With over 4,00 ratings on Amazon, and touted as an ‘Amazon’s Choice’ it’s no surprise this has 4.6 out of 5 stars. One reviewer rates is as 5 star and says; “Bought for my 6yo son. I wasn’t really sure whether he’d be interested in it but the reviews were great and it was on offer so thought I’d give it a go. It was his favourite present, he thinks he has an Apple Watch like mummy! I was surprised at how many features it has especially the camera and games. It’s also educational as there is a game to teach them to tell the time with an analogue clock. The watch face was a lot bigger than I expected (quite a bit bigger than my 38mm Apple Watch) so I thought it would be way too big on my skinny 6yo but in fairness it looks great and is very light. Fantastic gift very pleased with my purchase.”

Best for optimum fitness tracking

Age suitability: 6 years+

Key Features: Water-resistant: Up to 50m | Adjustable strap: Yes | Washable strap: Wipe clean and stain resistant | Easy-to-read: Yes | Battery life: 8 days of charge | Safety: Parental controls | Tracking: Activity, accelerometer, pedometer, sleep | GPS: No location services

Why we love it: As best kids’ watches go, this smartwatch is one of the best. The touch display is engaging and fun to use, and motivates kids to be more active with it’s challenges and entertaining, animated watch faces (with up to 20 to choose from!).

The silicone strap is comfortable to wear and easy to wipe clean. It also has a Sleep Mode with “do not disturb”, so kids don’t get interrupted during school or woken up by notifications or screen light late at night.

Ace 3 safeguards kids’ privacy via parental controls, and the Fitbit family account lets parents review their kids’ activity and sleep habits to encourage healthy behaviour. Though, note that you need to create a Fitbit family account for a complete look at your kid’s activity, with the ability to approve their friends too.

Kids can see their key activity stats for the day right on their wrist, and with virtual badges, animated clock faces and personalised avatars, they have loads of motivation to get moving. Use the Fitbit app to schedule bedtime reminders and silent alarms that gently wake kids with quiet buzzing on their wrists.

One buyer, who rates it 5 stars says; “This was a gift for my 8 year old daughter. She loves it. It’s easy to use, connection to the Fitbit app was straightforward and it fits her well. She wears it every day and loves its functions.”

Age suitability: 6 years+

Key Features: Water-resistant: Up to 50m | Adjustable strap: Yes | Washable strap: Wipe clean | Easy-to-read: Yes | Battery life: 1 year | Safety: Parental controls | Tracking: Steps, sleep, activity | GPS: No 

Why we love it: As best kids’ watches go this smartwatch has a large easy-to-read colour screen, which displays the time, exercises updates and characters. In this case, it’s blue stars, though if you choose marvel you could have superheroes or Disney, princesses/ his watch makes exercise fun, and into a game. One of the great parenting benefits of this Garmin watch is it’s easy chore management, parents can use the Garmin Jr. app to assign tasks, schedule alerts and alarms, and reward kids for good behaviour.

Dad-of-two, Lee says; “This really helps take the ambiguity out of our expectations. We set the chores, he sees them, and then we either talk about them or he just gets on with them. Setting them on his watch means he doesn’t forget they need doing.”

Age suitability: 4 years +

Key Features: Case width is 35mm | Base metal case | Blue plastic strap | Buckle clasp

Overall verdict: It’s four for the price of one with this Frozen watch and jewellery set, as the product comes with three additional bracelets: a blue and white beaded one, a blue coil design and a blue crystal ball style. Frozen fans will love the adorable crystal stud face with Elsa and Anna on it, as well as a glittery blue strap. Another novelty feature is the case which lights up. The dial has a digital display window and shows the time in a 24-hour style, which can help children learn the military format.

This watch is best-suited to kids age 6 or over and explains it come with a 1-year manufacturers guarantee. One happy customer said: ‘Bought this cute little watch and bracelet set for my 6-year old daughter. A lovely little way to help her get a sense of time keeping. Would make a nice gift for a little friend’s birthday too.’

