The first year at school changes more than it seems in September. By Christmas, your child is going to after-school club, has started their first extracurricular activity and may already be trying to walk part of the way on their own. And for the first time, you’re waiting at home, not knowing whether they got there safely.
That’s why lots of parents are thinking about a smartwatch with calling for under the tree. Here’s how to choose one, what to look out for and how to make sure it works on the big day itself.
Who the watch is perfect for
- Children who go somewhere on their own, for example from school to an after-school club in another building, to grandma’s across the street or to the bus.
- Families whose afternoon plans change. Training finishes early, grandad comes instead of you, or you’re held up at work.
- Parents who don’t want to give their child a phone yet. With the watch, your child stays in touch with the family and won’t find anything else on it.
Libor wrote to us in his review: “Our child in first grade uses it, only voice messages so far, but the watch has done its job.” First graders usually start with voice messages: they hold down a button, say “I’m at the after-school club now” and don’t have to write or read anything.
What to look for when choosing for a first grader
- Ease of use. A six-year-old needs big icons and a few simple steps, not a complicated menu like on a phone. That’s why we developed KLOKI Moon for younger children.
- Weight and size. Moon weighs 37 g including the strap and fits wrists as small as 15 cm.
- Who can get through. With KLOKI, only contacts you approve in the app can call your child. Unknown numbers don’t get through.
- School. The watch should have a school mode that silences it during lessons. Before you buy, check the school rules too, as each school sets its own rules on watches.
- SIM. With most watches, you have to sort out a SIM card and a plan separately. KLOKI watches come with a SIM already inside, and the first month of the subscription (the Stay in touch plan, without calling) is free.
KLOKI Star also suits first graders, especially those who are already good with technology and want to take photos and listen to music. To see how the two models differ, take a look at our Moon and Star comparison.
What to do before you wrap the gift
A smartwatch with calling needs setting up before it’s first used. To have it ready to go at Christmas, do this in advance:
- Download the Findee Kids app on your phone and create an account. You can do this well before Christmas.
- Don’t activate the watch until it’s been unwrapped. Just scan the QR code and approve the contacts – it takes a few minutes. The free month starts from activation, so if you activate the watch in November, part of the free month will be wasted while it sits in the box.
- Add grandma and grandad to your contacts. Your child can call them with the Track & Talk plan. During the free month (the Stay in touch plan), they can exchange voice messages but can’t call.
- Charge the watch before wrapping it. It arrives only partly charged.
When to order
We ship within 24 hours and deliver in 1 to 3 working days. Before Christmas, though, carriers are overloaded, so if you want peace of mind, order by early December. For orders placed by Friday 18 December, we guarantee delivery before Christmas.
And if the gift isn’t quite right, you have until 15 January to return it. This applies to everything you buy from 1 November, so the return period won’t run out before your child has even unwrapped the gift. Items must be undamaged, and you pay the return postage.
A little extra for school
A drawstring backpack for indoor shoes, PE kit and swimwear, made of 100% cotton, goes nicely with the watch for school.
