4G LTE GPS Watches for Kids & Teens

wasabi3 on 23/03/2025 - 16:04
Last edited 23/03/2025 - 16:12 by 1 other user

Hey folks

I'm looking at GPS tracking watches for my sons, 7 and 9. Stand alone devices, i.e. not require smartphone pairing.

I want
- Ability to text
- GPS tracking
- Some basic fitness functions like step counter

There's a lot of choice out there but I'm mainly concerned with
- size of watch for skinny wrists
- simple restrictions, i.e. caller whitelisting, internet-disabled, school timeout etc.
- a neutral mature design so they dont get dumped in the uncool category a year from now

We are a Windows/Android family. I'm not keen to have to monitor IT profiles on iOS too (i.e. apple watches). Have been looking at the imoo z1; but I've also noticed there are many similar watches on Kogan, Amazon, AliExpress (though with limited information re: supported Mobile bands)

Can anyone share first hand experiences and recommendations?

Electrical & Electronics Smartwatch

Comments

  • omguleh on 23/03/2025 - 16:21

    We used to have a Pixbee watch before the battery decided to swell up making the watch unusable. Was the only watch that we can use our own SIM card in it.

    Spacetalk and KidsOClock are another option. Have to subscribe to their own sims but per day cost is alright if they use it every day.

    The other stuff off aliexpress may not work here anymore, I wouldn’t bother getting them.

    • wasabi3 on 23/03/2025 - 20:18

      They look ok- though fairly enormous? Are the spacetalk and kids o clock of similar size to the pixbee? how did you find the size?

      My boys can be pretty rough and tumble and I imagine a large watch would get easily broken.

      • omguleh on 23/03/2025 - 20:27

        They take knocks fine, the size is all very similar between them. The KidsOClock is probably the thinner one out of the 3.

        The bigger watch makes it easier to find. They will decide to take it off at school one day and forget it somewhere.

  • snid678 on 23/03/2025 - 17:21

    Imoo watches were fantastic on 3G, as there is no ongoing cost apart from your own SIM card. The free iOS app (and likely Android app too) works very well for messaging, video calls and tracking. There is step tracking as well.

    However, the Z1 only has access to LTE bands 1/3/5/8 - no band 28, which is used extensively here by all carriers. The Z1 does still work on Telstra (and apparently Vodafone) but coverage is now very much dependent on the bands used on the local tower, and when out of the cities/centres reception is sparse.

    It’s relevant to note these watches have been blocked from Optus because they don’t have access to band 28.

    • wasabi3 on 23/03/2025 - 20:15

      This is very helpful thank you

    • Joshminey on 23/03/2025 - 21:02

      Should still be alright on Vodafone they use Band 5 in the cities and roam on Optus in the country which runs a bit of band 8 now as well along side band 28 in some areas.

      • snid678 on 23/03/2025 - 21:19

        Band-wise yes, but it will depend if Vodafone is - like Optus - banning devices that don’t have band 28. There is a bit of conflicting information online around Vodafone and these devices. Telstra, and their MVNOs, definitely do work however.

        • wasabi3 on 24/03/2025 - 11:27

          I've spent far too long looking at these- the imoo z1 looks to be the only kids option that is swim proof. Would you assume the coverage is fine in Melbourne without band 28?

          • snid678 on 24/03/2025 - 17:05

            @wasabi3: Telstra make use of band 1 and 3 (2100MHz and 1800MHz) for LTE, so you likely find it will work in metro Melbourne. Band 5 (850MHz) was allocated to 3G, but will likely be reused for 5G. The RFNSA site will give you an idea of the frequencies each site covers, so that may help for local areas. Trying to search over a wider area is more difficult.

  • shrek4 on 23/03/2025 - 18:25

    Might pay to check your schools policy on smart watches. In South Australian public schools they are banned. Other states might also have similar mobile phone bans.

    Mightn’t be an issue for you, but something to consider.

    • wasabi3 on 23/03/2025 - 20:15

      they are ok for our kids school (Vic)

  • hallo123 on 23/03/2025 - 20:44

    Some kids at my kids' school have garmin bounce.

  • bazingaa on 24/03/2025 - 09:44

    samsung watch ?

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join