14 Aug
Blog

Fitbit Ace 3 Review: Kids Tracker for the Fitbit Family

fitbit ace 3 tests lifestyle images from 4

"The Fitbit Ace 3 uses rewards and fun challenges to help children lead healthy lifestyles."

advantages

  • Easy to use

  • Comfortable fit in child size

  • Attractive, animated user interface

  • Fun, family challenges

disadvantage

  • The fastener can break

  • Works best with a parental Fitbit

Activity trackers are usually aimed at adults who want to get fit and stay fit. These trackers are designed for adults and have interfaces designed for adults rather than children. While they may not set the Fastest Known Times, kids can benefit from the health benefits of a fitness wearable.

Fitbit wants to reach these kids with its Ace 3 tracker, which has an animated user interface and a kid-friendly design. How does the Fitbit Ace 3 hold up to the demands of childhood? We tested it on a couple of elementary school children to find out.

Design: Small, but mostly robust

Although it's a kid's device, the Ace 3 isn't a problem. It has a triaxial accelerometer for step tracking and detailed sleep monitoring. There's even a heart rate monitor, but it's probably not turned on for privacy reasons. On the surface, it seems Fitbit has taken its adult tracker and reduced it for kids.

Fitbit Ace 3 is worn around a child's wrist with a hula hoop.

The touchscreen is small enough for a child's wrist, but not too small for a child's hand. My kids had no problem swiping or typing on the screen. The black and white display is big enough for kids to see their stats and bright enough to be seen from outside and inside. Unlike the Fitbit Ace 2, which is completely covered with silicone, the Ace 3 has recesses for the buttons so that they are easy to press.

The Ace 3 is reminiscent of Fitbit's early fitness trackers. It consists of a tiny fitness tracker unit that fits into a sturdy silicone strap. The bracelet is designed for smaller wrists with an easy-to-use standard watch clasp. My children, 8 and 10 years old, had no problem putting the band on and off themselves. It was comfortable to wear day and night and we had no problems with rashes. We took some preventive measures that minimized skin irritation. After a day outdoors, we took off the tracker and washed both my child's wrist area and the tracker.

A child playing tug of war while wearing Fitbit Ace 3.

While not as slim and slim as Fitbit's all-in-on trackers like the Charge 4, the Ace 3's modular design is perfect for kids who are electronics-prone. If the tape breaks, it's easy to replace. Simply pull out the tracker unit and place it on a new tape. Be prepared to replace the tape, especially if your child likes to take the tracker on and off. We broke one tie in our tests while the second stood the test of time.

Software: fun and kid-friendly interface

The user interface adheres to basic step counting and doesn't overwhelm your kids with advanced metrics like heart rate analysis or calorie consumption. It features a handful of fun watch faces that my kids loved. Our favorites were the animated ones that change with fitness stats. The missile, for example, was nearing launch as the step count neared its target. When they reached their target, the missile took off with a bang, much to the delight of my younger child. I found that the younger the child was, the more they enjoyed these animations.

The Fitbit Ace 3 harnesses rewards and fun challenges to help children lead healthy lifestyles.

Another feature we liked was the family competitions, where my kids could challenge family members and friends to do the most steps in a day. We often had to take an extra walk around the block to add that extra step count. The Fitbit Ace 3 judiciously uses more than one strategy to encourage your children to exercise, as not every child is motivated in the same way. My younger child enjoyed the rewarding animations, while my older child seemed more motivated by this competition than just achieving their goal.

Performance: Viewing fitness stats can be annoying

The Fitbit Ace 3 is a kid's device and, as such, has a parental component that you need to navigate through. Almost everything is done through the parent's Fitbit account under the My Family tab in the Fitbit app. How you view your child's daily fitness stats depends on whether or not they have their own mobile device. For older children, you can install the Fitbit app on the child's device and they can keep track of their stats for themselves. It's a little harder to see the stats with your younger kids.

Younger children who don't have a mobile device need to use the Fitbit app on their parent's phone or tablet to view their daily stats. You can switch between two views – the parent's view with their tracker information and a child's view with data from the child's tracker. This kids view is simplified so your kids can easily track their progress without being overwhelmed with too many numbers.

A girl holding onto a skateboard while wearing Fitbit Ace 3.

