Best Fitbit for kids 2022

Kids Fitbit for UNICEF
Kids Fitbit for UNICEF (Image credit: UNICEF)

As a team that works remotely, we understand the necessity behind getting to the gym, and we've tested all the fitness tech that we can find to figure out the best Fitbit for kids. Finding a fitness tracker that works for your little one is a great way to introduce a healthy, active lifestyle into your kids' lives. Our favorite kiddie Fitbit is the Fitbit Ace 3. It's tailor-made for kids aged six and up.

Best overall: Fitbit Ace 3

Fitbit Ace 3 Lifestyle

Fitbit Ace 3 Lifestyle (Image credit: Fitbit)

The latest kiddie fitness tracker from Fitbit is the Fitbit Ace 3. It improves upon its predecessor with longer battery life and more customization options. The Fitbit Ace 3 has motivating challenges to get your kiddo moving. There are virtual badges and tons of customizable clock faces. Made for swimming, the Fitbit Ace 3 is water-resistant up to 50 meters. Not only does the Fitbit Ace 3 track fitness, but it also tracks sleep, an important component for overall health. It also provides sleep reminders and a silent alarm.

Kids can challenge friends and family members to step competitions in the Fitbit app and cheer them on as well. The app has parental controls and a kid view. If your child owns a smartphone, they will get notifications right on the Fitbit Ace 3.

Eight-day battery life means that you could theoretically go on a week-long vacation and not even have to charge your child's Fitbit Ace 3. It comes in three different color options: Cosmic Blue/Astro Green, Black/Sport Red, and Special Edition/Minions Yellow. The special Minions edition even has its own clock face. The silicone band is comfortable, durable, and secure, so your child can easily wear it around the clock. You can buy more than one band and swap them out for different looks.

Fitbit Ace 3 Activity Tracker

The Fitbit Ace 3 gamifies fitness

Reasons to buy

+
Kid-friendly looks and durability
+
Excellent feature set
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Swim-proof
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8-day battery life
+
Many custom faces
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Makes fitness game-like

Reasons to avoid

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Definitely for the under-12 set

Fitbit's Ace 3 is motivating for the younger set. Kids will love the look and the fun interactions.

Still great: Fitbit Ace 2

Fitbit Ace 2

Fitbit Ace 2 (Image credit: iMore)

The Fitbit Ace 2 is a great Fitbit for kids because Fitbit has geared it toward them specifically. It has an excellent feature set, comes with a durable band, and is relatively inexpensive.

The Fitbit Ace 2 is for parents of children aged six and older who want to buy their child a fitness tracker. It may be overly complicated for anyone younger, and they may not appreciate its benefits.

The Fitbit Ace 2 may be for kids, but that doesn't mean it's a simple plaything. It boasts practical features that its Fitbit counterparts have, offering your child a meaningful foray into tracking their fitness progress. It tracks steps and active minutes during other exercises. Plus, it monitors sleep so that your kid can learn not only good exercise habits but also great sleep habits as well.

To add a spark of fun and some friendly competition, your child will earn badges for achieving milestones. Additionally, they'll receive daily celebration messages for reaching goals. Got a kid that likes to lay on the couch all weekend? Reminder to Move will encourage your child to stay active throughout the day with friendly reminders.

With its 5-day, rechargeable battery, your kid won't have to put down their Ace 2 very often. Also, since it's shower-proof, they can wear it all day and night. There are 10 clock faces to choose from and two band colors, so your child can add their own sense of style, and the band size is adjustable for little wrists. You can buy more Fitbit Ace 2 bands and swap them out for different looks.

If your child is under 13, you'll create a Family Fitbit account, which offers two views — one for you and one for your kid. You can view all of your child's progress, and your child can access their account through Fitbit's secure "Kid View," which shows them their progress, badges, and more. Kids can also go toe-to-toe with friendly step challenges to win virtual trophies with their friends.

Fitbit Ace 2 Activity Tracker

The Fitbit Ace 2 helps make fitness fun for kids.

Reasons to buy

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Durable, kid-friendly build
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Great feature set
+
Swim-proof
+
5-day battery life
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Great ecosystem

Reasons to avoid

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Older kids may not like the look

Fitbit's Ace 2 tracker is made kid-friendly with the same iconic design as Fitbit Alta, but with animations and more, all geared toward children.

For older kids: Fitbit Inspire 2

Fitbit Inspire 2 Lifestyle

Fitbit Inspire 2 Lifestyle (Image credit: Fitbit)

The Fitbit Inspire 2 has a slightly higher price than the kid-friendly Fitbit Ace 2 and Fitbit Ace 3. Of course, it's not strictly for kids, so it doesn't have that "kiddie" look. It's simpler-looking and slimmer. This makes it great for older kids and teens. The Fitbit Inspire is fully water-resistant, so they can certainly take it to swimming lessons or swim team. It tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and much more, and it has up to a 10-day battery life. It even has female health tracking, which is helpful for tweens and teens who need to track periods.

For young people with a smartphone, the Inspire 2 has text, calendar, and smartphone app alerts. It even has guided breathing sessions for stressed-out kids. The Fitbit's sleep tracking can help your child form good sleep habits from a young age. Choose from three different colors: Black, Lunar White, and Desert Rose. The band is removable, so your child can personalize the look with different bands.

Fitbit Inspire 2 Activity Tracker

Not just for kids

Reasons to buy

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Adult Fitbit; doesn't look childish
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Female health (period) tracking
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Text, calendar, and smartphone app alerts
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Swim-proof
+
10-day battery life
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Sleep tracking

Reasons to avoid

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Not made for kids per se

This is an adult Fitbit at a reasonable price point, perfect for tweens and teens who don't want a "kiddie" fitness tracker.

Bottom line

The Fitbit Ace 3 has the features your child needs, and the Fitbit lineup is easily the best around when it comes to fitness trackers. The price tag may be a big ask, but it's an investment in your child's fitness habits which will hopefully last a lifetime. Thanks to its hardy build, the tracker itself should last years.

Daniel Bader

Daniel Bader is a Senior Editor at iMore, offering his Canadian analysis on Apple and its awesome products. In addition to writing and producing, Daniel regularly appears on Canadian networks CBC and CTV as a technology analyst.