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Fitbit Ace 3 aims to engage kids by making a game out of staying fit

By Kelly Hodgkins March 9, 2021

Fitness encompasses all ages, which is why it shouldn’t come as a shock that companies are coming out with wearables for younger age groups. Today, Fitbit announced the Ace 3, its newest activity tracker for kids. Like its predecessors, the Ace 3 is designed to help kids get active and stay fit. The tracker’s renewed emphasis on exercise is critical, especially now, when children are learning remotely more than ever. For many kids, active playground time at school has now been replaced by sedentary game time at home — a trend most parents would like to reverse.

Parents who struggle to find new activities for their kids will appreciate the Fitbit Ace 3’s gamelike approach to exercise. Kids are encouraged to reach 60 daily active minutes or 250 steps per hour. Animated watch faces change as children move closer to their activity goals and they are rewarded when a goal is reached. Kids can check their stats right on the tracker, while parents can monitor their children’s progress using Fitbit’s family controls.

Fitbit Ace 3 lifestyle — Fitbit Proxima Kids.

Kids can wear the Fitbit Ace 3 around the clock thanks to the tracker’s eight-day battery life. Because they can wear it overnight, the Fitbit Ace 3 also helps kids establish healthy sleep patterns. The tracker encourages kids to go to bed at a specific time, reminding them in advance that they need to go to bed soon. It also monitors their sleep overnight, helping kids get enough sleep each night. The Ace 3 is waterproof, so kids can wear it while swimming or when they’re outside in the rain. The tracker pairs with iOS and Android devices and can receive incoming call notifications if paired with a child’s phone.

The Fitbit Ace 3 is available now for pre-order on Fitbit’s website. It will be available worldwide starting March 15. The Fitbit Ace 3 will cost $80 and is available in a variety of colors and band options. Considering how exercising and staying in shape can be a chore for many people, Fitbit’s strategy of gamifying the experience is an incentive that we can see parents being happy about — while kids have fun at the same time.

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Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…

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