How to track your child

Best Kids GPS Trackers and Devices of 2022

Best Kids GPS Trackers and Devices of 2022 | SafeWise skip to main content Search for:

We tested kids GPS trackers—including kids smartwatches—to bring you our top five faves.

Jiobit Next

SOS button
10-day battery
Location history
13% off

View on Amazon

Read Review

Tack GPS Tracker

SOS button
30-day battery
Location history
12% off

View on Amazon

Read Review

TickTalk 4

SOS button
2-day battery
Location history

View on Amazon

Read Review

Apple AirTag

No SOS button
1-year battery
Location history

View on Amazon

Read Review

By Rebecca Edwards

Security Expert, Safety & Tech Reporter

October 13, 2022

Want to keep your little one safe at school, play, and everywhere in between? We think Jiobit is the best kids’ GPS tracker. Jiobit's parent app provides you with frequent updates and virtual fence capabilities so you can see your kids arrive safely at school and friends’ houses.

But Jiobit's not as feature-rich as some of the other kids GPS trackers on the market, so we'll introduce you to our other favorites too.

Looking specifically for smartwatches? Check out our review of the best kids smartwatches.

Top 5 GPS trackers for kids

Jiobit Next
: Best overall
AngelSense
: Best for kids with disabilities
Tack GPS
: Budget pick
TickTalk 4
: Smartwatch pick
Apple AirTag
: Best for crowded events

Compare best GPS trackers for kids

Product	Best for	Price	Monthly subscription	Max. battery life	Geofences	Two-way talk	Learn more
Jiobit Next	Best overall	$149.99	$8.99/mo.	240 hours	Yes	No	View on Amazon	Read review
AngelSense	Best for kids with disabilities	$69.00 (sale price)	$39.99/mo.	24 hours	Yes	Yes	View on Angelsense	Read review
Tack GPS	Best for budgets	$79.00	$3.99/mo.	30 days	Yes	No	View on Amazon	Read review
TickTalk 4	Smartwatch pick	$199. 99	$10.00/mo.	62 hours	Yes	Yes	View on Amazon	Read review
Apple AirTag	Best for crowded events	$28.99	N/A	1 year	No	No	View on Amazon	Read review

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

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Reviews of the best kids' GPS trackers

1. Jiobit Next: Best overall

Best child GPS tracker

Jiobit Next

$149.99 + $8.99

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon. com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Jiobit Next GPS tracker for kids stands out for its 10-day battery life, learning technology, and small size. Its data is protected by multiple layers of encryption, and Jiobit's the only COPPA-certified device on our list.^1,2

Pros

Risk-free trial

Long battery life (10 days)

Secure, durable attachments

Multiple tracking technologies

Cons

No voice communication

What's new in the Jiobit Next

The Oreo-sized Jiobit Next improves on the original Jiobit with a longer battery life—up to 10 days versus 7 days—and 5G low-power network connectivity that puts less strain on the battery. This means you can check on your kid's whereabouts more often without sapping the battery.

Jiobit's latest iteration also features antenna technology for more accurate indoor location-tracking, plus a new belt or backpack clip.

Jiobit Next learns your child's routine

Jiobit Next has learning technology that will remember your child’s routines, routes, and regular locations. That means Jiobit knows if your child goes somewhere they aren't supposed to or doesn't arrive where they need to be, and you'll get an alert on your phone.

What's missing from the Jiobit Next

There’s no speaker in either Jiobit model, so your child can’t talk to you if they need help, and you can’t listen in to make sure they’re okay. Check out AngelSense or TickTalk 4 for two-way talk.

Learn more by reading our in-depth Jiobit review.

2. AngelSense Kids’ GPS tracker: Best for kids with disabilities

Best GPS tracker for kids with disabilities

AngelSense GPS tracker was created with one purpose in mind: to help protect children with disabilities such as autism. But it works for any little ones.

Its comfortable design won’t interfere with your kiddo’s range of motion. And it locks tight onto school bags or clothes to stay with them from home to bus to classroom and beyond.

