Vivofit Jr. 2 - A cool Fitness Tracker for Kids

As a sports person, you would agree with us that Garmin has terrific products that inspire confidence in sports. Whether it is running, cycling, walking, swimming, or sleeping, you can now track the progress of your kids, thanks to Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2. It is our editor’s choice, and there are many reasons for it. If you have purchased just any other fitness tracker for your kid, you will fall in love with the features of this fitness tracker.

The question here is, do you want a fitness tracker that you can add chores, where kids stay active to beat their active minute target? Do you also need a fitness tracker that can track both sleep and swimming? If your answer is yes to either or all of the questions, you can get the Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2, and you will never look back.

Full Review of the Vivofit Jr. 2

As the name puts it, there must have been a pioneer model. The Vivofit Jr. 2 comes with packed features of its original model. Nevertheless, as expected, it comes with certain efficient improvements. This is not your typical fitness tracker for kids. Instead, it is an interactive experience where kids engage in activities that unlocks exciting Disney Frozen 2 App adventures, and this is certainly a great thing for the kids.

Kid-specific and Friendly Design

Fitness tracking without fun is a turnoff to the kids. Our little movers and shakers always anticipate something fun and trendy. You know, one that does not make them feel they are tagged. Like the Garmin Vivofit Jr., the Vivofit Jr.2 comes loaded with a swim-friendly body, which makes Vivofit Jr. 2 waterproof. The body is kid-tough enough to take beatings from an angry child – yes, sometimes they do get their other side out, you know, the less smiley side!

The silicon and plastic materials used for the bands and the screen, respectively, making it a 24/7 kids’ wearable device. It is best suited for ages 4-9 years.

The ultimate design breakthrough was Garmin teaming up with Disney to introduce a myriad of colorful themes besides Marvel and Star Wars. Apart from the themed bands, the tracker is also comfortable to wear. It comes with stretchable bands, best for little writs, which fit wrists up to 145 mm, which makes it best for kids four years and above. There are also extra-large classic bands for larger wrists, up to 170 mm. No wonder Vivofit Jr. 2 is the bestselling kids’ fitness tracker.

On the tracker, some screens display time, total step count, chores/tasks, and a calendar, as well as the moves made to unlock a given game. You will notice that, depending on the version of the fitness tracker you are using, you will have unique and different step count games and icons.  For instance, in the Star Wars-themed Vivofit Jr. 2 fitness tracker, you will interact with a stormtrooper alongside the daily steps. However, additional icons can be unlocked as your child progresses with their fitness tracking. After completing the 60-minute daily activity goals, the kid will unlock the BB-8 adventure: A Star Wars story game.

Interactive Challenges

As you assume the role of your child’s helper, which is technically a given, imagine having them interact with various challenges and games. Vivofit Jr. 2 enables the kids to unlock the Frozen 2 app adventures. Imagine them skating with Elsa and Anna, escaping the avalanche with their coach Olaf, and exploring far-off lands and beyond that makes them active. Surely, there is no other experience better than staying glued to the screen.

The kids can also stay active for at least 60 minutes and unlock the adventure. The more their activity log, the more the chances that they play the most ever anticipated tap challenge game. Besides, the kids can also get crystals as rewards when they beat daily activity challenges.  The crystals then become a currency to reveal a story of art from Frozen 2. If this does not teach them finances, we do not know what else it does!

Finally, Olaf will be a word in your abode. Olaf is a kids’ coach who will train them on basic exercise moves, thanks to the new fitness training cards. Imagine your kids mastering the mountain climbers, downward dog, and ooh dear the jumping jacks too.

Long Battery Life

Although not rechargeable, the fact that the battery life is one year+ is an additional plus feature for this fitness and activity tracker. The single CR1632 coin cell battery means no recharging. It gives life to the functionality of the Vivofit Jr. 2. To us, this is more of a kid-friendly feature than a purchase determinant for the parents. Were it that it had a recharging system, it might not have been waterproof. Besides, kids being curious, they would dismantle it to see what happens next. The coin cell battery is easily changeable.

Mobile App Compatibility

The functions of Vivofit Jr. 2 are controlled through an accompanying smartphone application. It is effortless to set up the tracker if you have a Garmin Connect account. The app enables you to add multiple profiles, sync and review data, and handle anything related to settings.

For a process that takes ten minutes, here is how you go about it:

• Download and install the app on your smartphone (either iOS or Android phone)
• Log into your Garmin Connect
• Follow the steps to set up your family and add the profiles of your kid or if you have many kids, all of them
• You can also choose to add guardians who will interact and have access to the family
• As the administrator, only you will have access to the settings
• Pair up the Vivofit Jr. 2 fitness and activity tracker via the app (DO NOT use the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone)

You can access the timer, stopwatch, pairing option, and activate the Toe-to-Toe challenges via the secondary menu on the adult phone.

Now, in the activity section, you can view the active minutes, hourly activities, steps, and progress of your kid. For sleep time, you will use a separate screen. The rewards section of the app is where you create the physical rewards. For instance, you could allow the kids to ride a bike, buy a new game, get their favorite cartoon, etc. Then under the Chores, you can assign your kids some daily activities, whose completion earns some virtual coins.

Once you are set up, you can now track the activities of your kids from the phone – how easy. All the activity and sleep metrics/parameters are displayed visually. Besides, a line and circle chart indicates the progress of the child towards their 60 minutes daily activity target. The 60 minutes is premised on the World Health Organization recommendation that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

How Vivofit Jr. 2 Functions

This is the fun part. Fun tracked is fun long-lived. To interest the kids, the Vivofit Jr. 2 comes loaded with three new missions, under the adventure more, including the BB-8 Adventure: A Star Wars Story (integrating BB-8 and pilot Zepha on an adventure to Jakku). It also has the Ultron’s Revenge: A Marvel Avengers Mission (where the little mover and shaker goes alongside Avengers and captain America to tackle adventures in New York City to defeat Ultron. Finally, there is also Mickey’s Birthday Surprise: A Disney Adventure.

To progress to different game levels, the kids have to unfold new adventures by staying active for 60 minutes to meet their activity goals. Achieving these goals unlocks new mobile adventure trails and fun facts. The kids have to keep playing to beat their targets.

The Step Challenges

The device also comes with toe-to-toe challenges that allow the kids to challenge one another or themselves to a series of times competition. The competition results are always visible at the end of the challenge. Besides, the kids can compete with adults who have installed the Connect IQ app on compatible fitness trackers.

Even though customizing the app might take time in the beginning, it is all worth the effort and time. You have to set the goals, rewards, and feedback frequency. Besides, you can also set chores around the house like cleaning the bathroom, cleaning the bike, brushing the teeth, cleaning the helmet, walking the dog, combing hair, and making the bed that the children will complete wearing their Vivofit Jr. 2 on.

Parting Shot

The Vivofit Jr. 2 is not simply a reinvention, but it is an innovative kids’ fitness tracker, uniquely designed and packed with user-friendly features. Compared to the first-generation tracker, its improved features will entice your kids to become active.

Thinking of it as a kids’ activity and fitness tracker is an understatement. Instead, view it as an experience through which kids get to stay active, disciplined, and get to learn a few things.

With its kid-friendly design and features, your kid will be off the couch most of the time, and that is screen time reduced! It incentivizes good habits, and that builds and molds the character of the kids. Garmin is a game in the wearable market, it knows the essentials of fitness trackers for kids, and the Vivofit Jr. 2, is a beauty wrapped in a device. GO 4 IT!