Age suitability: 4 years +

Key Features: Avengers printed dial | Projector function of 10 images | Digital display | 1-year guarantee

Overall verdict: This cheap and cheerful Avengers watch is a double whammy, as it comes with its own projection function – which means kids can shine 10 different images from their watch. The chunky, plastic design – which features a durable PU strap – also means it’s likely to survive knocks and drops. But in the event of the watch breaking, it does come with a year-long guarantee.

Most customers have commented on the high quality of the watch and projections – especially considering the affordable price. One happy customer said, ‘Great for my 4-year old. The projections are better than expected. Definitely worth the money.’

Best for standing the test of time

Age suitability: 4 years +

Key Features: Quartz | Backlight | Date and day display | Water proof up to 100m

Overall verdict: As best kids’ watches go this Lorus Pink watch not only provides the time but offers a whole host of other great functions – so there’s plenty to keep little ones entertained.  It includes a stopwatch, alarm, countdown timer, second timezone and backlight – which is ideal for seeing the time in darker conditions.

The pink resin strap has a buckle clasp so stays in place and the scratch-resistant glass means it’s likely to withstand a few knocks. It’s also water-resistant of up to 100m, so can survive paddling pools, swims and showers and there is a 2-year guarantee if it fails to deliver.

Due to the variety of features, it seems this watch is better suited to older kids. One grandma left a glowing review saying, ‘The watch was a birthday gift for my 10-year-old granddaughter, I chose a digital watch for ease of her reading the time rather than one with hands. The watch was perfect in fit, easy to use and looks attractive.’

Best for learning to tell the time

Age suitability: 5 years+

Key Features: Water resistant | Washable strap | Adjustable strap – fits 12-18 cm wrists | Non-allergenic plating

Why we love it: Easyread Time is designed to help children understand the concept and be able to read a clock. This brand promotes an easy three-step process in teaching kids to tell the time.

Step 1: Read the number at the end of the long hand.
Step 2: Say which side the long hand is on – ‘minutes past’ or ‘minutes to’.
Step 3: Read the number at the end of the short hand. Like this – ‘8 minutes to 2’ – it’s easy as 1, 2, 3!

The watch face is non-allergenic plating so shouldn’t cause a reaction on even the most sensitive skin. And the strap is gentle on skin and comes in a huge range of colours and they feature large and colourful numbers that are strategically placed for reading, seconds, hours and minutes.

Mum-of-one, Jo says; “This is a fantastic watch for anyone struggling to tell the time. The three-step process helped hugely! I bought this to try and help my daughter tell the time. She’s had it a few days and it really is brilliant. It’s got a lovely big face to it, great colours and a lot of detail on the watch face. Plus the watch strap is totally washable, which is perfect for kids like mine who are always covered in mud/dirt/paint/food.”

Best for staying on budget

Age suitability: 3 years+

Key Features: Splash proof | Easy-clean PVC strap | Adjustable strap 

Why we love it: A number 1 best seller on Amazon and touted as an ‘Amazon’s Choice’ this fun themed analogue watch is under a tenner, too! And, with over 6,300 ratings and 4.4 out of 5 stars, this trusted Ravel brand delivers on all fronts. It’s easy to clean and designed for children to learn the time easily. They will quickly catch on with the clear, bright ‘past’, ‘1/2’, ‘1/4’ and ‘to’ reminders and easy-read minutes and seconds. The different coloured hands will help your child differentiate between hours, minutes and seconds while remembering colours as well.

One Amazon reviewer gives 5 stars and says: “We got this for my 4yo little boy because his big sister has a watch. He wanted one too. The wrist strap is nice and thick, and the patterns on the outside are raised up, so make a nice feel when you run your finger over them. Putting the watch on DOES take some adult help, it’s not velcro or easy-clip-on, it’s a standard hole and pin type. The face is nice and easy to read, and very colourful. Our little boy does love it, but the plastic strap does tent to get a little sweaty on his wrist, so he takes it off after not all that long.”