Pros

Two-way calling and listen-in function

Transit alerts, including speed and ETA

Location updates every 10 seconds

Cons

High monthly fees

Beyond plenty of tracking capabilities—from safety-zone setup to 10-second updates—AngelSense’s Listen-In function lets parents listen to how their child’s day is going, ensuring they’re not mistreated, neglected, or lost.

With AngelCall two-way voice, you can talk to your child at any time, and they don’t need to worry about buttons or clicking on anything to chat. Plus, you can see what your child has been up to with diary logs that input data every 30 seconds.

AngelSense’s great features do come at a price. Plans start around $30 and go up from there, depending on whether you pay up front or in installments.

This wearable GPS tracker isn't just for kids, either. We recommend AngelSense for people with dementia prone to wandering off.

Read our full review of AngelSense.

Standout feature: Regular updates

AngelSense sends consistent updates throughout your day, so you can feel assured of your child's safety. Check in, listen in, and hold onto your peace of mind while your kids go about their day.

"My son eloped from school! We knew right away and found him so quickly!!" —Stephanie D., AngelSense customer

3. Tack GPS tracker: Budget pick

Budget pick

Tack GPS Tracker

$79.00 + $3.99

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Tack GPS Tracker costs a little more than AngelSense upfront, but it's our budget pick thanks to a $3.99 monthly fee.

But in many ways, you get what you pay for with this super-simple GPS tracker. It has no audio and no extra features besides one button that activates SOS mode with two quick presses.

Pros

Affordable monthly fee

SOS button

Colorful protective cases

Location history and geofences

Cons

No two-way talk

2-minute updates max

In addition to using GPS, Tack connects to the AT&T LTE network and pings nearby Wi-Fi routers for improved location accuracy indoors and out. There's a lanyard channel on top of the device, and Tack also sells colorful protective sleeves and a fabric pouch perfect for attaching to your child's backpack or sewing into a pants pocket.

You can get location updates every 2 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, or 4 hours. While this is fine for basic updates, two minutes is painfully slow during a true emergency, especially considering competitive devices like AngelSense give 10-second updates.

You get to try the Tack GPS Tracker for 30 days without a subscription, so make sure it works as expected in your area before you commit.

4. TickTalk 4: Best GPS tracker watch for kids

Best GPS watch for kids

TickTalk 4

$199.99 + $10.00

/mo

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The TickTalk 4 is a GPS tracker that also functions as a kids smartwatch, so your older children should want to wear it. It's a solid investment that should last until your kid is ready for a cell phone.

Check out our full review of the TickTalk 4 in action and hear from our kid tester.

Pros

Step tracker

Messaging and video calling

No distracting games or apps

Geofencing

Cons

Not compatible with all cellular networks

In addition to regular GPS tracking, you can set GPS boundaries (also called geofencing) to keep your kids safe. If they cross a boundary, you’ll get an automatic alert. This feature is especially handy if you’ve got a wanderer. You can see your child's location through the parents' app and check their status live.

Standout feature: iHeartRadio streaming

TickTalk4 doesn't include games, but it does allow kids to stream family-friendly music and stories on iHeartRadio. We think this is a great compromise for limiting screen time while still giving kids an entertaining device they'll want to wear. It also doubles as a fitness tracker thanks to a built-in pedometer.

Read our full review

Read more about the TickTalk 4 and discover our other favorite kids smartwatches—including the Verizon GizmoWatch 2—on our full roundup page: Best Smartwatches for Kids.

5. Apple AirTag: Best for crowded events

Best for crowded events

Apple AirTag

$28.99

View on Amazon

*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Hear us out on this one—while we don't recommend Apple AirTags as everyday kids location trackers, they're an affordable supplemental gadget capable of pinpointing your child's location in a crowd.

Pros

No monthly subscription

Works worldwide

1-year battery life

Affordable

Cons

Can't track fast motion

No SOS button

No geofencing

No two-way talk

Why AirTags make sense as a secondary kids tracker

AirTags don't cut it as a go-to kids tracker in our book—they have no emergency features and have some tracking limitations, which we explain in-depth in our Apple AirTag FAQ.

But AirTags fill a gap in GPS trackers' functionality thanks to their Precision Finding feature. GPS trackers can show you your child's location within about 16 feet—which isn't always helpful in crowded areas or when trying to find a child who's really good at hiding. Precision Finding can get you to the AirTag's exact location thanks to its directional arrow and inch-by-inch distance countdown.

