SafeWise Did the Testing So You Do Not Have To
Most product reviews are written from a desk. SafeWise's was not. The independent safety review outlet, which has spent over 13 years and 10,000+ research hours evaluating safety products, recruited a 7 year old and her mom to test the TickTalk 5 in the real world at the park, on the monkey bars, and on a bike. The result: a 4.5 out of 5 rating, a Kids Safety Award, and the title of best kids smartwatch for children under 10. For parents who have been searching for a way to stay connected with their child without handing them a full smartphone, that verdict carries weight.
What Is the Safest Device for Kids to Call Parents During an Emergency Without a Phone?
This is the question SafeWise set out to answer, and the TickTalk 5 delivered on every front they tested.
One Button to Reach Help
The TickTalk 5's SOS button is a direct line to a parent or emergency services, configurable through the parental app. SafeWise's testers set theirs to call Mom and Dad rather than 911 directly, a recommended approach for younger children who may press it accidentally. When a child genuinely needs help, one press is all it takes.
Parents Can Listen In Silently
The listen in feature allows parents to trigger a one way audio connection from the app. The watch silently calls the parent's phone back, with no notification to the child or anyone nearby. If the parent cannot answer, a voicemail recording of the child's surroundings is saved automatically, which is a detail SafeWise called out as especially valuable in urgent situations.
A Closed Network by Design
Unlike a smartphone with layered restrictions, the TickTalk 5 starts locked and parents open it up, not the other way around. All contacts require parent approval. Unknown callers are blocked at the firewall level. There is no number a stranger can reach your child through.
Are There Alternatives to Smartphones for Kids?
The short answer SafeWise arrives at: yes, and the TickTalk 5 is the strongest one they have tested. Here is how it functions as a full communication device without any of the risks of a smartphone.
Calling and Video Chat
Kids can make voice calls and FaceTime style video calls directly from the watch to any parent approved contact. SafeWise's kid tester used this to stay in touch with family throughout the review period and described the experience as "super awesome."
Messaging in Every Format
The watch supports talk to text, voice recordings, photo messages, animated greeting cards, and group chats. Every message goes through the parent approved contact list and is protected with end to end encryption. There is no open inbox, no unknown senders, and no way to bypass the contact filter.
Entertainment With Built In Limits
iHeart Radio Family brings kid friendly music, podcasts, and stories to the watch, with daily listening limits parents set through the app. SafeWise noted this feature was popular across age groups during testing, both the 7 year old tester and her younger sibling gravitated toward it.
School Hours, Handled
The do not disturb mode lets parents restrict all watch functions during class time. SafeWise's mom tester, a teacher herself, flagged this as one of her top features. The watch becomes functionally invisible during the school day and comes back online exactly when parents choose.
Can I Track My Child in Real Time Without a Smartphone?
The TickTalk 5 operates on its own 4G LTE connection via AT&T or T Mobile, starting at $10 per month. Your child does not carry a phone. You open the TickTalk parental app and see exactly where they are, updated in real time, with a full location history available at any point.
What sets TickTalk apart from other GPS watches is Location SmartPin, the first AI powered location correction system on a kids smartwatch in the US. When a parent notices an inaccuracy, they can manually correct it in the app. The system learns from that correction and improves automatically over time, including in indoor environments where GPS signal typically weakens. The more you use it, the more accurate it gets.
This matters most in the moments that count, when a child does not come home on time, or when a parent needs to know if their child arrived safely somewhere new.
What SafeWise's Testers Concluded
"There is nothing that can be done on the watch that is not tied to something that you are doing in the app. We have not seen anything this seamless."
— Rebecca Edwards, Managing Editor, SafeWise
The kid tester wore the watch everywhere and only removed it for handstands. The mom tester, despite being a teacher attuned to classroom distraction, had no complaints about the device in a school setting. SafeWise's overall verdict: the TickTalk 5 is the best and easiest to use kids smartwatch they have tested.
Plans and Pricing
|
Plan |
Monthly Cost |
What Is Included |
|
Essentials |
$10.00 |
Core connectivity |
|
Essentials Plus |
$14.99 |
Core connectivity and water damage protection |
|
Premium |
$15.99 |
Unlimited data |
|
Premium Plus |
$19.99 |
Unlimited data and damage protection |
No contract. No activation fee. No cancellation fee. The watch ships with a Red Pocket SIM card compatible with most major US carriers. Parents on Verizon, for example, can still activate the watch without switching networks.
The TickTalk 5 is available for $159.99 in three colors.
Originally reviewed by SafeWise: "TickTalk 5 Kids Smartwatch Review"