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Help older youngsters construct belief
The Garmin Bounce presents compelling options for folks, together with the choice of LTE connectivity for speaking with the kid with out the necessity for a mobile phone or perhaps a hefty wi-fi plan. Parents and children can preserve monitor of the whole lot from exercise and sports activities to even chores and different duties. Kids may even play enjoyable video games, proper from their wrists.
ForChoice for LTE connectivityLots of security and monitoring featuresCan be used for chores as wellLarger, higher-res screenAgainstMore expensiveRequires a subscription to get probably the most out of itSignal can typically be spotty
Simple possibility for younger youngsters
A less complicated possibility with out LTE and placement monitoring, the Garmin Vivofit jr. 3 stays a stable smartwatch for youthful youngsters. They can monitor steps, sports activities, exercise, sleep, play video games, handle chores, and extra. With a replaceable battery, it’s a low-maintenance possibility that doesn’t require charging. And youngsters have entry to enjoyable video games, too.
ForNo subscription requiredBattery is replaceable and lasts as much as a yearMore affordableFun themed design optionsCan be used for chores as wellAgainstSmaller, lower-res screenNo wi-fi connectivityScreen typically awkward to seeNot simple to mark off accomplished chores
There are a handful of smartwatches designed particularly for teenagers, together with the Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin Vivofit jr. 3. Both are good choices for pre-teen youngsters and so they have most of the similar options. But there are some necessary variations between them. The Garmin Bounce is the most recent model that provides wi-fi connectivity by way of subscription, which will be helpful for teenagers who’re sufficiently old to stroll dwelling alone from faculty, for instance, however aren’t fairly prepared for a telephone. Meanwhile, the Garmin Vivofit jr. 3, launched approach again in 2020, continues to be a stable possibility for monitoring youngsters’ every day actions with out some other bells and whistles. But let’s look nearer at these two youngsters’ smartwatches.Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: How they lookWhy you may belief Android Central
Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services so you may select one of the best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The Garmin Bounce and the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 each look related, however the Garmin Bounce is a bigger smartwatch designed for larger youngsters. The Garmin Bounce has a 1.3-inch 240 x 240 LCD touchscreen and measures 42 x 42.4 x 12.6 mm in dimension. Compatible with each iPhone and Android units (it may be paired with a dad or mum’s telephone together with the Garmin jr. app), it is available in Green Burst, Black Camo, or Lilac Floral finishes. The shade show will be personalized with a alternative of enjoyable watch faces. The swim-friendly smartwatch, designed for teenagers 6 and older, presents a two-day battery life (typically, with low energy, it might run for as much as 4), which implies you’ll have to cost it a number of instances per week. In his evaluation, Android Central’s Nicholas Sutrich says his eight-year-old son wore it with out criticism, discovering it light-weight and comfy. But he admits that he wouldn’t name it smooth or trendy: it’s a useful watch for teenagers. Sutrich says his eight-year-old was in a position to determine how you can use the Garmin Bounce rapidly because of the intuitive interface mixed with two buttons: one on the highest as an motion button and one other on the underside as a again button. He discovered the dad or mum app to be intuitive as nicely with out tons of sub-menus and complicated choices. What makes the Garmin Bounce stand out in comparison with the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 is the mixing with LTE connectivity with a subscription straight from Garmin. With this, youngsters can ship and obtain textual content and voice messages from as much as 20 permitted contacts. Parents, in the meantime, can do 24/7 real-time monitoring of the kid’s location from their telephones, receiving notifications if the kid enters or leaves a parent-defined space. But remember the fact that Garmin has a restricted LTE protection map (opens in new tab), so that you’ll need to be sure this characteristic would work in your space earlier than shopping for the watch and a subscription. One factor to remember, nonetheless, is that the Garmin Bounce is just accessible completely via the Garmin web site. Kids can reply with personalized preset messages, emojis, and sound emojis to each mother and father and different permitted contacts, together with in-family teams. Parents and different caregivers may even ship youngsters messages to remind them when it’s time to check-in. This is right for older youngsters who is perhaps allowed to go to a good friend’s home after faculty, for instance, or who stroll dwelling from faculty on their very own or with pals.