It's sort of like using the focus dials on a microscope or pair of binoculars: one gives a general view and the other zooms in much further. For best results, use them together.

Affordable . . . sort of

Apple AirTags retail for around $29 each and don't need a monthly service plan. But you need a nearly $470 phone—the iPhone 11 and above—to use the Precision Finding tool.

Learn more in our full Apple AirTag review.

Other GPS trackers for kids we considered

GeoZilla
Active Halo from Amber Alert
OurPact
Tracki
Samsung SmartThings Tracker and Galaxy Smart Tag
My Buddy Tag
Relay Kids Smartphone

GeoZilla GPS tracker

The GeoZilla GPS tracker offers worldwide GPS coverage and gave reasonably accurate location updates during our tests. But some of the advertised communication features didn't work right. For nearly $20 a month, it's not worth the money.

Read our GeoZilla review to get the full scoop.

Pros

Worldwide coverage

5-day battery

Compatible with iOS, Android, and Apple Watch

Cons

Not waterproof

Poor test performance

Misleading prices

Active Halo from Amber Alert GPS

Child GPS trackers like Active Halo from Amber Alert make the darkest scenarios a little brighter.

This child tracking device uses 4G LTE to track location, send alerts, and detect speed. The Amber Alert GPS locator helps you keep tabs on your child’s whereabouts at all times.

Pros

Up to 20 safety zones

Frequent location updates

Silent mode

Cons

Expensive price

You can program up to 20 safe zones and get updates on your child’s location every five minutes. To prevent distractions during school, you can place the device in silent mode.

All of these features come at a price, though—the Amber Alert GPS Locator is one of the most expensive devices on our list.

Standout feature: Sex-offender detection

Amber Alert GPS is the only device that alerts you if your child is close to a registered sex offender’s address.

“Given that our society has changed so much, with dual working parents and the emphasis on child safety, we hope to bring a little peace of mind to parents and a little bit of freedom to youngsters who are too young for a cell phone.”

—Mary Anne Keegan, CMO of Amber Alert GPS

OurPact

OurPact is billed as a GPS tracker for kids, but we found that isn't its strong point. Since it's an app on your child's device, if your kiddo sets down their device and wanders away, then OurPact is useless. If you don't have a computer to sync it with your child's device, it's also useless.

Pros

Blocks apps and websites

Monitors screen time

No up-front cost

Cons

Useless if the device isn't with your child

Needs a computer to install

We did love it as an internet activity-monitoring tool to protect your child from online strangers or cyberbullying. You can see what your child is looking at, block websites and apps, and schedule screen time with ease.

Learn more from our full OurPact review.

Tracki

The Tracki is a tiny, no-frills GPS tracker with geofencing and an SOS button. It's small enough to fit inside a child's pocket, or you can attach it to the included lanyard, keychain, or belt clip to turn it into a wearable tracking device for kids. The Tracki also comes with a silicone cover to protect it from water damage.

Pros

SIM card included

Live location-tracking

Geofencing

SOS button

3–30 day battery life

Cons

Monthly service plan is pricey

From your online account or companion app, you can set up geofence zones and change the frequency of location check-ins. The Tracki's battery lasts up to 72 hours with minute-by-minute check-ins. If you check in once a day, the battery can last more than a month.

The Tracki itself costs around $20, but you'll pay that same amount each month for service. If you pay annually, the price lowers to around $10 per month.

Samsung SmartThings Tracker and Galaxy SmartTag

The Samsung SmartThings Tracker was discontinued in October 2021. It used the AT&T 4G LTE network to track anything—including your child's whereabouts. A button on the side let kids notify their parents when they were ready to be picked up or they needed help.

Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag trackers are similar but use Bluetooth instead of cellular technology. That means they have similar pros and cons to the Apple AirTag when used to track a child.

My Buddy Tag

My Buddy Tag has gone out of business.

It was a Bluetooth tracker disguised as a comfy wristband. One feature that set the My Buddy Tag apart was the water safety alert, which was great for pool or lake safety since it could help prevent drowning. We hope to see a similar feature prioritized in other kids wearables in the future.