My kids looked forward to checking their stats on my iPhone several times a day and changing their watch faces frequently. Unfortunately, it was a pain to switch between the child's and the parent's views. Every time you return to the parent view, you will have to enter your password. I couldn't use a fingerprint or facial recognition for this authentication step, so I had to enter my randomly generated, 12-digit string. It was so annoying that I changed my Fitbit password to a shorter and easier to remember one, which is likely to compromise the security of my account for convenience.

Our opinion

The Fitbit Ace 3 takes the best features of its successful fitness tracker line and bundles them in a tracker that was developed exclusively for children. The Ace 3 has a vibrant user interface that encourages kids to exercise. It is especially effective for elementary school children who get caught up in animation and family-friendly competitions. Older kids, like the fast growing tweens, may find this tracker too childish.

Is there a better alternative?

The main competitor of the Fitbit Ace 3 is Garmin's Vivofit Jr. 2, which offers a similar playful user interface. Both are very powerful trackers for kids, so your choices should be made based on the platform. If you already own a Fitbit, or are planning on buying a Fitbit, then the Ace 3 should be your first choice. It integrates seamlessly with the Fitbit app and enables communication with and control of the child's device. Likewise, those with a Garmin device should stick with the Garmin ecosystem and get a Vivofit Jr.

How long it will take?

The Fitbit Ace 3 will last a few years, depending on your child's age and activity level. Your child can grow out of the device before it breaks. The weak point is the closure of the tape, which is made of plastic. However, since the tracker can be detached from the tape, you can easily replace the tape if it breaks. Fortunately, Fitbit offers a one-year limited warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking for a new fitness tracker for your kids, the Fitbit Ace 3 should be at the top of your list. It has a comfortable fit and a fun user interface that will keep your child moving all day. If you already own the Fitbit Ace 2 or a competing kid tracker, there's no need to upgrade. The Ace 3 primarily offers an improved user interface that is not a compelling reason to upgrade.

Editor's recommendations



18 May
Blog

Chex Quest HD Review: Only 90s Kids Will Understand

Chex Quest HD test: Only children from the 90s will understand it

"Chex Quest HD is a short but pleasant hit from the nostalgia of the 90s."

  • True to the original

  • Simple but fun shooting

  • Wonderfully nostalgic

  • Missing basic user interface

  • Very little repeat value

Let's get something out of the way right away: you already know if you will download Chex Quest HD.

That's because the free remake, which modernizes a 1996 staple from childhood packed with boxes of Chex cereal, is less of a game than a nostalgia journey of the 90s. Your enjoyment of this bizarre first-person shooter directly depends on how much time you spent as a child teasing Flemoide on your parents' PC. And if "zorching flemoids" already sounds like a foreign language, you shouldn't expect to get into the joke now. If you know, you know.

The quality of Chex Quest HD is inextricably linked to the context. For fans who grew up with the original, it is a loyal, if incomplete preservation that makes one of the strangest marketing stunts of games fun again. For everyone else, it's a minimalist doom clone that's about as deep as a bowl of chex.

Chex the right boxes

Chex Quest was originally developed as a trick to make Chex muesli more attractive for modern children. The game used id Software's doom engine to develop a healthy first person shooter that replaced chainsaws and shotguns with spoons and laser remotes. Instead of Doomguy, the players led the Chex Warrior on a mission to teleport snotty aliens back to their home dimension.

While the HD update swaps sprites for smooth 3D textures, the remake is still Doom at its core. In each level, players have to navigate through maze-like levels, find colored key cards and discover secret passages. A quarter of a century later, Chex Quest HD offers a double dose of enjoyable nostalgia: one for the game itself and one for a PC shooter style that dominated the 1990s.

This conservation is important because the time for the original game was not good. After finishing my pleasant hours of playing through the remake, I tried to revisit the 1996 version to see how much had really changed. I was surprised (well, maybe not too surprised) that it wasn't as fun as I remembered. The movement felt awkward and I couldn't put my head around the game's awkward keyboard.

Chex Quest HD offers a double dose of enjoyable nostalgia: one for the game itself and one for a PC shooter style that dominated the 90s.

In comparison, Chex Quest HD feels much closer to what I remember. This can be seen most clearly in the shooting (um, zorchen), which is easier to read thanks to revised animations. Zorchers feel more like radiation cannons and less like unwieldy TV remote controls. The improvements make a major contribution to making the game playable again without losing its goofball charm.

