Kids GPS Watches
GPS watches children actually keep on: two-way calling, live location on your phone, and an SOS button that reaches you immediately. Video calling and a removal alert on some models.
How to choose a kids GPS watch
Why a watch rather than a tracker
The advantage is simple: it stays on the wrist. A tracker in a school bag gets left in a classroom or a car, and a tracker that is elsewhere tells you nothing useful. A watch is also a phone substitute for younger children, with two-way calling to the contacts you set up, video calling on some models, and an SOS button that calls you.
Battery, strap and water
Check battery life against a full school day plus after school activities, and look for a strap that suits your child's wrist. Water resistance is worth having for anything worn daily; most here are rated for it. Every watch needs its own SIM, a standard New Zealand SIM with a small data allowance, and the app and web tracking carry no subscription.
Compare the types
 Calling watch |  Video calling watch |  Bluetooth wristband | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calls | Two-way voice | Two-way voice and video | No |
| SOS button | Yes | Yes | No |
| Live map | Yes, over 4G | Yes, over 4G | Only when a phone passes |
| Needs a SIM | Yes | Yes | No |
| Suits | A first watch for a younger child | A child who wants to see you | Finding a lost band, not a child |
| See | Kids GPS Watch 4G with removal alarm | Kids GPS Watch 4G with video calling | Wristband tags |
Buying guides
GPS Tracker Buying Guide NZHow it gets power decides everything
GPS watchesJump to this section of the GPS Tracker Buying Guide
Related
GPS Trackers for Kids GPS Trackers GPS Trackers for Elderly Personal GPS Trackers
Common questions
Does it need its own SIM?
Yes, a standard New Zealand SIM with a small data allowance. The app and web tracking on these watches carry no subscription.
Does my child need a phone as well?
No. The watch has its own SIM and makes and takes calls on its own. Your phone runs the app that shows the map and receives the alerts.
Is it waterproof?
Most are rated for rain, hand washing and showers; the listing gives the rating for each watch.
Is it legal to track a child or a family member with a GPS tracker in New Zealand? NZ law
Yes, for a child or a dependent adult you are responsible for, with a device they know about, and for yourself. Tracking another adult without their agreement is not: from 26 May 2026 the Crimes Act 1961 treats tracking or recording a person on two or more occasions, knowing it is likely to cause fear or distress, as stalking and harassment (sections 216O to 216Q), with up to five years in prison, and the Act names tracking devices specifically. These devices are built for the wearer's own safety: the SOS button, the calling and the location go to contacts the wearer or their guardian chooses. Models with a microphone can only be used to listen to conversations you are part of (section 216B).