Relay Kids Smartphone

Previously one of our top picks, Relay switched over to the business market and has no plans to restock their kids' GPS trackers. Only refurbished units are available, and they get scooped up fast. Existing customers shouldn't experience any service issues.

If you can get one, we think you'll like it. This innovative take on a kids' smartphone has GPS tracking, nationwide coverage, and one-touch communication. And its lack of a screen means you don't have to worry about monitoring your kid's screen time. Learn more in our full Relay review.

Final word

We chose Jiobit as our top pick because it offers a good value, boasting generous battery life and accurate location tracking for a low monthly fee.

But you might prefer another tracker based on your family's needs:

AngelSense is feature-heavy and great for kids with disabilities, but it's also the most expensive option.
Tack GPS has affordable monthly fees, and its performance may reflect that. Test thoroughly.
TickTalk4 includes video calling and other communication channels.
An Apple AirTag shows your child's direction and distance relative to you, making it perfect for crowded events or vacation getaways.

With features like geofences, mobile app alerts, and activity tracking, GPS trackers for kids make family outings and their solo adventures a little safer. These simple devices give you the confidence to let them explore their world at a young age.

Want to keep track of more than just your kids? Check out our full lineup of the best GPS trackers for any situation.

Watch smartwatches in the classroom

We like smartwatches to help keep kids and parents in touch, but your child's device might not be welcome in the classroom. Schools are concerned about distraction, privacy, and cheating.

Be sure to talk to your child's teacher or principal before sending them to school with a smartwatch. And you can help educators out—use parental controls (it's called "Do Not Disturb" on the TickTalk 4) to shut down the device during class.

What to look for in a kids GPS tracker

Whether you’re looking for a kids’ GPS tracking watch or a GPS tracking device you can conceal in a pocket, get to know the basics before making a purchase.

The best GPS tracker is comfortable and fun for kids to use, durable enough to last all day, and accurate in its readings. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

User-friendliness: Choose a tracker that’s easy for you and your child to use. It shouldn’t interfere with their range of motion or get in the way.
Age range: Check the recommended age range on any tracker you’re considering. Some have anti-tamper features for older kids if you’re worried they will remove it.
Durability: Kids play rough, so be sure their tracker can withstand all the roughhousing, horseplay, and hazards kids can throw at it. Look for waterproof models that can handle puddles and spills too.
Range: Not all GPS devices are created equal. Those that use cellular 4G LTE tracking can handle long range connections if your kids visit somewhere out of state while Bluetooth devices are meant for close range.
Alerts and notifications: Look for a device with adjustable settings to avoid false alarms or blowing up your phone. Your device should be customizable to let you check on your kids when you want and notify you when there’s trouble.
Panic button: Some kids GPS devices come with a panic button that let your child alert you when something’s wrong or they need help.
Two-way communication: This feature lets you speak to your child through their tracker like an intercom so you can ask them where they are or if they need help.
Games: Features like games and step counters give kids more motivation to wear their tracker. After all, the device isn’t helpful if your child doesn’t want to wear or use it. Just make sure the games aren't too distracting.
Real-time tracking: When you need to know where your child is, this is the most important feature. You can adjust the settings in your tracker’s app to send an updated location to you every minute to every fifteen minutes.

Parent survey statistics

How often do parents lose track of their kids?

One minute you’re cruising through the grocery store with your kid in tow, the next minute your little one has disappeared without a trace. At least one in three parents have been there.

How often do parents lose their kids in public? And how does this affect parents’ decisions about purposely letting their children out of sight or keeping tabs on them with a GPS tracker? In October 2021, we surveyed 1,000 parents with kids between the ages of 7 and 17 to get some answers.

Survey Results: All parents

Our surveyed parents reported the following:

One in three parents have lost a child in a store.
Around 32% have lost a child at a crowded event.
Over one in five have lost a child at a park.
Nearly one in five have lost a child for more than an hour.
Nearly one in five have called police about a lost or missing child.

