Gadgets for Kids: Tech That Engages & Educates

The ask usually arrives at eight or nine years old, somewhere between a friend who has a smartwatch and a school that wants homework typed. Saying yes is easy. Deciding how much internet, how much tracking, and how much screen comes with the thing is the part that takes an evening.

Most of these choices rest on the same few questions. A kids smartwatch splits into models with GPS, calling and a monthly plan, and offline models that only tell time and count steps, so the decision is whether you actually want to reach your child midday. A plain analog watch is still the simplest way to teach a child to read time. A fitness tracker for a child is worth checking for whether it shows numbers you would rather they not fixate on. An MP3 player earns its place when you want music without a browser attached. Cameras for young kids are about survivability, simple buttons and a card you can pull, rather than megapixels. Chromebooks live or die on managed accounts, keyboard durability and battery through a school day, not processor specs. An alarm clock is the quiet one that changes mornings, especially a color changing model that tells a preschooler when it is okay to get out of bed.