Best for sturdiness and durability

Age suitability: 3 years+

Key Features: Splash proof | Easy-clean PVC strap | Adjustable strap – fits 12.5-16cm wrists

Why we love it: It’s a simple and understated watch face, which is probably best suited to a child who has already grasped the concept of telling the time. The chunky strap is sturdy and can withstand a good bashing.

Mum-of-two Louise tells us; “I bought this for my twins and the chunky strap definitely held its own when being bashed about on climbing frames. And the 3-D designs were great, my sons kept showing them off to all their friends. The simplicity I love though, it would be nice to have a light for nighttime use, though that might be our next watch buy.”

Best for silence – no ticking

Age suitability: 3 years+

Key Features: Splash proof | Wipe-clean strap | Adjustable strap – fits 12.5-16cm wrists

Why we love it: As best kids’ watches go, this is a good one. Quartz is a well known and well-trusted brand. The ticking is silent on this watch, which makes it fine to wear to bed if you don’t want to pick that battle. And the range of designs are all-inclusive, from flowers, mermaids and butterflies to fire engines dinos and even super-helpful ‘maths equations’ as a design. The strap theme is also 3D, raised to the touch and is wipe clean.

Mum-of-one, Lily tells us; “My son is so in love with this watch, it was a gift from his grandma and he adores it, and while he’s still a little too young, at 3, to tell the time, he is so proud of the pretty design. He shows it off to everyone.”

Age suitability: 6 years+

Key Features: Water resistant up to 30m | Easy-clean silicone strap | Adjustable strap – fits 12.5-16cm wrists

Why we love it: As best kids’ watches go, this has a soft silicone strap, which is great for sensitive wrists, not used to wearing anything. Though in super hot weather this can become a little sweaty. The easy-to-read watch face really helps if your little one is learning to tell the time, as well as the clearly posted ‘to’ and ‘past’.

One reviewer rates it 5 stars and says; “We bought this for our granddaughter’s 8th birthday. It is nice and clear to read and a good learning tool for telling the time.”

Best for huge Marvel fans

Age suitability: 3 years+

Key Features: Adjustable velcro strap | Hands have ‘minute’ and ‘hour’ on them to help learners

Why we love it: As best kids’ watches go this great character watch – with Spiderman on the dial – that can help your little on learn to tell the time. It also comes with a 1 year warranty which is great as kids really do put watches through the mill. The hands have the words ‘minute’ and ‘hour’ on them.

One reviewer rates it 5 stars and says; “It’s a fantastic very good quality watch. My son loves it. It’s also easy for my son to put on/ take off by himself. It comes with warranty as well.”

Usually 5 years +, according to the experts. Though, there is no definitive age. You know your child and their ability to look after and/or use a watch. Some children become fixated with watches, so to get them their own is a natural next step regardless of age. 5 years old is usually be in line with what they’ll be learning in school too.

It’s not better, they offer different things. Historically analogue watches have been the go-to to teach children to tell the time. But, as with all things, time ticks by (pun intended) and everything, including technology, moves on and evolves eventually. And, while analogue watches can give a hit of nostalgia for many parents, showing kids how to read a smart watch is pretty important too, as many clocks in life and society use a digital-style layout.

Carly Lewisohn, Digital Wellbeing Expert tells us; “There are many considerations to have. You can ask yourself whether your child needs a smartwatch, especially if they already have a smartphone. How will it support your child’s development or the personal goals for their wellbeing? How will this impact their focus and ability to disconnect and be present?”

She adds; “If you decide to purchase a smartwatch, keep your child and their information safe. For example, use only secured Wi-Fi networks when connecting to the internet and avoid public Wi-Fi. Don’t keep any personal information on the watch, such as personal address or bank details. It’s about being smart.”