We wanted to understand how these scary situations affected parents’ willingness to let their kids roam free. According to our survey, the average parent lets their kid do the following:

Walk home alone at age 12
Take public transportation alone at age 14
Play outside unsupervised at age 11
Stay home alone at age 13
Trick or treat unsupervised at age 13
Have a cell phone at age 12

Those ages didn’t change for parents who had lost a child at least once, with one exception: cell phones. Parents were more likely to allow their children to have a cell phone by age 10 if the following applied for them:

Had a special needs child
Had lost their child in a store
Had lost their child at a crowded event
Had lost a child at a park
Had called police about a lost or missing child

Parents with only one child were less likely to have lost their child in all circumstances. Parents with at least one special-needs child were more likely to have lost a child.

Survey Results: Parents of children with special needs

Surveyed parents with at least one special needs child reported the following:

Nearly one in two have lost a child in a store.
More than 50% have lost a child at a crowded event.
Over two in five have lost a child at a park.
Over one in three have lost a child for more than an hour.
Nearly two in five have called police about a lost or missing child.

With a kids GPS tracker, you and your child won’t become a scary statistic. If your child slips away in a crowd or is late coming home from a friend’s house, you can look up their exact location before your imagination runs wild.

Around two-thirds of all parents think their oldest child wouldn’t mind them tracking their location. If your child seems too old for our recommended kids GPS trackers or smartwatches, consider installing a parental control app with location-tracking on their phone.

GPS trackers for kids FAQ

While helicopter parenting is rarely necessary, there are some cases that call for giving your child a GPS tracker. For example, a GPS device can help parents with kids who live in multiple households or have special needs keep tabs on their whereabouts. Toddlers and little tykes may also benefit from a small tracker on their shoelace or clothes in crowded places.

Watch our video to learn more: Why kids GPS trackers are a great alternative to a cell phone

Of course. GPS trackers use the same technology we have in our phones. Bluetooth, GPS locating, and cellular signals are the main methods these devices use.

Most charges last for a couple days. If you plan to use a tracker every day, charge it at night when they get home just like you would charge your cell phone.

Geofencing is a feature found in many different types of GPS trackers. It allows you to draw digital boundaries around trusted areas like schools, homes, and neighborhoods. When your child enters or leaves that area, you’ll get a notification.

How we reviewed GPS trackers for kids

To get the best results for our lineup, we tested some of the best kids' GPS trackers ourselves. We got products like AngelSense, Jiobit, and Relay in-house to give them a spin.

We tested each of these for features like location accuracy (hide and seek, anyone?), portability, and tracking range.

We also wanted to make sure we picked products kids actually wanted to use. So features like games and activity tracking earned extra points in our testing.

Learn more from our methodology page about how we conduct reviews like this one.

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5 Best Child Tracking Apps and Gadgets to Monitor Location

Ease your nerves in real-time

Allowing your children to go outside and play with friends makes you a great parent. If you have teens, you may even allow them to venture off miles away to hang out with their buddies.

Now, what makes you a great parent is always knowing where they (really) are. You can’t just take their word for it either — the best way to ease your nerves is to locate your child in real-time.

Table of Contents

The following child tracking apps and gadgets will allow you to track your children wherever they may be.

Xplora 2 – A Nice Gift In Disguise

Whether you decide to tell your child you’re tracking them or not — you’ll find the Xplora 2 watch to be a great choice. Now, it may work better with younger children who aren’t fashion-conscious.

This device doesn’t require a SIM and costs roughly $170. There are no monthly fees to worry about.

As long as your child has this watch on, you’ll be able to track their real-time location. Plus, you can create alerts for when your child leaves an area (like the park or a friend’s house).

What makes this device stand out is that it comes with Amazon Echo. So all you have to do is ask Alexa your child’s whereabouts and it’ll answer.

FamiSafe – Track Your Child’s Online & Offline Activity

Sometimes, it’s not enough just to know where your children are. With the FamiSafe GPS tracker app, you can verify where your kids are at all times.

It also allows you to check their location history, because who can sit and follow a dot on the map all day?

This child tracking app also allows you to create Geofences, so you’re alerted when your children step outside of the boundary (or when they arrive). Then to take it a step further, you can block dangerous apps so they can’t use them while they’re out.