(Image credit score: Chris Wedel / Android Central)The Garmin vivofit jr. 3, in the meantime, has a smaller 0.56 x 0.56-inch show that’s additionally decrease decision at 112 x 112 pixels. But as a transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display screen, it’s properly viewable in daylight. At 14.11 x 14.11 mm in dimension, it’s designed extra for smaller youngsters aged 4 and older as a tool that they’ll use to trace steps, sleep, and extra. However, in his evaluation, Chris Wedel says he discovered the display screen tough to learn at instances because of the concave nature of the overlaying. You want to carry the button for a second to activate the backlight first, however holding it too lengthy places the watch into guide sync mode, which might simply frustrate a small youngster who’s simply attempting to see the display screen. Also waterproof with a 5ATM score, it might work with each Android and iPhone units. It is available in stable shade choices like Black Cosmic, Peach Leopard, Digi Camo, Lilac Floral, and Blue Stars in addition to fun-themed designs like Star Wars The Mandalorian, Disney Princess, and Marvel. Using a replaceable CR2025 battery that lasts as much as a 12 months, mother and father don’t have to fret about charging: simply seize a brand new battery out of your native comfort retailer when it wants changing.Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: How the specs evaluateBefore I get additional into how these two smartwatches work and which youngsters they might be finest fitted to, let’s take a look at how they evaluate on paper in relation to the specs.Swipe to scroll horizontallyGarmin BounceGarmin vivofit jr. 3CompatiblityAndroid, iOSAndroid, iOSColorsGreen Burst, Black Camo, Lilac Floral Black Cosmic, Peach Leopard, Digi Camo, Lilac Floral, Blue Stars, Star Wars The Mandalorian, Disney Princess, MarvelSwappable BandYesYesBattery LifeUp to 2 DaysUp to 1-Year (ReplaceableAppGarmin jr.Garmin jr.Heart Rate MonitoringNoNoStress TrackingNoNoSleep MonitoringYes (Movement-based)YesSwimproof5 ATM5 ATMPhone NotificationsLimited (with subscription)NoBlood OxygenNoNoMobile PayNoNoScreen Size1.3 inches0.56 inchesScreen Decision240 x 240112 x 112Display screen TypeLCDSunlight-visible transreflective MIPEven although each these smartwatches are for teenagers and share most of the similar options, they’re fairly totally different from each other so that you’ll need to play shut consideration to study which might be higher on your youngster.Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: The sports activities and exercise options(Image credit score: Garmin)Before delving into the whole lot these two smartwatches can do past sports activities and exercise monitoring, let’s take a look at the core performance. The Garmin Bounce and Garmin vivofit jr. 3 can each monitor steps, exercise, sleep, and extra. The Garmin Bounce comes pre-loaded with a wide range of sports activities that use built-in GPS, which it helps, together with strolling, working, and biking. It may even document laps whereas swimming. With each, after 60 minutes of exercise, youngsters can unlock totally different quizzes and video games, and so they can study health strikes via totally different health coaching playing cards. These fundamental train strikes embrace issues like leaping jacks, downward canine, mountain climbers, and extra. Toe-to-Toe challenges, accessible with each, permit youngsters to take part in step and exercise challenges with mother and father and different permitted family and friends members who additionally personal Garmin units. They can hyperlink up with family and friends after which arrange varied challenges, monitoring the winner on the finish of every day or week. The Garmin vivofit jr. 3 provides timed actions to trace steps and estimate distance.(Image credit score: Chris Wedel/Android Central)In this respect, each smartwatches can monitor the fundamentals. Since the Garmin Bounce is designed for older youngsters and makes use of GPS (with a subscription), it might monitor particular sports activities and actions as nicely. But for youthful youngsters, aged 4-6 or so, the Garmin vivofit jr. is perhaps all you (and so they) have to preserve monitor of steps and common exercise steps, in addition to benefit from the different features and rewards that include the expertise, which I’ll get into within the subsequent part. You’ll get probably the most with each, from a aggressive perspective, if the mother and father or others inside the familial community additionally personal Garmin smartwatches so you may join and compete on issues like every day step challenges. But this isn’t a necessity. Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: Chores, rewards, and extra(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Unlike smartwatches designed for adults that may monitor different vitals like coronary heart charge, temperature, Sp02, and extra, the Garmin Bounce and Garmin vivofit jr. 3 concentrate on serving to youngsters and oldsters handle issues like chores and duties along with fundamental steps and sleep. There are additionally varied digital rewards to assist inspire youngsters. With each fashions, there are enjoyable video games youngsters can play throughout parent-approved instances. These embrace ones like puzzle slider and math flash, in addition to academic adventures youngsters can go on as they transfer all through the day, exploring totally different places from around the globe within the app. Rewards will be delivered as colourful gems that reveal pictures in a digital scrapbook with varied reminiscences of their adventures. With each smartwatches, mother and father can assign chores from the app and designate digital reward cash of various values for every chore because it’s accomplished. Kids verify off the chores as soon as finished and may redeem them for agreed-upon rewards, like 15 minutes of display screen time, ice cream, or no matter a dad or mum deems applicable. Parents can schedule alerts for chores and even set them up on a weekly or every day recurrence. These may vary from cleansing up your toys for youthful youngsters to doing homework daily and taking out the rubbish each week for older ones.(Image credit score: Chris Wedel/Android Central)Wedel’s five-year-old son, who helped him evaluation the machine, cherished feeling like a “big boy” with a listing of chores to finish. However, there isn’t a approach to cross off chores from the tracker itself. When the icon exhibits as much as remind him of a chore, he presses a button to make it disappear, but when he doesn’t inform a dad or mum the chore was finished, he doesn’t get the credit score for it. The solely approach to verify off the chores with the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 is from the app, and if a baby of that age doesn’t have a telephone, it means they should inform a dad or mum who then must open the Garmin jr. app and verify it off for them. However, the app will be downloaded to a pill, and a baby can verify off chores that approach if they’ve their very own pill. Nonetheless, it’s barely irritating that there isn’t a approach to verify off chores proper from the watch itself. The Garmin Bounce provides kid-friendly climate updates that embrace fundamental forecast data for every day and the “feels like” temperature to assist older youngsters determine what to put on within the morning. With each, mother and father can handle the whole lot via the free parent-controlled Garmin jr. app. A faculty mode with the Garmin Bounce, in the meantime, works like don’t disturb so youngsters aren’t distracted by video games or notifications whereas they’re at school. The Garmin vivofit jr. 3 has a Kid Mode that affords restricted entry till the dad or mum turns it off.Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: Connectivity and security(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The defining characteristic that basically units these two smartwatches aside is that the Garmin Bounce comes with the choice for an LTE subscription, ordered straight via Garmin. With this, mother and father can attain youngsters via the smartwatch, equally to how they might via a smartphone. They can ship textual content and voice messages, as famous, to which youngsters can reply in a wide range of methods. They’ll get notifications if a baby has left a pre-defined space and may monitor their location as wanted. Kids may also verify in with their location, which shall be despatched to the Garmin jr. app. Sutrich says his son had a choice for voice messages, however often discovered it hilarious to ship goofy emojis in reply. An necessary security characteristic with the Garmin Bounce is LiveTrack: youngsters can activate this and it’ll ship a hyperlink to their location ought to they need assistance. Keep in thoughts, nonetheless, that these messaging and placement monitoring options require a subscription, which is able to add to the bottom-line value of the smartwatch and requires a recurring charge of $10 a month or $100 a 12 months. If you choose to not get this, the Garmin Bounce merely turns into a fundamental smartwatch for older youngsters. What’s extra, Sutrich famous that he discovered cell reception was spotty typically, particularly in sure buildings. While the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 doesn’t have an LTE possibility for connectivity, it has one helpful security characteristic referred to as ICE (In Case of Emergency). This widget accommodates emergency contact data, like a dad or mum’s title and telephone quantity. Kids can present this to a trusted stranger (an worker in a retailer, for instance, the place they is perhaps misplaced) to assist find their dad or mum.Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3: Which must you purchase?(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The determination between the Garmin Bounce vs. Garmin vivofit jr. 3 actually comes down to a couple key questions. First, how outdated is the kid? For youngsters aged 6 and below, the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 is an effective entry possibility. Chances are the kid isn’t ever left on their very own to stroll dwelling from faculty or go to a good friend, for instance. While location monitoring can be helpful, a baby of that age remains to be too younger to make full use of the messaging choices. This, in fact, is as much as the dad or mum. With that mentioned, the Garmin Bounce with an LTE subscription is ideal for teenagers from 8 or so as much as about 12 and has even been named among the many finest youngsters smartwatches. It’s an important in-between machine earlier than investing in a smartphone for a teen or pre-teen, permitting them to show they’re accountable sufficient to personal one. If the kid is permitted to stroll dwelling from faculty on their very own, performs within the neighborhood with native youngsters, or visits pals’ homes after faculty (or occurs to be a latchkey child, when of authorized age in your native space), with the ability to communicate with out shopping for them a full-fledged smartphone is a helpful characteristic. The month-to-month LTE plan from Garmin isn’t astronomical in worth and sure cheaper than any wi-fi provider plan you might discover. It’s a small worth to pay for peace of thoughts that the kid is okay, is the place they’re alleged to be, and for emergency help. However, sign energy may very well be a difficulty in some areas and/or buildings, so preserve this in thoughts. The health monitoring and digital rewards accessible with each units is a enjoyable approach to encourage youngsters to be energetic whereas chore monitoring helps educate youngsters accountability. The smaller display screen of the Garmin vivofit jr. isn’t as good to control when doing issues like checking off a chore or taking part in the enjoyable built-in video games.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Bottom line: if you need a primary smartwatch for a 4-6-year-old, particularly in a enjoyable themed design they’ll love sporting on their wrist, the Garmin vivofit jr. 3 is a stable possibility. For one thing extra fundamental with out the chore options and probably distracting goals, I’d additionally advocate the Fitbit Ace 3, which my very own son (now 11) has been carrying for years. For older youngsters who’re simply barely too younger for a mobile phone, the Garmin Bounce is an effective compromise. Once they’re sufficiently old to get a smartphone, you may cancel the Garmin subscription and so they can nonetheless take pleasure in all of the health and chore-tracking advantages of the Bounce. But a minimum of initially, you received’t get probably the most out of the Garmin Bounce except you join the LTE subscription, so issue that worth into the equation. If you don’t assume you’ll use it, you is perhaps higher off both getting the kid one other health tracker for teenagers from our greatest listing, and even an entry-level health tracker or inexpensive smartwatch that isn’t particularly designed for teenagers however is sufficiently small and simple sufficient for them to make use of whilst you arrange a child profile within the app to watch.
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Keep tabs on the children
If you join the LTE subscription, the Garmin Bounce is the proper transitional machine for a pre-teen youngster who’s clamoring for a mobile phone. They can present how accountable they’re by conserving in contact with mother and father about their location and finishing set chores whereas having fun with enjoyable quizzes, video games, and exercise challenges, too. But it’s solely value it with the subscription.
Good for younger youngsters
The Garmin vivofit jr. 3 is an effective smartwatch alternative for teenagers round 4-6, however for older youngsters, you’re finest to look elsewhere. Younger youngsters, nonetheless, will benefit from the enjoyable quizzes, video games, and rewards, can handle easy chores like placing away toys, and have enjoyable seeing their every day exercise. This smartwatch isn’t for older youngsters, and with the small display screen and a few limitations, you would possibly get a greater expertise from one other youngsters’ health tracker.