LBS tracker to give you the most precise location. It can make and receive calls and facilitates video and voice chats.

Your child can wear the watch on any occasion, whether it’s at the pool or school. It includes lots of fun features, even some educational games.

It’s easy to set up all the functions by downloading and connecting to the compatible smartphone app.

Although no age range is listed for this watch, any child over 8 years would likely find it cool since it doesn’t have a babyish appearance.

What We Like

Fun Features

This watch is more than just a GPS tracker — it includes fun educational games teaching your little guy math. There’s also a camera function, allowing your child to record their day and present it to you later.

Waterproof Materials

The watch is excellent for summer, as the wearer can safely jump in the pool or run through the sprinklers with it on. Your child can even continue to wear it during bathtime or when washing hands. However, don’t press the buttons or try to use it while it’s submerged.

Time Tracker

Your little one can easily keep track of time thanks to the large clock display on the watch. They can even set their own alarms to wake up in the morning or have you do it through the app.

What’s more, you can enable specific no-disturb times for when your child is in class. All of this is controlled in the app.

Two-Way Calls

When you set up the watch, your child can then call and receive from those selected numbers. Also, it allows you to set up three emergency numbers that will get calls and notifications during emergencies.

What We Don't Like

The Clock Uses a 24-hour Format

This watch is pre-formatted to a 24-hour clock, which can be confusing for some children. Figuring out the settings is tricky, but you can change it to a 12-hour clock instead.

Product Specs

Recommended age 4 – 15 years
Color Blue
Call options Yes
Camera Yes
SOS emergency call Yes

Our Ratings

Accuracy
3.5 / 5
Battery Life
3 / 5
Durability
3 / 5
Ease of Use
3.5 / 5
Total Rating
3.25 / 5

Product Comparison Chart

Product Best Recommended age Color Call options Camera SOS call
TickTalk Kids GPS Smartwatch GPS Smartwatch 5 – 12 yrs Pink, blue, black Yes Yes Yes
Rayph Store Kid’s GPS Smart Watch For the Active Child 5 – 12 yrs Pink or blue Yes Yes Yes
Blackview GPS Waterproof GPS Tracker N/A Black, pink, gray, green Yes Yes No
Efolen Waterproof Smart Watch Watersports 3 – 12 yrs Blue Yes Yes Yes
Xplora X5 Play Girls 5 – 12 yrs Pink, blue, black Yes Yes Yes
PTHTechUS 4G GPS Kids Smartwatch Boys 4 – 15 yrs Blue Yes Yes Yes

How to Choose a GPS Watch for Kids

SOS Alerts

One feature at the top of our must-have list is SOS alerts. This is a specified button your child can press in an emergency.

The watch then automatically calls out to a selected group of numbers that also receive notifications. Almost all devices with this feature will continue calling the numbers until someone answers.

Teach The Power Of SOS

Let your child know about the power of the SOS button and not to press it unless it’s an emergency. Getting a false SOS alert will only create a “boy who cried wolf” scenario.

Accuracy

Accuracy is essential with such a watch. However, not all are equally precise.

When searching, always look for watches that utilize GPS, not merely LBS, WiFi, or Bluetooth. Bluetooth, in particular, is fairly useless for tracking because it has such a short range (1).

There are different methods of identifying a location, which can make the reading more accurate, but usually, it’s best to stick with GPS.

Two-Way Calls

Another great feature to look for is two-way calling. This transforms the watch into a mini-phone, allowing you to always stay in contact.

You will usually have to use an app to add phone numbers to the watch’s phonebook. Some models only allow the selected numbers to call, blocking others. Most also answer automatically when you call, preventing your child from declining.

To use these functions, you must purchase a compatible SIM card. This will depend on the manufacturer of the watch and your location in the world.

Durable Material

The watch must be durable. A common material manufacturers use for the strap is non-toxic silicone, which is soft and comfortable to wear.

Another good thing to look for is a waterproof exterior. Having to remove the watch every time it rains or when washing hands can get tiring. Plus, forgetful kids may not remember to put it back on.

Not To Be Used Underwater

It’s fair to note that, even if the watch is waterproof, you shouldn’t use it underwater. Most manufacturers warn against this as it will compromise the waterproof shield.

Camera

Cameras are included on most GPS watches. It doesn’t necessarily add to the safety benefits, but it’s fun for the child. They can snap all the memorable moments and then upload them to a computer or cloud storage.

Why Buy a GPS Watch for Your Child?

It can be easy to view GPS watches as toys. But if you invest in one with the right features, such gadgets can be a great benefit.

A GPS watch helps you keep track of your child at all times. The Global Positioning System (GPS) utilizes satellites to track its approximate location.

Many will have a backup LBS tracker, which uses cell towers to communicate its whereabouts.

Most kid’s GPS watches work the same. They ask you to download an app that gets updates from the GPS inside the kid’s watch. Some high-tech models even allow you to set a limited perimeter, alerting you when your child steps out of it.

It has been estimated that approximately 460,000 children are reported missing each year in the U.S. (2). If your child goes missing while wearing one of these devices, you can find their location quickly.

Even if the watch is removed or broken, it will still transmit where it was last in use. Many parents say that having their child wear a GPS watch gives them some peace of mind, particularly after the child starts school.


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Headshot of Shannon Serpette

Edited by

Shannon Serpette

Shannon Serpette is an award-winning writer and editor, who regularly contributes to various newspapers, magazines, and websites. Shannon has been featured on Insider, Fatherly, SheKnows, and other high profile publications. As a mother of two, she loves to write about parenting issues and is dedicated to educating other parents at every stage of their child's development.