It comes with a monthly fee — you can choose between $4.99/month for annually, $9.99/monthly or $6.66/month quarterly. It’s available for both iOS and Android devices.

Jiobit – A Discreet GPS Tracker

Maybe you don’t allow your children to have a smart device. Or possibly you want something as a backup, in case they lose or break their smartphone.

In this case, you can use Jiobit — a small GPS tracker that can fit just about anywhere. It’s roughly 50mm and weighs 18 grams. There’s a loop on it that allows you to attach it to belt loops, shoelaces, straps, and so on.

It also offers mobile fences, but it also does something unique. You can add a “Care Team” which are people you trust around your children. This is excellent if you have a babysitter, family member, or friend who picks up and watches your children when you’re at work.

There’s a monthly fee of either $12.99/month or $8.99/month if you make a two-year commitment.

Life360 – Monitoring For The Whole Family

Here’s another app that comes with the main features you need — the ability to create perimeters, track your children in real-time, and receive alerts.

You can also create a private circle with your family members. This is ideal if you want to be able to coordinate plans with your spouse and children. The location sharing also helps with ensuring everyone’s where they’re supposed to be.

GPS Phone Tracker takes it a step further by allowing you to receive notifications about members who arrive and leave from your most frequented places. You can even get alerts when a family member’s battery is running low.

This child tracking app is currently free but does offer in-app purchases. It’s available on both Android and iOS devices.

AngelSense – For Children With Special Needs

Here’s another GPS tracking option that enables parents to keep an eye on their children. It comes with voice-monitoring features. This allows you to click a button to listen in on what’s happening.

One mother using this feature heard her son getting bullied on the school bus. She pinpointed the location and was able to get there and save him from distress.

You can also use this child tracking device to talk to your child anytime (like the old-school chirp button on Nextel phones). You can also get alerts letting you know when your child leaves school or another location they’re supposed to be in.

It’ll even notify you of suspicious activities, such as your child being in an unknown place.

This solution comes with a GPS device, a sleeve device, and a magnetic key. As for the cost, the kit is typically $229. You can then choose a plan — $33/month for annual, $39/month for monthly, or $52/month for month-to-month.

Plus, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Keep Your Children Safe With GPS Tracking

You shouldn’t have to worry whether or not your children are where they’re supposed to be. With these child tracking apps and gadgets, you can take control of the safety of your kids.

There’s something for all parenting styles and budgets. So check these GPS trackers out and see which work best for your family.

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Saphia Lanier is a freelance writer with 13 years of experience in SaaS, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. She specializes in writing informative, yet engaging content that revolves around technologies that enhance your business, health, privacy, safety, convenience, and entertainment. Read Saphia's Full Bio

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How can you monitor children and is it worth it

All mothers and fathers worry about their children, no matter how old they are. Every parent wants to know if a child is skipping school; whether he really went to visit a friend, and not behind the garages; where is he walking around, after all, he should have been at home already? Now there are so many ways to track the location of your child, ranging from baby monitors to GPS systems.

What devices can be used to monitor a child and is it worth it? Still, a child is a person who has the right to privacy, and total surveillance is unethical. The editors of Tlum.Ru offer you an overview of the latest technologies in the world of child control and give parents arguments from forums and social networks for and against surveillance.

How can I keep track of my baby?

Parents start monitoring their child's safety from a very young age. For this, the simplest surveillance device, a baby monitor, was invented a long time ago.

A baby monitor consists of two "walkie-talkies", one is placed near the child, the second is taken with you. The range is small. Suitable for monitoring a child who is playing in the room while mom is preparing dinner.

True, now there are much more sophisticated nannies. Here, the readings of temperature and humidity sensors, and indicators of the child's emotions, and video communication, and lullabies are switched on from the remote control. But the range is still about 300 meters, you won’t go far, except to chat with a neighbor.

Parents can also install a regular video camera in a child's room and link it to a phone or tablet. Usually, such systems are purchased to control the nanny, to be sure that they and the child are watching Be-be-bears, and not the new Alien.

How to monitor a student?

There are two main methods of surveillance here - a GPS tracker and a telephone locator.

The GPS tracker, as a separate device from the phone, is rather inconvenient. It needs to be properly configured to work without failures, and few companies have local support for such a gadget in Russia. In addition, devices are often bulky and require constant recharging. Services that provide location information are often chargeable.

