My Son Is Four and He Has a Smart Watch

*Disclaimer: I was gifted both toys to review

                             

This year, on my son's birthday, I thought about how fun it would be to be able to celebrate a birthday over the two days. Why not milk that birthday for all it was worth. I asked my husband what he thought of starting a new family tradition, where we set aside one gift from the pile and saved it for the next day, the Canadian birthday. I want to remind my kids where their mama comes from. He loved the idea. So when Charlie woke up the other day, on his Canadian birthday, assuming all the festivities were done, we wished him happy birthday - again. He was surprised when we placed a gift beside his bowl of cereal. His eyes lit up and he looked at us in confusion; his little four year old brain already understanding that birthdays usually only last from sun-up to sun-down.

One of the very silly photos we took on his watch. The cute little giraffe frame is one of the features.

He was soon tearing into the wrapping paper and unveiling his brand new, blue smart watch. My son is always asking me the time, and up until last month I had thought smart watches were just for adults. Boy, was I wrong. 

The Kidizoom Smart Watch DX (by Vtech), besides telling time on a 3D analogue or digital display, takes photos, video, and has eight games for him to play using the touchscreen. It also comes with a motion sensor so my son can explore the three action challenges. I've already set him the challenge of getting the mail for me. I've never seen him get that little task done so quickly. He wanted to see how many steps it would be to the mail box, there and back; one hundred and thirty one, to be precise. 

I didn't want to be left out so I took this photo on the watch

I've been so frustrated by him sitting in front of a screen while I've been taking care of his newborn sister so I was over the moon the other day when he was racing up and down the hallway and through the lounge room to see if he could beat his personal best racing time. Each time he does a new time a "quicker" animal" comes up on his screen to tell him he beat the last one. He whoops with joy! "I beat the chicken mum, I beat the chicken." 

I've worried about him wearing his fancy new watch and washing his hands after he's been to the loo, but thankfully this watch is sweat and splash proof.

One of the photo frames you can choose from on the Smart Watch

Our budding wrist photographer

I've let my son have my old digital camera in the past. As a result, he's taken the most unbecoming photos of me. I've been grateful to scroll through and delete them before anyone else has seen me getting changed, getting in the shower, or shoving toast in my mouth. He really has a knack of photographing me at my worst. Now he can continue to perfect his camera skills by using this watch, and I no longer have to worry about him trashing my camera. 

As I've mentioned, this does have a touchscreen and games so I have found that I do need to monitor my son's activity on his watch at times to make sure he isn't getting an over abundance of screen time, but as he goes about his day he often forgets he's wearing a watch, just like we do. 

You can grab one for your kid (4-9 years) at ToysRUs; Harvey Norman, Kogan or Catch of the Day

And more games are available to download from the Learning Lodge.

Vtech also sent me A little singing puppy for my new daughter. She is just coming up on 4 months old so she is learning to grab and is becoming quite playful. She loves the lights and sounds of her new puppy. The different textures and colours encourage her to touch and cuddle, and the lights teach her  the sound of numbers and objects. The strap at the top means I can hang it from the car seat or pram for her. This cute little puppy is available in July from Big W and other good independent Toy stores.

This is  a video we made of little sister playing with her new Singing Puppy, using the smart watch.