There are a lot of different types
of GPS trackers out there to help you keep tabs
on your little ones.
To help you find the right match,
we're going to look at four different types
of GPS trackers.
The first type of tracker we're gonna look at
is a wearable and the thing that's cool about it
is it's often combined with smart watch features.
Some of the musts that you want to make sure
are included in a GPS tracker obviously
is that you've got good GPS coverage
and two-way talk is a really great feature.
You can see a speaker right here.
A really great feature in a wearable
that lets you communicate with your kid
and they can kind of feel like they're a superhero
because they have the magic watch that they can talk into.
One thing to note, this particular wearable,
which is a pretty typical size,
it's a little bit smaller than an Apple watch
and a little bit bigger than a Fit Bit.
So this is gonna be something to consider more
when your kid is starting kindergarten,
or anywhere in grade school,
depending on how much control you want them to have
and how much access to things like games,
fitness trackers, and extra features that are really common
in this type of a GPS tracker.
Some of the cons of a wearable tracker
are that it relies on the kid not taking it off.
Now this one is very simple.
It's just a basic, typical watch band
with no extra security or latches.
However, you can find wearable trackers
that do kind of seal up and only the grown-up,
it's like a finger trap and only you should
be able to get it off so that your kid
would not be able to slip it off or take it off
if it was bugging them. And the GPS tracking
on a lot of wearables often don't work as well indoors.
So a lot of them are designed to track a kid
outside at the park, at the bus stop,
walking from school to home, and so that's something
to be aware of if you want to use it a lot
when they're indoors.
Read a lot of reviews and find out which ones
have the best reviews for good GPS tracking inside.
And battery life can be an issue, especially if you've
got games and fitness trackers
because they're running all the time.
And watch out for monthly fees.
There's a lot of Verizon watches
and different cellular brands that have smart watches
for kids that are also trackers,
and those are gonna require a contract and a monthly fee.
All right, the next type we're gonna look at
is a screenless phone.
But it's a two way talking device that lets you
check in with your kid and see where they are.
It includes a GPS tracking technology and the two-way audio.
So what happens here is it will buzz,
you will call your kid, and they'll just hit this button
to talk and they can talk to you, you can see
how they're doing, let them know you're running late,
if you're running late to pick them up from somewhere.
And also, it's gonna sync with an app on your phone
so you'll be able to check in and make sure
they're where they're supposed to be.
The downside here is that this is very limited.
It doesn't have any fun functions for the kid,
it's a really utilitarian device.
But I think that it's a great option
if you are not ready to give your kid a smart phone
and if you don't want extra distractions
like games, which could run out the battery life
when what you really have the device for
is to keep track of your kid.
Big con here: it's not wearable.
You're gonna have to rely on your kid
to keep this in their pocket or in their backpack.
But this particular brand, which is called Relay,
doesn't require any contracts.
Simple, budget friendly option.
Our next tracker that we're gonna talk about
is the AngelSense tracker.
This tracker was designed specifically
for kids with disabilities and other special needs.
This tracker includes 30-second updates.
It will send you updates every 30 seconds to let you know
where your kid is and one of the coolest features
is there's a listen-in capability.
Also, it gives you two-way talk
and if you listen in, it's not gonna alert
anybody that you're listening, but it lets you have
that extra piece of mind that things are going all right.
And the two-way talk feature on this one
also is really cool 'cause your kid doesn't have
to hit a button for it to work.
They don't have to do anything.
If you call them and activate it,
they're just gonna be able to talk to you.
And so you don't have to worry about them
getting to it quickly or fumbling with it,
which is cool because this is a really bulky device.
It's difficult and you don't want them to lose it.
And so the device comes with several different
pouches and things like this that you can insert.
You can insert the tracker in and then you can
tie this around your kid's waist.
It comes with another feature that you can affix
to the back of their t-shirt or sweatshirt.
And so there are ways to secure it.
So the bulkiness of this is not as slim,
and it doesn't make it a really practical wearable.
But it does have special features
that if you have a kid with specific needs,
you're going to really appreciate.
Along with that though, this one does come
with expensive monthly fees.
So you will buy the device up front
and then you're gonna be paying anywhere
from about $33 to $40 a month for this service.
And the last type of GPS tracker for kids
that we're gonna talk about are standalone trackers.
Here are two different types that you can use.
This is a pendant that you could tuck
in a pocket, you can stick it in a backpack
or you could go ahead and string a cord through it,
and they could wear it around their neck.
And this is something that doesn't do anything
but track where your kid is.
It will send you updates through an app
and you'll be able to keep track of them
and make sure that they're okay,
but it's very stripped down and simple.
Another way to do it is.
this is something, it's called the B'zT patch,
and it's kind of cool because they have
a lot of different options that are supposed
to be fun and exciting for kids
and you get the patch, which is sort of
like the disguise for the tracker,
which is this little device.
And what they recommend that you do
is sew this patch around the tracker
and affix it to something that your kid's
gonna have with them most of the time
that you want to be tracking them.
Whether that's a backpack, it's their winter jacket,
something that they're not gonna be leaving home without.
And this is a really discreet option
for a GPS tracker because it's the only thing
we have here that a bystander that maybe
had nefarious ideas in their head
wouldn't be able to know for sure is something
that could track your kid.
And it's also really, super affordable.
Both of these are really on the lower end
as far as what you're gonna have to shell out
and there aren't any monthly fees to go along with them.
For more information, go to safewise.com
and see our full round-up of the best kids GPS trackers
plus in-depth reviews from our team of parent testers
who tried these things out with their own little kids.