It's a completely different story if GPS control goes through a smartphone (if your child has one). There are a huge number of both paid and free applications. And there are many functions too: in addition to finding out where your child is right now, you can see how charged the battery of his phone is, send an SOS signal to loved ones and even connect the whole family to the program so that everyone can know where mom is now, dad, grandmother and great-aunt Valya.

_{AT WHAT AGE CAN A CHILD WALK ALONE?}

As for telephone locators, this is another popular means of monitoring children in Russia. But there are downsides here too. For example, the Locator service implies that the child must each time give consent to surveillance via SMS. And if your daughter is not at the course at all, but with a friend, she can say that she did not see the request and only answer on the way home.

There is also the "Child under supervision" service, then permission for surveillance is not needed, the service itself sends you notifications about the movement of the child. However, this service is paid.

How do I keep an eye on my child while traveling?

A separate issue is the location of the child on trips or when visiting crowded places like an airport or train station. Here, too, there are several options.

ID bracelets or tags are the simplest thing you can think of. Often a small child not only does not remember his parents' phone number, he cannot even give his name. Therefore, before visiting a crowded place, it is recommended to put on a tag or bracelet with detailed information on a child: name, surname, address, name and phone number of parents, blood type, etc. True, there is no particular reason to buy something, such a tag can be made independently .

The company also offers radio beacons to the attention of parents, they can be in key fobs, bags, even in teddy bears. They are usually easy to attach to a child's clothing or bag. If the children are out of sight, the parents press a button on the parent device and the key fob makes a loud sound to locate the child. But this only works within a radius of 50-100 meters. At this distance, the child himself can make a loud sound to find you.

_{SHOULD CHILDREN BE POCKET MONEY?}

There is also a similar gadget that sounds an alarm on both devices if the child goes a critical distance that the parents set themselves. We do not recommend for hyperactive children, they will get a headache too quickly.

For a little older guys, you can buy a walkie-talkie, though now it is a rather useless thing, phones are picked up almost everywhere. However, if you went camping, why not?

Is it worth watching children?

What do parents themselves think? How ethical is it to spy on your child? Of course, we are not talking now about the little ones, who definitely need to be looked after, but about middle and high school students. Are they exactly where they should have gone? Are they lying? Nothing happened?

The editors of Tlum.Ru, as always, have collected for you opinions “for and against”, so that you get acquainted with the arguments of both sides.

Yes, children need to be watched!

“Do not forget that you are financially responsible for children's joints. So it is better to know where the child is. It's calmer somehow. And when unscrupulous police officers try to pin something on a child, especially one who is not very controlled, it is better to have evidence in your pocket.”

"I agree that you can set geolocation on any firefighter, but use it only in an emergency, and not out of curiosity."

“Control over minors is the responsibility of parents. So here the objections are not accepted from the side of the children.”

“I don't see anything wrong with geolocation, neither for adults nor for children. Provided, of course, an adequate family without bells and whistles, which will not use it for surveillance and control. This program can save a life."

“The other day we discovered that our prudent son used to drive a car at a speed of 140, his father forgot the GP in the glove box turned on, and he wrote down the speed). We had a conversation ... These are the kids, it seems, I am sure of them, but they ... ".

No, you don't have to supervise children!

“It is better to build trust with a teenager, rather than follow his every step. Surveillance is for parents who are trying to ensure the safety of the child without having a trusting relationship with him.

“I think that parents should not hide behind good goals, but should be able to trust children and build relationships so that the child is not afraid to tell something, so that he can bring friends home, then their parents will know them, communicate with their parents the child's friends, etc., although many on the forum do not tolerate strangers at home and do not bother communicating with other parents.

“More about surveillance. Literally yesterday's story. the son walked the dog longer than usual. called him, said: now I’ll take a little walk and come back. ok, play along. and he walks with a girl with a spaniel. it turned out that they chatted and went far. it’s good that they were going in a straight line, so they turned around and came back. would I keep track of its coordinates? what would I think of for myself in those 20 minutes that he was walking home? and he would not have flown for anything . .. ".

