Most people today can probably remember their parents pulling the plug on their childhood gaming systems with firm directions to go outside and play. But instead of fighting technology, Fitbit's Ace LTE smartwatch for kids turns screen time into expert-designed active play.
Made for kids ages seven and up, the Fitbit Ace LTE goes beyond basic fitness tracking. It incorporates child psychology, health and wellness factors, plus digital privacy considerations, into fun and engaging, gamified activities that encourage kids to move more and spend less time with screens. Built-in 4G connectivity offers smartwatch features such as messaging, phone calls and real-time location tracking through an app that empowers parents with safeguards to manage contacts, whereabouts and screen time to prevent interference with school or sleep.
Perfect for families trying to stay active and connected, the Fitbit Ace LTE is an ideal new health-tracking accessory, and you get a $50 Best Buy gift card when you purchase it. Here we break down the design features, gaming interface, fitness benefits, and communication capabilities that establish Fitbit's Ace LTE as the most comprehensive, kid-focused fitness tracker on the market.
Sophisticated tech in a wearable fit for kids
The Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch for kids combines child-specific design and advanced hardware technology, drawing from components used in the Google Pixel 2. It contains the same screen and internal components used in Pixel 2 but is built with a smaller watch face, band, and interface tailored specifically for kids. Despite its compact size, the screen offers a high-resolution display of 333 pixels per inch (ppi) with vivid DCI-P3, providing vibrant and clear visuals to excite any kid or kid at heart. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, the Ace LTE operates as a standalone device but requires an Android 11 or iOS 15 (or newer) device for initial setup.
Get moving fast with simple, secure setup
If the thought of managing yet another app makes you cringe, you won't regret this download. Setup for the Fitbit Ace LTE is easy and involves the installation of Fitbit's Ace app on a parent's phone. A friendly avatar guides you through creating an account and selecting a subscription plan (required for device functionality and available monthly or at a discounted annual rate).
The essential Ace Pass subscription enables 4G LTE connectivity for unlimited calling, messaging, and GPS location tracking–without needing a separate SIM card or carrier plan–and allows full parental controls and data privacy for a safe family experience. The Pass also grants access to the Fitbit Arcade and Bit Valley, an interactive world that offers games and activities designed to keep kids active and motivated.
Intuitive design with kids in mind
The Fitbit Ace LTE is made just for kids. They have their choice between two distinctive watch face colors: Mild Pebble and Spicy Pebble and six watch band themes, each with a different color that corresponds to a unique world featuring an Eejie avatar, a matching noodle, challenges, and new outfits and items for the avatar. Kids can personalize their watch faces, themes, and user profiles, making the device truly their own. Additional bands, each unlocking new worlds, are sold separately, with the exclusive Courtside Active band available only at Best Buy.
With a simple and intuitive user interface tailored for them, kids get started with their Ace LTE with a guided tutorial to help them navigate the watch using the two side buttons and touch screen. They can easily access settings, contacts, Daily Quest challenges, and the Arcade, plus they can view notifications, customize their watch face, and set alarms. Interactive sounds and haptic technology provide feedback during games or messaging to ensure kids find Fitbit Ace LTE fun and easy to use.
There's hassle-free charging using a magnetic charging puck (included) that displays a helpful warning if it's incorrectly connected. As an incentive to "unplug" for screen-free quality sleep, the Ace LTE actually rewards kids for charging it at night. The lithium-ion battery provides over 16 hours of use on a full charge and can rapidly charge for 11 hours in just 30 minutes–a handy feature if your junior does forget to charge it overnight.
Research-based, expert-backed app development
To create a gamified activity band tailored specifically for children, Fitbit collaborated with parents, pediatricians, and an external panel of independent experts in child psychology, public health, privacy, and digital wellbeing from leading institutions in the US and abroad. These expert insights were crucial in shaping a product that encourages physical activity, prioritizes digital well-being, and fosters overall positive associations with movement and exercise.
