Xplora’s Founder and CEO, Sten Kirkbak, is a pioneer in the field of kids’ smartwatches. Though he is the father of Xplora, he still admires his Apple watch.
While a smartwatch for adults usually represents versatility and advanced features such as fitness tracking, health monitoring, and productivity, the Xplora Kids Smartwatch was made as a response to the understanding that what is important for an adult smartwatch does not necessarily apply to a child. With this realization, Xplora created a smartwatch that is better suited for a child to communicate safely with their family and friends.
A core belief of Xplora is that a kid’s smartwatch should be designed for the specific needs of children and their parents. For Xplora, it is about creating the right product for young kids ages 4 to 11.
A child needs a safe digital, as well as physical, environment. They need to stay in touch with a limited number of people and they do not need, and in many cases should not have, access to the internet and social media. The child needs freedom to explore and grow within safe boundaries, and the parents or guardians need peace of mind.
What makes a smartwatch, such as Xplora, uniquely positioned for children between 4 and 11, is:
It’s a phone
Though it looks like a watch, it is a phone. Unlike adult watches that are typically made to work in an ecosystem of other devices such as a separate smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc., the Xplora kids’ smartwatch is a complete standalone device. It will work alongside any family of devices and plans.
It’s affordable
Most of us do not want to pay for functionality we never use. And guess what? Our willingness to pay for a design or brand as an adult does not directly translate to kids. Kids like things big, colorful, and fun.
A kid's smartphone without access to the Internet and social media uses very little data and voice traffic, making it easy to offer low-cost plans that can compete price-wise, even with a family plan.
If you prefer to pay for the watch over time, there are offers available where the watch itself is priced as part of the monthly plan, still at very affordable rates.
It’s safe
An Xplora kids’ smartwatch offers no access to the internet and social media. We believe children need to form real social connections. Also, non-curated access to the internet and social media can be harmful to kids’ mental health.
You are in full control
With Xplora, you do not need to be a tech guru to control your child’s device or usage. Parents are in full control via the Guardian app, out of the box.
It’s playful, colorful, and durable, just like a child wants
The Xplora watch is a burst of fun on a child’s wrist. They can be bold or more classic or go wild with our Jungle edition straps. Most importantly, a kid can stay a kid. The watches are designed to survive all the bumps, drops, and even a splash of juice. It is made to last ‘a childhood’.
While not indestructible, it is ready to take on the world! And because it’s built for rough-and-tumble adventures, it does not have a fall detector. You will not receive an alert every time your child jumps from the play structure or on or off a bed.
It represents simplicity over a feature feast
A kids’ smartwatch is simpler, and that’s a good thing! Kids do not need an overly technical watch on their wrists. They need a safe, fun, and functional device that fulfills their core needs of a communication device - a two-way calling and messaging functionality often being the most important. Parents appreciate GPS tracking as well as the possibility to set geo-fencing safety zones and to get an alarm when the child is exploring past their approved geographical limits. The watch has a camera for capturing and sharing pictures and video memories.
It incentivizes activity because kids should play to move the world
Most kids do not need a digital fitness coach or advanced heart monitoring features. They can be incentivized to learn healthy habits with very simple means. Xplora’s step counter awards kids with digital coins that they can use to redeem prizes, games, and fun on Xplora’s Activity platform curated especially for kids.
It charges when your child sleeps
Because the kids’ smartwatch does not have all the bells and whistles of a watch made for adults, normal usage suggests the watch needs to be charged every 72 hours. However, children need sleep, and this is a perfect time to let the watch rest and charge while your child is doing the same.
The final verdict?
Suppose you're shopping for a durable, child-friendly solution that keeps your child safely connected for an affordable price. In that case, consider an Xplora Kids Smartwatch as your child’s first phone.
