A new year means new fitness goals and activities for many people, including kids! We take a closer look at this kid-exclusive Vívofit jr. 3 from Garmin.
Everything from the smaller watch face and wristband to the fun colors and cool designs was made with active kids in mind. If you’re looking for a fitness wearable specifically for your kids, consider the Garmin Vívofit jr. 3.
Contents
Suggested readings
- Fitbit Ace 3 VS Garmin vivofit jr. 3: what’s the best activity tracker for your kids?
- 7 best free physical education apps for teachers
- How to contact Garmin Customer Support about issues and warranty info
- Garmin watch or tracker not syncing to Connect app on your phone? Let’s fix it!
Vívofit jr. 3: Overview
This tracker is Garmin’s kid-specific fitness wearable that provides fun encouragement for kids to get active.
The Vívofit jr. 3 uses Bluetooth connectivity and its partner app, Garmin Jr., is both iPhone and Android compatible. Your child’s watch is easily paired with the app on your phone for easy monitoring.
Its silicone strap is adjustable and built for smaller wrists, and its lightweight frame at 25 grams won’t make your kids feel like they’ve got a bulky device on.
Packed with a standard clock face, it also gives them the option of having an alarm clock, timer, and stopwatch. Its built-in accelerometer also counts steps, and tracks distance traveled.
In addition to some of these standard fitness metrics, the Vívofit jr. 3 can provide audible alerts for completing chores, earning rewards, and unlocking new activities and challenges.
One last super-cool feature that Vívofit jr. 3 has is its I.C.E (In Case of Emergency) option for parents. Any emergency contact or additional information can be loaded onto the watch’s widget, allowing for quick accessibility if ever needed.
Garmin has not only created a great option to encourage your kids to be active, but it has also instilled some peace of mind for parents who want that added measure of security.
Vívofit jr. 3: Kid-specific features
Garmin boasts that the Vívofit jr. 3 isn’t just a fitness tracker – rather, it’s a fully interactive experience for your child. The more activity logged, the more in-app rewards they’ll earn.
The Vívofit jr. 3 is packed full of both fun and fitness-specific features. Some of these fun features include:
- Quizzes, games, and adventures: 60 minutes of activity unlocks these bonuses, and the more active minutes logged, the more fun challenges they’ll earn.
- Fitness cards: Your child receives fun fitness cards that teach them a functional fitness move (e.g., jumping jacks or downward dog).
- Timed activities: Just as you may log a workout, kids can also choose to start and stop an activity. This could be everything from a soccer game to track practice!
- Color display and clock face: The Vívofit jr. 3 comes with a handful of different color themes and clock face options, so your child really gets that custom feel.
- Marvel and Disney accessories: Vívofit jr. 3 has three standard designs for the wristband (green, blue, and purple), but they also have additional wrist bands from Marvel (Iron Man and Black Panther) and Disney (The Little Mermaid and Disney Princess). Kids love these fun options!
Vívofit jr. 3: For the parents
The Vívofit jr. 3 has also created some parent-specific features that may come in handy.
Depending on their age, not all kids may have their smartphones yet. If that’s the case, most of their activity is linked to the Garmin Jr. app on your phone. And you get notifications based on that activity or assignment.
Some of these great parent features include:
- Activity monitoring: Parents can view their child’s activity, assigned responsibilities, chores, and sleep data.
- Chores and Rewards: You can assign chores and other tasks within the app, and your child receives these notifications on their watch. You can also designate in-app coins that can be traded for a reward of your choice.
- Link up together: If you also have a Garmin device, you can connect with your kids (and other families) on the Garmin Connect app to complete weekly step challenges.
- Kid mode: If your child does have their own smartphone, you can enable Kid Mode in the Garmin Jr. app to give them limited access to monitor their chores and play their games.
Final thoughts
The Vívofit jr. 3 is a fun option for kids and a practical option for parents. Here is a summary of some things that I like and other things that could use some tweaking on Garmin’s part.
Pros:
- Exceptional battery life (lasts up to 1 year with replaceable battery)
- Watch and band is ideal for smaller wrists
- Durable and swim-friendly waterproof
- Fun and encouraging device to help motivate kids to be active
- Parents can use the app to manage chores and monitor activity
- Cheaper than most other fitness wearables at USD 79.99
Cons:
- Because of its smaller size, the screens are tiny
- Chores can’t be selected and completed on the actual device (need app access)
- Some users have noted the auto-sync is sporadic
- Parents must install the Garmin Jr. app onto a phone and pair it to their child’s vívofit jr. 3
Overall, I think the Vívofit jr. 3 is an excellent option for younger kids who want a more basic and playful fitness wearable. It’s also great for parents who still want to monitor some of their kids’ daily activities.
Which fun theme would you pick if you were wearing the Vívofit jr. 3? Personally, I’d pick Black Panther!