To promote positive habits, Fitbit implemented kid-specific health goals, challenges, and a positive reinforcement rewards system for effort and consistency within the Ace LTE. They partnered with a leading children's nonprofit to develop content for Daily Quests and challenges that encourage activity through engaging narratives and symbolic goals, such as completing a virtual noodle (more on this later). The smartwatch features interval-based gaming and built-in screen time limits so that progress can only be made through physical movement standards recommended by experts, but safeguards against over-exercise with a set maximum reward. This thoughtful design ensures that children stay active and healthy in a fun and balanced way.
Gamified fitness through interval-based play
The Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch engages kids in fitness through Daily Quests and a series of interactive, interval-based games known as Fitbit Arcade. Each morning, kids get four new Daily Quests that consist of challenges. Challenges and games motivate kids to move by integrating physical activity into gameplay, where movement is the main currency for earning tickets to use in their Ace LTE world.
In its first "season," the device currently features seven active games–developed in collaboration with game and creative studios–with new titles planned for release each quarter as part of the subscription service. Designed to be quick gaming sessions, lasting five minutes or less, the Fitbit Arcade ensures children stay active, entertained, and engaged. Each game title involves a mix of strategy and movement, from solving puzzles to participating in dance-off competitions or simulating activities like fishing, golfing, and racing.
The Fitbit Ace LTE features an interactive character called an Eejie, reminiscent of a 90s-era Giga or Tamagotchi pet, which serves as the focal point of the smartwatch world. Children can shuffle their Eejie's wardrobe and appearance by shaking their wrists, then can make the avatar even happier by achieving goals by staying active. In Bit Valley, where their Eejie lives, kids can complete quests and play games to earn tickets to decorate the Eejie's home and customize its look. More fitness activity earns more tickets, unlocking a shop with more items and new levels to display achievements. Additionally, kids can add friends who also have Fitbit Ace devices, but this can only be done in person with parental approval.
Communication capabilities to keep your kid connected
Keeping tabs on the kiddos has never been easy thanks to the Fitbit Ace LTE's range of communication, GPS and safety features. With LTE connectivity and the Ace Pass, you can securely communicate with your kid via unlimited calling and messaging without affecting your carrier plan. The watch's touch screen, built-in microphone, and speaker make it easy for kids to answer calls or send voice-to-text messages, even if they can't type. You can monitor your child's real-time location through Google Maps and track their recent activity levels and goals.
The device also supports a pre-approved contact list for safe communication, allowing up to 20 contacts who are vetted by a parent. Only invited individuals using the Fitbit Ace app can communicate with your child, ensuring secure interactions, and you can designate emergency contacts if your child ever needs help. And you'll soon be able to add money to Ace LTE's upcoming Google Wallet feature to help kids learn financial responsibility.
Child safety and supervision with parental controls
When it comes to kids and technology, safety and data security is paramount. The Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch offers secure controls and robust data privacy practices to ensure child safety and supervision tools for parents.
Through the Fitbit Ace app, parents can easily manage their child's device, including contact permissions, settings, and screen time limits. Integration with Google Family Link provides a comprehensive view of all devices managed for the family, which also allows parents to monitor their child's location in real-time using Google Family Link or Google Maps. Ace Fit app's School Time feature helps minimize distractions by disabling games, silencing calls and notifications, and ensuring that the smartwatch does not interfere with schoolwork or bedtime, while still allowing the child to be tracked and contact parents if needed.
With a strong emphasis on data privacy and security, Fitbit built in three key safeguards to ensure the safety of your child's information:
- The child's real-time location is visible only to parents and is automatically deleted after 24 hours to protect privacy.
- Parents can track their child's recent activity and goal progress, but older data is automatically removed from Fitbit's systems after a set period, ensuring data minimization.
- The device does not support third-party apps or display ads, and it complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), ensuring that all data handling practices meet stringent privacy standards.
Engage your kids in playful movement now
Combining advanced technology with child-specific functionality, Fitbit is schooling competitors with its feature-loaded Ace LTE. From its engaging, gamified fitness experience, to unlimited calls, messaging, and tracking capabilities, it is an exceptional value that keeps kids safely, and independently active while having fun and building healthy habits. If you're after an engaging way to keep your family motivated, moving, and connected, score a $50 Best Buy gift card when you pick up a kid-friendly Fitbit Ace LTE today.