“You need to follow the very small ones until they learn to think for themselves. Not in the sense of eavesdropping and peeping, but in terms of determining the location. And teenagers need to negotiate. And if by adolescence, parents have not learned to negotiate, then at least examine yourself, and he will still find a way to deceive. They are so smart."

“My daughter successfully graduated from school even without total supervision. My son moved to the 10th grade and, to be honest, they already got it - like I will always know where he is. Crap! He is almost 16 years old! My husband at this age studied in another city, came home twice a month - and no one died.

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Parental control: how to monitor a child and not go too far

October 19, 2017 Life

There are indeed a lot of dangers around - from frantic traffic on the streets to a threat to reputation on the Web (this is even more important for children than adults). But constant supervision stifles children's independence. Why study something if everything in the world is already controlled by mom and dad? Overprotection does not give experience, and we worry even more about an inexperienced and helpless child. Let's try to understand how to combine care and common sense.

Controlling reality

Control grows and changes with the child. Babies can be followed by a baby monitor, but the older the children, the more difficult their routes, and you have to invent something more interesting.

According to the statistics cited by ^{, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation has developed a memo with tips on how to prevent missing children The Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, since the beginning of 2017, about 1,350 people have been lost in Russia, of which more than 300 are children.}

At the same time, according to one of the research centers ^{Parents, Teens and Digital Monitoring, 39% of parents filter the information that children can get on the Web, and only 16% track the location of the child using smartphone applications, although such programs are available and help to find not only children, but also other family members . The main thing is that you don’t have to constantly call with the same question “Where are you?”. But the smartphone is exactly the item that the hooligans who caught the child after school will be the first to wring out.}

Another option is beacons that send geolocation signals. Of course, you will have to buy them separately and at the same time take a closer look at the functions that they have.

It is better to look at wearable gadgets so as not to lose them and forget them at home.

Lexand Kids Radar is a children's watch with built-in GPS. They track the location of the child and send data to the parent's smartphone. In addition to GPS, the gadget uses LBS technology, which takes data from Wi-Fi points and helps to find the gadget indoors.

To avoid having to constantly look at the map, you can set up safe zones in the app. When a child crosses their borders, the watch sends a notification. A big plus of the gadget is a panic button on the case, which the child himself can press, giving a danger signal. You can turn off persistent notifications and agree that you only respond to the wake-up call so that the child does not feel like Big Brother is watching him all the time. The application settings are elementary, the watch works out of the box and tracks locations around the world.

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Kids Radar has an ambient listening function. For example, if a child pressed the panic button, you can turn it on and find out what happened: a quarrel with classmates, aggression from the teacher, or something else. At the same time, strangers cannot “call” the gadget.

Children are most often lost in a crowd, in a shopping center or at a party when their parents turn their backs for a moment. Such cases usually end happily, except for the affected nerve cells. In order not to lose the child, turn on the tracking mode: if the tracker and the smartphone are at a great distance, you will hear a signal.

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Tracker bonus - step counting. Probably even the asphalt on the streets will soon be counting steps, so why not at the same time see how much the child ran during breaks and in physical education? At least it will be clear where to go after school: do homework or go for a walk (although we already know what to go for a walk).

We control the Internet

Parental control functions will soon appear even in microwave ovens. There are many ways to prevent a child from getting dangerous information:

Lock individual applications or their functions with a password.
Applications that create their own smartphone shell. The child simply will not be able to discover the same as the parents.
Browser settings and special extensions for content control.
Built-in mobile platform tools.

It's easy to choose until the child learns how to break all these fences, and this moment will definitely come. However, if he was able to bypass your technical gadgets, he will be able to figure out what information to consume.

The child will sooner or later encounter negative information: he will be able to read the inscription on the fence as soon as he learns the alphabet. The task of parents is not to paint over the letters, but to explain what to do.

How not to overdo it with control

The danger lies not only in getting lost or finding news with shocking photos. No gadgets and applications will help if the child does not look around before crossing the road. He needs to take care of safety himself, but he can learn this only if he does a lot himself, without parental supervision.

We'll have to find a compromise in which the parents won't grab their hearts with or without reason, and the child won't feel locked in a cage.