A kids’ smartwatch for free-range parenting: The Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure

Decades ago, parents told kids to come home when the streetlights came on. Riding bikes, playing hide-and-seek, hitting up the local ice cream spot—kids often explored outside alone, without Mom and Dad watching.

Today, children of all ages are more likely to play indoors; in fact, the average American child spends only 4 to 7 minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day. Enter what’s known as free-range parenting. The idea is to reinstitute some of those earlier practices, but with a modern twist. It means encouraging kids to get outside, explore and experience independent decision-making. Free-range kids may walk or ride their bikes alone, play basketball at a neighborhood park with friends, or walk the mall with plans to meet their parents later. In short, by giving limited supervision, the hope is that these kids develop a healthy sense of independence. And research shows that doing so during these formative years can boost a child’s self-confidence, resilience, problem-solving ability and mental health.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of free-range parenting but not ready to totally retire your helicopter parent pilot license, a GPS watch like the Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure can help you keep an eye on your child while they explore their independence. Here’s how to determine if the Gizmo is right for your family and get the most out of its GPS features.

Is your child ready for a GPS watch?

Once children are responsible enough to play outside alone, often around 7 or 8 years old, they may be ready for a smartwatch.

Sarah Kimmel, founder of Family Tech Zone, says she encourages families (even if they aren’t trying free-range parenting) to use a smartwatch as a kid’s first piece of communication technology, before they get a cell phone. “The watch can be a teaching tool on how to use technology and how to communicate effectively,” she says. “And at that age, a GPS watch can be more for free-range-parenting peace of mind than for the kids’ enjoyment.”

Using the parent app and GPS on the Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure.

1. You can set up safe zones. From the Gizmo Hub app on your phone, you can set a geo-fence or a predefined zone, like a neighborhood, where kids are allowed to be. If the child goes outside the zone, an alert is triggered on the parent’s app.

2. You can view their location in real-time. Beyond the geo-fence, you may want to check in on the whereabouts of your child without having to contact them.

Maybe you want to see if the school bus is on time, or to find out if they went to a friend’s house after school. Gizmo’s real-time tracking lets you check their location from the app on your phone: Tap the refresh location or real-time tracking buttons in the GizmoHub app.

“I always recommend parents get a GPS-based device if they want to track their kids even when free-range parenting,” says Kimmel. “You shouldn’t rely on something that’s based on Wi-Fi or a connection to other devices.”

3. You can keep in touch with calls and texts. The Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure is also a good fit for kids who aren’t ready for a phone yet. The watch allows kids to send and receive calls and texts, but only to parent-approved contacts that parents can manage from the GizmoHub app on their phone.

There’s also a speech-to-text feature, so kids who may struggle with typing can send texts. Something to keep in mind whether or not you’re free-range parenting: Kimmel says once kids show that they can use the watch to communicate responsibly, they may be ready for a smartphone.

4. Your child gets an SOS button. If there’s an emergency while your free-range kid is out and about—for example, if they get lost or hurt or just need a pickup ASAP—they can press the Gizmo’s built-in emergency button to quickly dial a preset emergency contact. It’s a safety net for your free-range parenting.

Are you ready to go free-range?

While it’s natural to worry about your kids’ safety, it’s also crucial to promote autonomy as your children age. Only parents know when their child is ready to be more independent. But when they are ready, technology like the Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure can provide peace of mind while free-range parenting, as the kids venture out on their own.

Get the tech designed for independence and peace of mind: the Gizmo Watch 3 - Adventure.