The ability to make and receive calls sets this wearable apart.

When children can’t be seen, they should be heard. LG’s GizmoPal 2 is a smartwatch with the ability to keep tabs on and call your child whenever needed. The smartwatch gives 4- to 7-year-olds freedom — and parents peace of mind — with built-in GPS tracking and smartphone capabilities, and has been called one of 2017’s best smartwatches for kids by Wareable.

Here are the 4 ways the GizmoPal 2 lets a parent breathe easy when their child is out and about.

1. Two-way calling

“I'm a big fan of kids’ wearable phones, which solve a real problem that working parents have,” writes PC Mag’s Sascha Segan. “While you probably don’t want your elementary schooler to have an actual phone, after-school programs and complicated child care arrangements often mean that the kid may need to get in touch with you, and can’t always rely on the adults around her.”

Unlike many child-tracking smartwatches, the GizmoPal 2 boasts two-way voice calling capabilities. Yes, you can track your kid with the GizmoPal’s GPS locator, but you can also call them, too. And the GizmoPal can accept up to four essential telephone contacts — a relief when a primary contact is unavailable when called.

2. Ease of use

Kids still approaching reading level won’t have to physically dial any of those four predetermined contacts on their watch — they can tap a button to call. This means simplicity and ease of use for children. “There are two buttons on the front that kids can use to access the GizmoPal 2’s tiny phone book, read out the time, or make silly sounds,” PC Mag writes. “All actions have voice prompts, and no reading is necessary at any point.”

Of the four pre-programmed numbers, only the primary caregiver must be a Verizon subscriber. (The GizmoPal requires a $5 monthly service plan.) The other three contacts, meanwhile, can use any other carrier. With the simple press of a button your child can call you, whether they’re lost or ready to come home early.

3. Boundaries, set

Everything on the GizmoPal is programmed through the GizmoHub smartphone app, which is compatible with Android and iOS. The built-in GPS locator on the GizmoPal allows you to pull up the app and see where your child is or if they’ve ventured somewhere they shouldn’t have by setting up GPS boundaries. “The GizmoHub app you use to control it has a basic geofencing feature called Place Alerts, which alerts you when the wearable enters or leaves a designated area,” PC Mag notes.

The GizmoPal does “sorta-kinda look like the Apple Watch, which might give them an extra dash of appeal among tech-savvy tykes,” Engadget writes. It boasts 20 different sounds, the bands come in six colors and your kid can decorate the front of the watch with stickers. “Verizon's new kid-tracking smartwatches look all grown up,” the website proclaims.

4. Robust battery

The GizmoPal has nine days of standby battery life and two-and-a-half hours of talk time, so you won’t have to worry about charging it every night or your kid’s watch dying at school (though you can monitor the watch’s battery life in the GizmoHub app). It’s waterproof* up to one meter for 30 minutes, making it ready to withstand any short-term mishaps or puddles your child might encounter.

“It’s every parent’s nightmare — being separated from their child in a busy street or shop, with no way of contacting them,” notes The Daily Mail. “But now there’s a device that young children can wear that lets them call their parents at the touch of a button.”

Be sure to check out a complete parents' guide to kids and tech on Verizon's Family Tech page today.

* Tested to be IPX7 compliant. Do not operate under water. If all covers are tightly closed, device is protected against water ingress to a maximum of 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

 

The above content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Verizon is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use of or reliance on the above content.