Although we adults have many devices and wearables that include the measurement of physical activity on a daily basis, the same does not happen with activity bracelets for children. And choosing the most appropriate one well is key to avoid surprises.
The Fitbit Ace 3 debuted as the brand’s first wearable under the Google umbrella. It is intended almost exclusively for children and in it we find the base of an activity measuring bracelet but with the extras and / or cuts necessary for its safe use by minors, from the interaction with devices to the remains or form of display the data. We have reviewed Fitbit Luxe in our previous post that you can check.
Fitbit Ace 3 Specs
| DIMENSIONS | 37.39mm x 16.8mm x 12.9mm |
|---|---|
| SIZE | Only |
| SCREEN | Touch PMOLED |
| ENDURANCE | Submersible 50 meters / Altitude 8000 meters |
| DRUMS | 8 days |
| SENSORS | 3-axis accelerometer and vibration motor |
| CONNECTIVITY | Bluetooth 4.2 (9 meters range) |
| COMPATIBILITY | Starting with iOS 12.0 and Android 7.9 |
| MEMORY | 7 days |
| PRICE | 59.95 dollars |
Winks at the children without forgetting the important thing: resistance
The third generation of the Fitbit children’s quantifier bracelet is presented on the market with a design well adjusted to what one would wish for a wearable of this type.
The paramount, which is common to all activity bracelets, is comfort. The Fitbit Ace 3 is. A lot of. Not a single complaint about discomfort, discomfort or doubts about its use has been raised to me by my 8-year-old son in the weeks he has been using it.
Children’s design, very comfortable and submersible up to 50 meters: ideal for an activity bracelet for children
The Fitbit Ace 3 is small in size and is mounted on a quality soft silicone bracelet where it is perfectly protected while being 100% accessible. The main module can be removed from the strap if necessary (but there is no risk of accidental dropping), so that the rubber strap can be thoroughly washed when needed.
Regarding the resistance of the Fitbit Ace 3, my son first asked me if he could wash his hands and shower with it without damaging it. I told him yes.
The most technical explanation is that it is a waterproof bracelet up to 50 meters, a figure more than enough for 99% of the activities that a child from 6 years of age will probably do with it.
The handling of the bracelet has been simplified to the maximum: two side buttons that, when pressed at the same time, turn the screen on and off (also with a tap on it), and then gestures on the screen (up and down) to move through the reduced menus to get information on steps, minutes of activity or hours of sleep.
Autonomy of more than a week: as important as resistance
If the Fitbit Ace 3 had required my son to remove it to take a dip in the pool or shower, the experience with it would certainly have been much shorter. It is easy to end up forgotten or even lost forever. Mysteries of houses with young children.
The Fitbit Ace 3 does not need more than a fast charge once a week
However, being able to go for more than a week without having to take it off has made it easier for me to want to continue using it day after day.
In our tests with this bracelet we have charged the Fitbit Ace 3 once a week, usually on Sunday afternoons for a while. This has been enough for the activity tracker to record both movement and sleep of my son all week.
Depending on whether our child has activated the notifications of a telephone or the frequency with which he wants to see animations associated with the data query, that figure may vary slightly, but in any case, between 6 and 8 days are insured.
A secure quantification environment
Although many activity measuring devices can comply at the sensor level, not many are capable of adapting the experience and user interface to the main recipient of the bracelet: a minor.
The Fitbit Ace 3 does it very completely. Here it plays from the start that we are talking about one of the most traditional quantification applications, routes and interesting functions on the market outside the specialized sports field.
The functions associated with the Fitbit Ace 3 are completely focused on motivating and encouraging physical exercise. Do not think about it to control the child by GPS
Fitbit has decided to associate the use with an exclusive profile for the minor and that we must create within an adult’s account.
The main interface of the Fitbit Ace 3 we can determine whether it is a classic watch or a cartoon character. It will depend on the age or the child’s preference to choose one or the other option.
The Fitbit Ace 3 includes some of the functions that we already know from activity wearables, such as customizable reminders to move (with programming of days and hours of the week in which we want them to be activated), warnings when certain step figures are reached or alarms without sound (vibration only). It also includes a small stopwatch app.
Everything is fully focused on motivating and encouraging the child to move and do physical activity. By doing so, you will achieve achievements, badges and we can even point you to family challenges to see who moves the most.
The second pillar of the measurement of this bracelet is that of sleep. If the minor goes to bed with the bracelet, which is very comfortable for this, we can have a record of the hours and quality of sleep, all recorded in the corresponding section of the Fitbit app, both on iOS and Android.
Going further is not the goal of the Fitbit Ace 3. There is no GPS with which to track or locate children (the great claim of other bracelets for children) nor advanced meters for the pulse, for example. (actually includes it but it is disabled and the check indicates that it will not be enabled)
This Fitbit Ace 3 bracelet does support receiving notifications, but limited exclusively to call alerts. No messages or anything like that. This is useful if the bracelet is linked to a child’s phone, although it is always associated with a Fitbit family account that includes parental controls.
As do not disturb modes, we can configure the bracelet with a sleep mode (the screen does not turn on with touches) and another of do not disturb, something useful for when they are in class for example and we do not want incoming call notifications or reminders to arrive.
By the way, the Fitbit app includes a Children mode so that, if we want, they can consult in a simple and secure way the data of their bracelet, as well as the challenges overcome, achievements achieved or make some minor changes such as the main appearance of the clock.
Fitbit Ace 3, our opinion
The market for activity bracelets for children is very small. Yes, it is if we ignore the smartwatches for children who want to cover too much without actually achieving almost anything. And much less motivate the little ones in the house to exercise.
The Fitbit Ace 3, with a price somewhat higher than the direct competition (and if we compare with the equivalent for adults at the level of specifications), does just what it should: it is very comfortable, resistant and touches the exact points to perform the measurement. of activity and sleep in children without complications, effectively and using a mature and safe application for the little ones.