Fitbit, the popular company known for its fitness tracker devices, has announced they are releasing a Fitbit for kids device to help children to stay active while having fun at the same time.
The Fitbit Ace, the new fitness-tracking device, is specially designed for children ages eight and up. According to the company, the Fitbit for kids device was created because of the increasing amount of time children spend in front of a screen and the decreasing amount of time they spend engaging in physical activities. According to Fitbit, the device will help motivate kids to live a more healthy lifestyle.
“The challenge of inactivity with our children is not going away and is only estimated to get worse as they get older, dropping almost 40 minutes per year from ages 9 to 15,” Chris Watts, executive director of the National Fitness Foundation, told Fitbit in a statement. “It is essential to provide parents with tools to help their kids be more active,” he added. “Fitbit’s solution offers more than just a way to track activity – it helps instill healthy habits from an early age, making it fun and rewarding to move more and empowers parents to make health and fitness a family affair.”
The kid-friendly fitness tracker device appears to function similar to existing Fitbit devices but will have several features that appeal to kids such has interchangeable wristband color and multiple clock faces that allow kids to choose from 10 ways to display Fitbit information.
The children’s Fitbit device will also automatically track sleeping patterns and help establish sleep goals. Bedtime reminders can be set to promote healthy sleep habits. This feature could be helpful for parents wanting to keep track of how much sleep their child gets.
Fitbit for kids privacy settings and security features
Although the Fitbit Ace device will have similar features the other latest Fitbit devices, the main differences are in the app and how new features can protect kids’ privacy. According to Fitbit, new Fitbit family accounts are compliant with Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable privacy laws that will allow parents to manage and monitor who their kids connect with through Fitbit app.
How much does the Fitbit Ace cost?
According to Fitbit, the Fitbit Ace fitness tracker will cost $99.95 and will be available sometime this spring. It’s available for pre-order on the Fitbit site.
While we’re not sure if a Fitbit device will be the solution to making sure kids stay active, as there are other devices already on the market that aim to do so, Fitbit’s goal to get kids moving with a kid-friendly wearable tech device and enhanced settings and features for parents is a step in the right direction.
