The Myfirst Fone R2 smartwatch is not just for young children in my opinion. For parents of some autistic children and young people (like us) and others with children with other additional needs, that full independence may never be achievable. This may help give them at least a little more freedom.
In our case although our youngest child has had a certain number of birthdays there is still a strong chance she might find herself requiring extra support for her whole life so it's great to be able to give her the ability to contact us during the rare times she isn't with us. She attends a club with other ND teens and I feel much more confident about dropping her at that or at a playdate knowing if she feels unsafe or anxious or overwhelmed she can easily and discreetly contact me.
I was delighted to see that although aimed at children aged 5-12 even if your child, like mine, is a few years over that this cute little smart watch comes in a variety of colours with customisable watch faces making it look as grown up as you like. My daughter adored the cat.
You can track your child, set classroom hours so they can't play with it when they should be paying attention to their work, set safe zones and be alerted if they wander out of those zones. For instance my daughter used to run away from school in meltdown and hide - this watch would allow me to not only track her when she left the grounds (you set the boundaries) but she could also call me, message me or video call me at the push of one button.
You could let your youngster head to the playground or local shop maybe or even let older ones walk to and from school and know exactly when they arrive and leave. Any concerns just call them. It's the perfect way to give them some freedom while being confident they are just a button press away. And unlike a phone they won't leave it on a bench! It's cheaper than many smartphones and of course they can't use it to access social media.
Children can't call or message just anyone - contacts are added via an app MyFirst Circle where you can create a family chat or add individual contacts who all communicate using the app to send messages or call. There's even a selection of pre-written texts for the smartwatch wearer to send quickly.
Here's the official blurb:
"This innovative device seamlessly combines the functionalities of a phone, GPS tracker, music player, camera, clock, and fitness tracker. It boasts a brilliant 1.3-inch screen with an enhanced pixel resolution of 360x360, ensuring sharper text and vibrant visuals. Whether you're indoors or outdoors, the screen remains clear and vivid.
The magic button on the top of the watch lets you access custom functions with single, double or long presses. It’s designed for both left and right-handed users and can be operated effortlessly with your index finger. For instance you can program it to "call mum" at the press of a button. Perfect for younger users and young people who have trouble processing sequences during anxiety attacks or meltdowns.
Kids will adore the added Giphy stickers in the app and we have now added an exciting new way for them to express themselves – Momoji. With Momoji, kids can charge it up and send it to their friends. It’s context aware and offers haptic feedback for an immersive experience. Sending a duck Momoji will even flood the screen!"
My daughter loves these and I received quite a few in the first half an hour of her wearing the watch.
"Users enjoy unlimited calls, video calls and app messaging capabilities. Our current eSIM service covers 85 countries worldwide."
Prices vary depending on location and you get a discount for paying for a year up front. You get 30 days free to trial the service then in the UK it's £8.99 a month which can be cancelled at any time. You can use it in wifi without a sim but I would say it's worth the outlay for peace of mind knowing they can contact you at any time.
"Myfirst Fone R2 is designed to withstand the splashes and spills of active kid, boasting water resistance up to 3 meters for 5 minutes. For added reassurance, the water-lock mode prevents accidental screen touches and ejects any trapped water from the speaker port, ensuring seamless operation even in the most water filled environments. So, let your kids dive into their aquatic adventures with complete peace of mind.
Monitor your child’s heart rate and fitness statistics, including steps taken, calories burned, and distance covered. Through the Myfirst Circle app, parents can establish high heart rate alerts. Should a child’s heart rate surpass the designated threshold, the watch will promptly notify them to take it easy!
Speaking of style, the range of clock styles offers both analog and digital designs. We’ve also introduced new sports functions to elevate the overall experience."
We had something similar a few years ago but this is a much nicer, slimmer device with more customisation and the added benefit of video calling.
My daughter is very happy to wear it and she had soon changed the watch face (there are digital and analogue options and a variety of colours and characters), worked out how it worked and found her way round the buttons. I struggled a little initially setting it up so I'd say definitely use the QR code on the paperwork to download full written instructions rather than try and decipher the images on the quick start guide included in the box.
Obviously we have only just started using the watch but early indications are that it is going to be very useful. My daughter is delighted and I feel relieved that she will be able to have more independence without sacrificing safety. It's like a little guardian angel in smartwatch form.
Disclaimer: I revived the Myfirst Fone R2 smartwatch (RRP £199.99) free for the purpose of this honest review.