Which children's watch is suitable for what age?

Learning to tell time is of course best fun with your own watch. But which children's watch is most suitable for your child? In this blog we list the most frequently asked questions about children's watches.

At what age do children learn to tell the time?

Most children learn to tell time when they are around six years old. First practiced with an analog clock (with hands for the hours, minutes and seconds). A couple of years later they learn to read the time on a digital clock.

Practice makes perfect; And of course it is even cooler if you have your own watch do do it with!

When is my child ready for their own watch?

3 to 5 years

When your child is ready for their own watch, of course, depends on the child. If your child can tell the time before starting school, you can start with a simple children's watch with two hands. The Flik Flak Story Time 3+ watches are perfect for this age group. On the Flik Flak site you will also find all kinds of fun games and animations that help you learn to tell the time.

For many children in this age group, a watch is more of a toy with which they get used to hands and numbers because they don't really have a sense of time themselves. A children's watch in cheerful colours and with pictures of (fantasy) animals is often 'good enough'. Lorus (part of Seiko) offers many nice, quality watches for younger children.

6 to 8 year olds

From about 6 years old, when the child really learns to tell the time, and plays outside, owning their own watch becomes more important. At this point you can start practicing coming home on time.

Which children's watch is suitable for my child?

As with watches for adults, there is a wide variety of children's watches to choose from. As a first watch, a clear analog dial is the best choice. When your child is a bit older and can already read a digital clock, a digital watch is of course also an option.

8 year olds

And from about 8 years old, children will start to develop their own taste. The style of the watch then becomes more important and less 'childish'. That is why, for example, you also find watches with more 'adult' themes such as football, cars and superheroes in the Garonne Kids collection.

Age 10 upwards

From about age10, most children have outgrown the children's watch. Some brands are responding to this and releasing small versions of adult watches. For example Ice-Watch, Festina and Lacoste.

Age 12 upwards

When children become teenagers they are usually ready for an adult watch, or even a (simple) smartwatch. For example, you can look at a smaller model watch for women or men like a trendy digital retro Casio watch.. Or a sporty activity tracker like the one below from Calypso will also do well with young teens.

What should I pay attention to when buying a children's watch?

• The most important thing is that a children's watch fits well and has a sturdy strap. Especially with young children who play a lot, it is best to choose a fabric or rubber strap with many holes so that the watch can be put on and taken off easily and is comfortable.
• Clearly readable dial for children who are still learning to tell the time. Preferably white with large numbers.
• Does your child play sports or does he/she play outside a lot? Then pay attention to the water resistance of the watch. Ice-Watch children's watches, for example, are 10 ATM water resistant.
• Don't buy a children's watch too small. They grow quickly, so it is best to buy something a little too big. A good rule of thumb (also for adults) is that the height of the case plus lugs should not extend beyond the wrist.

Tips for wearing and keeping your children's watch beautiful

• By wearing the watch often, your child will get used to reading the time faster. But it is wise to take off the watch before going to sleep.
• Enjoy playing outside with your watch on. But if your child often plays in the sandbox, it is better to take off the watch because sand causes scratches and really gets into everything. Is there sand on the watch? Then rinse the watch (with a minimum water resistance of 5 bar/50 meters) with clean water. Make sure to check beforehand the crown is closed!
• If the watch is not waterproof (1 or 3 bar), teach your child to take off the watch when showering and swimming.
• And preferably lay the watch flat. Never on the glass or crown. In this way, your child learns to handle valuable items in a playful way.

Children's watches at HWG

With a choice of more than 300 children's watches, there is a nice watch for every child. Are you ordering the watch for a (Christmas) present? Then we will wrap it for you when you indicate it with your order!