garmin vio fit jr. Reviews?

[Melaine]

Anyone use this for their kiddos? It’s only $39 right now on Amazon and I have been looking at something that would help encourage my 8 year old with different chores and also activities. Because he is so into “devices” I am wondered if this would work for him. Any feedback?

[Mommy_Mea]

Anyone use this for their kiddos? It’s only $39 right now on Amazon and I have been looking at something that would help encourage my 8 year old with different chores and also activities. Because he is so into “devices” I am wondered if this would work for him. Any feedback?

We used it for steps and as a watch. It has been great! Waterproof, battery lasts forever. The original band just broke after two years, and I bought a generic replacement from Amazon.

We never really used the chores = coins, mostly because I felt like it just became more screentime for him (that is enough of a battle!)

[echoesofspring]

I got them a couple of years ago when I was worried the kids weren't getting enough activity. My daughter really liked hers but my son was pretty meh on his, took the watch part out of the band, lost it someplace in his room etc. The "coin" collecting for chores was a bit of a mixed bag for them, but maybe if we had spent more time on it we could have gotten into a better routine.

[jgenie]

It worked great for a friend of DS’s. It fell flat here. Happy to send you ours when I run across it.

[MSWR0319]

We've had numerous versions of them. I'm a big fan of Garmin products. DS2, who is very close in age to your son if I remember right, just got his second one. He had the vivifit jr 2 for quite awhile and it finally died after a few years. We tried the Fitbit Ace and couldn't even get it to work, so we went back to the Vivifit and got him the 3rd version because he has sleep issues and I thought being able to see his sleep might help him sleep more. He's had the new one about a week and makes sure he hits his step goals and activity time goal. He's gotten a bit lazy during the pandemic, so this was great to see him actually moving more. He's not sleeping more yet but he is aware of his sleep now which I think it beneficial. We also don't use the coin option. The vivofit jus hold up well and are great. My kids wore theirs in the pool regularly, showers, etc. They never come off and last forever.

[Melaine]

Thanks guys! I'm thinking about trying it. We are really having issues with attitude, chores, and well, pretty much everything. I've been trying to think of ways to motivate him. I kind of cringe at the idea of adding another device into the mix though.

[MSWR0319]

Thanks guys! I'm thinking about trying it. We are really having issues with attitude, chores, and well, pretty much everything. I've been trying to think of ways to motivate him. I kind of cringe at the idea of adding another device into the mix though.

I honestly wouldn't classify it as a device. It's not like there's something they stare at for hours, or even minutes really. DS checked his activity level last night five minutes before bedtime and realized he was 3 minutes short of reaching his goal, so he ran around the living room until it beeped. Two weeks ago he wouldn't have cared one bit!