Garmin and the Junior range: Who does what?

vívofit jr. 3 : a compact tracker, color screen, robust shell, waterproof 5 ATM and above all a button battery that holds about a year (no recharge, parents blow). The Garmin Jr. app transforms the 60 -minute movement in small adventures - awarded mechanics, family challenges, “missions” that appeal to the youngest. It is basic and devilishly effective in installing the habit.

Bounce 2 : The watch “I stay in contact without smartphone”. LTE (subscription), secure calls and SMS, real -time geolocation, safety zones (Geofencing), integrated sports activities. Result: we know where the child is, we exchange if necessary, we avoid the phone too early. Recent model, officially available (and in Europe according to resellers), price around € 300 + ~ 10 €/month. Suddenly: to consider if safety/communication is your criterion n ° 1.

Forerunner 165 (and 165 music): A real sports watch for teenagers: Multi-GNSS GPS, readable amoled screen, training metrics, sessions suggestions, up to ~ 11 days of autonomy in watch, ~ 19 h in GPS. Waterproofing 5 ATM. For college students/high school students who run, swim, roll. It motivates, figures in support.

Lily 2 active : mini format, discreet look, now with integrated GPS (yes, without phone), 5 ATM, more serious sport profiles than before. Perfect for a fine wrist that wants style And reliable data. In short: "I play sports, but I assume the aesthetics".

Key features to check (jargon without jargon)

Activity monitoring : No need to drown children under data. Which matters: count the steps, move 60 min/day, badges and challenges for motivation. The vívofit jr. 3 Check these boxes in “battery and it starts” mode. The Forerunner 165 and the Active Lily 2 add the VO2max, sleep, effort, cardio areas - useful for sports teens.

GPS & Safety : BOUNCE 2 integrates GPS + LTE for the live position and messaging (with subscription plan). The Forerunner 165 precisely follows training (tempo, distance, pace). The Lily 2 Active finally has an embedded GPS for outings without a phone. This is concrete.

Water resistance : 5 ATM on the entire cited range. Stress -free swimming, OK shower (deep diving, no). Young people swim, parents breathe.

Autonomy : Vívofit Jr. 3 ≈ 1 year (battery CR2025), bounce 2 ≈ 2 days according to LTE use (normal for a “connected” watch), drilling 165 ≈ 11 days watch/19 h GPS, Lily 2 active up to 9 days announced. It depends. Always. But the order of magnitude is good.

Parental controls : The Garmin Jr. Centralizes tasks, rewards, contact limits (bounce 2), zone output alerts, and allows you to follow progress. Simple. Effective. Not magical, but useful on a daily basis.

Why a watch among young people?

Sports motivation : The child sees his progress, unlocks challenges, gets caught up in the game. It's stupid but it works. Our complete guide to children's watches gives benchmarks by age groups, and it is precious when buying.

Lifestyle : Sleep better followed, hydration reminder, timer for homework, “school” mode (discreet). For sports teens, training, recovery, intensity alerts are added. Here, Forerunner 165 does the job without drowning under techno.

Time management : alarms, timers, light calendar. Learn to prepare - sports bag, bus, training. A watch facilitates autonomy. Point.

Express comparison of Garmin Juniors models

*Indicative price observed in resellers when writing; may vary depending on the promotions. (Specifications verified on the / manual cards: Vívofit Jr. 3 5 ATM + battery ≈ 1 year; Forerunner 165 5 ATM + 11 J / 19 H; Lily 2 Active GPS Integrated; BOUNCE 2 LTE + GPS + subscription).

What age model?

8–11 years old: Vívofit Jr. 3. This is the front door. No giant distracting screen, no notifications, no recharging. Just "I move every day, I win my badges, I replace the battery next year". For many schools, it is accepted - discreet, solid. (And if you hesitate between several brands, take a look at the secure Kidizoom Vtech to locate the level of functionality and robustness on the connected toy side.)

9–13 years old: Bounce 2. Children who come home alone, bus/activities journeys, need to call dad/mom. The watch responds. Two days of typical autonomy, is it short? Yes, but enough if you recharge like a phone. Beware of the LTE cover According to the country/operator - Look Before to buy. This is a false good idea if your area is poorly covered.

12–16 years old: Forerunner 165. Sports teenage = need for benchmarks. Reliable GPS, adapted sessions, understandable metrics, 5 ATM for the swimming pool. We stay on a sports watch, not a gadget. Ideal for structuring athlete, swimming, cycling, school trail.

