10 Tracking Gadgets That Are Perfect for Families

Keep a firm (literally or digitally) grip on your kids no matter where life takes you.

By Melissa Heckscher June 8, 2017

Compared to your kid, Houdini was an amateur. If you avoid crowds and frequent fenced-in playgrounds for fear of losing your little one to the Big Wide World, we’ve got good news. From GPS-enabled smartwatches to innovative child leashes (no judgment here!), there’s a whole range of great gadgets and apps designed to stop little escape artists from disappearing—and how to find them if they do. Flip through the slideshow below to see our top picks.

Gizmo Gadget by LG

If your kids have been enviously eyeing your Apple watch, they'll be more than happy to get their hands on the Gizmo Gadget, a sleek phone/watch combo from Verizon that's designed just for kids. It's perfect: Your phone-addicted tots will be able to call and text (and receive calls and texts from) up to nine pre-set numbers without being distracted by the games, internet access, or apps that usually suck them into screen time. The Gadget also has GPS locating capabilities, so you can pinpoint your little wanderer anywhere she goes.

Just-for-fun features include a step-counter, a to-do list, a compass, a voice-changer (so you can get your messages by way of "robot") and a "fun sounds" button that can play a few seconds of silly sound effects. All that and, of course, it tells time.

Note: Parents of younger kids might want to choose the simpler Gizmo Pal, which has no screen and can only call (and receive calls from) up to four numbers.

Best for ages: 5+

Cost: $149 plus a $5 monthly service fee for Verizon users (For non-Verizon users, a Single Device Plan costs $10 a month.)

Online: verizon.com