Meet Samsung's kid-friendly smartwatch experience
In collaboration with Samsung, we’re introducing the Galaxy Watch for Kids1 experience, a new way to set up Galaxy Watch that can help kids stay connected on the go without relying on a smartphone. With Google Family Link2, parents have the tools to ensure their children are using their cell-enabled smartwatches responsibly to build positive digital habits.
Here’s what’s new:
Parents can set digital ground rules
Powered by Wear OS, Galaxy Watch7 LTE’s setup for kids gives them the benefits of a smartwatch while also allowing parents to set guardrails and make choices that work for their family. With the Family Link app, parents can easily manage watch settings, stay in touch and see where their kids are, keeping the whole family connected.
- Stay in touch: Set up who your kids can call and text from their watch.3
- Manage Google Play apps: Approve or block apps your child can download to their watch. You can even block an app after it’s been installed.
- View location on a map: View the watch’s location on a map to see where your kids are.4
- Reduce distractions with school time: Limit functionality during school hours to help kids stay focused during class. You can manage their schedule and add breaks in the Family Link app.5
- Find lost devices: Quickly locate misplaced watches in your Family Link app.
Kids and parents can find new fun, interactive apps and watch faces
We've partnered with popular kids brands to bring 20 new Teacher Approved apps and watch faces to the Kids section of Google Play. Apps with a “Teacher Approved” badge have been rated by educators and children’s media specialists on factors like age-appropriateness, quality of experience, enrichment and delight.
These new offerings highlight a range of topics — like math, science, history, music, creativity, emotional well-being and physical activity — in fun, engaging ways:
- The BarbieTM Color Creations app invites kids to take on fun weekly coloring projects with inspiring messages from Barbie right from their wrist. It also comes with a sparkly, rainbow-themed watch face.
- The Crayola Create & Play app encourages creativity, self-expression and care with bite-sized activities, as well as a customizable watch face featuring a colorful assortment of Crayola pets.
- In the Marvel HQ: Super Hero Fun app, kids can create beats and dance along with Groot, plus use watch faces featuring favorite characters like Groot, Captain America and Hulk.
- The MathTango app has engaging multiplication puzzles, collectable dancing monsters and vibrant animations and sounds to make math practice fun.
- The Rubik’s Cube® watch face brings this classic puzzle to life with cool 3D twists and turns!
- The Tech Deck® watch face empowers kids to explore and express their style as they mix and match 10 unique skateboard decks and background designs.
- You’ll want to check out two new apps from PBS KIDS, starting with Wild Kratts Creature Power Up. Meet, learn about and move along with new animal friends alongside the Kratt Brothers, and put your Creature Powers to the test through daily activity challenges. Next, the Odd Squad Time Unit app encourages kids to use movement, problem-solving skills and math to solve odd cases and earn agent badges. Don’t miss the PBS KIDS: Dot Watch Face to tell time with Dot, plus additional watch faces from Wild Kratts and Odd Squad.
- With the Rebel Girls Mood Journal app, kids learn to recognize and track their emotions, receive empowering affirmations and fun activity prompts and earn badges featuring inspiring women. Plus, they can wear their confidence on their wrist with cool Rebel Girls Watch Faces!
- Two Whats?! & A Wow! is a daily trivia game where kids guess science facts from fiction, while learning the scientific “how” behind each “wow” statement. Pair the game with the Wow in the World Watch Face that will keep you saying “WOW!” with space themes, seasonal updates and surprises.
- Unicorn Academy™ watch faces let kids personalize their watch with their favorite unicorn and its rider while discovering delightful animation inspired by Spin Master’s Netflix-original series.
Kids can also discover and install other apps from Google Play with parent approval.
The Galaxy Watch for Kids experience will roll out to the Galaxy Watch7 LTE in the coming weeks. It will initially be available in the U.S. on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks.