12–16 years old: Lily 2 active. Fine wrist, desire for a discreet format. The embedded GPS changes everything compared to the old Lily: Running outputs without smartphone, clean traces. We forget it under a round - and we train anyway. Suddenly, easy adoption among little “geek” teens.

Concrete examples (field)

Léa, 10 years old : the vívofit jr. 3 helped him reach her 60 minutes/day. The stars filled up, the “missions” opened. Parents validated two household chores/week via the app - simple reward. Result: more activity, less negotiations. Honestly, it was on track.

Imran, 12 years old : Bounce 2 for autonomy. Round trip football club: the “arrival” alert fell as soon as entering the stadium (Geofence), short vocal messages if delayed. We did not take out the smartphone. Recharge every two evenings, and basta. (Yes, one evening forgotten; yes, he learned.)

Élise, 15 years old : Forerunner 165. Objective: to spend 5 km under 27 'then 25'. The proposed sessions adapted to its state of form, it looked at its real look on the wrist, recovered measured. Visible progression in 8 weeks. No miracle, just regularity.

Jade, 14 years old : Lily 2 active. She ran 2–3 times/week, wanted an elegant watch. The integrated GPS has raised the “Taking the phone” brake. She tracked her runs, kept a sober style in class. Simple.

Fast (and useful) purchase advice

Choose by use, not by look. If the objective n ° 1 is security/communication without smartphone: BOUNCE 2. If it is a question of installing an activity habit: Vívofit JR. 3. For serious training: Forerunner 165. For a chic/compact format with GPS: Lily 2 Active.

Think wrist : Less than 44 mm pass on most teenage wrists. Forerunner 165 (43 mm) is a good compromise. Lily 2 Active is even more compact.

Check the water : all 5 ATM here, so swimming ok. Children go to the swimming pool. You might as well eliminate stress.

Look at the ecosystem : Garmin works with iPhone/Android. The Garmin Jr. (children) and Garmin Connect (teens) app are solid. And if you explore other tracks, I detail the uses in a connected watch that really answers the phone to understand the limits of the wrist calls.

Budget/subscription : Vívofit Jr. 3 = fixed cost. Forerunner/Lily 2 = more expensive, but without recurring costs. BOUNCE 2 = price + subscription (check the local coverage, once again).

Short faq, because we see you coming

My child is 9 years old and wants to “a watch with messages”: what do I take? BOURCE 2, if the LTE coverage is good at home. Otherwise, no. This is a false good idea outside the covered area.

Strict school, no screens in class: so what? vívofit jr. 3 Passes better (discreet, no calls). Forerunner/Lily: We activate discreet modes. BOURCE: To be configured with the establishment, otherwise you expose yourself to unnecessary conflicts.

Swimming, chlorinated water: risk? 5 ATM on these models: OK for the swimming pool. Rinse with clear water, drying, and you avoid diving. Basic.

Guarantee & Support : In the EU, you benefit from the legal guarantee of compliance (2 years). Garmin manages the after -sales service well, and for the vívofit jr. 3 The CR2025 battery changes at home (screwdriver, 2 minutes).

And on the “other brands” side?

You will see very fun “toys” models. Sometimes good for starting, but often limited in follow -up and robustness. To locate the junior market, read our complete guide to children's watches if it is not already done (yes, I repeat - because choosing blind, no). And if you want a vision “Toy Photo + Security Light”, also look zoom on the secure Kidizoom Vtech for the youngest.

What we remember (really)

vívofit jr. 3 To initiate, zero recharge, robustness; Bounce 2 If there Safety/communication Prime (LTE, GPS, Calls/SMS); Forerunner 165 And Lily 2 active For teens who want to progress, proper, with a design suitable for the wrist. In short: good product, good context, good habit. The winning trio.

Choose the aligned model with your real need, and compare offers from French e-merchants (Garmin, Fnac, Boulanger, Darty, etc.). Publish your return to passion time after 30 days of use - we improve the guide with the field. And if you want to dig the “smartwatch that phone” part, reread connected watch that really answers the phone to validate your use case.

Key sources notes : Vívofit Jr. 3 (battery ~ 1 year, 5 ATM); BOUNCE 2 (LTE, calls/SMS, geoloc, subscription); Forerunner 165 (Amoled, 11 days a week, 5 ATM); Lily 2 Active (Integrated GPS, 5 ATM). Details: Garmin's cards/manual and technical magazines.