Mixed bag

While protecting my childhood memories, Chex Quest HD doesn't do much to overcome its nostalgic act. This is not because of not trying.

The big innovation is a multiplayer mode that can only be played with four friends on site or via Steam. This limitation suggests how it works best: sit down with a few close friends to laugh at the absurdity of a Chex Mix-themed death match. Separated from this context, it is little more than a novelty within a novelty.

Chex Quest HD

Along with the new mode, the game features several characters that can be unlocked by finding passwords on social media or in pockets with Chex Mix. It's a smart marketing trick, but the characters don't add much to the experience. They all play the same thing, with the main difference that they come with their own hackneyed language lines. Each character has their own alternate campaign end, but I'm not sure if someone is so confused by the Chex lore that they want to go through story mode six times.

The remake adds a few new features, but none of them transform the game into anything other than a short walk through the past.

Chex Quest HD also lacks some features of the original. The remake removes the five difficulty levels of the original and removes the main source for the replay value of the game. And strangely, there's no way to display a map or display the game's controls.

Perhaps it is not particularly easy to scold a game with Chex Mix branding on almost every door because of its interface deficiencies. But considering that the remake is about a generation that doesn't take the joke, it's not too difficult to convert new followers. Chex Quest became a cult because the idea of ​​a free video game for kids from the 90s was stunning. This idea just doesn't have the same effect in the Fortnite era.

Our opinion

Chex Quest HD is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to spend an afternoon in the 90s. Smoother recordings and optimized animations make for a more readable experience that matches the 1996 game, but the minimal package is unlikely to convince players who are not so enthusiastic about a "free" label in 2020. Missing user interface and flat extras make this strange oddity the embodiment of the meme "Only children from the 90s will understand it".

Is there a better alternative?

Dusk is a better balance between nostalgia and quality for those looking for a 90s-style shooter, but Chex Quest HD is the only Doom clone with a snack theme on the market.

How long it will take?

The five levels last about an hour, though secrets, unlockable characters, and local multiplayer are available to those who want to get an extra game session out of it.

Should you buy it

Yes. It's short, free, and just weird enough to deserve a curious look.

Editor's recommendations




23 Apr
Blog

Guide To A Kids Spa Day At Home

When you're stuck with kids in the house, it's important to plan lots of activities to distract them. But what happens when you have played all the games, watched enough TV and have no more things to do? It's a spa day for children to save.

Although nothing replaces a visit to an actual spa, a simple home session is the perfect opportunity for the family to experience a little much-needed relaxation for you. and it offers children something new and exciting to try. Whether you want to make spa time a future weekend program or just need something to pass the time, a children's spa day is a therapeutic solution for everyone involved.

Mother and daughter meditate for a spa day at home

First of all, it is important to choose safe products for a child's sensitive skin. Natural products based on plants are effective and harmonize with the skin. They are therefore perfect for people with sensitivities and normal skin. A spa day at home is not only a great opportunity to teach children good skin care habits, it also enables parents to care for and pamper the skin with gentle products.

Alana Henrikson, Product Support Officer at Eminence Organics, says: "For children who are just getting started with skin care products, it is best to keep the routine simple and straightforward. Choosing a cleanser and moisturizer that is appropriate for their skin type and concerns is a good one It will help to make everyday life stronger, just like brushing your teeth, where consistency is key to ensuring that it becomes a lifelong habit. ”

Eminence Organics Kids Spa Day

Kids Spa Day ideas

For your next kids spa day at home, consider the following steps:

  • 1. Clean
  • 2. Mask
  • 3. Moisturize
  • 4. Manicure

This is a great time to show kids how to take care of their skin. They can also practice safe skin care products under adult supervision. If you start a solid routine early on, you can also control changes in your skin as you get older.

1. Clean

The first step in any skin care routine is cleaning. However, it is important that you use cleaning agents that are supposed to soothe and care without too many active ingredients.

Eminence Organics coconut milk cleaner

These are two extraordinary formulas that are well suited for children's skin Stone Crop Gel Wash and Coconut Milk Cleanser.

For children with sensitive skin, Stone Crop Gel Wash is suitable for all skin types. Natural ingredients such as stone harvest and chamomile soothe and soothe the skin, while shea butter moisturizes. If your child is near the Between two and ten years, this cleansing laundry is perfect because it removes impurities from the pores without removing the natural moisture from the skin.

Use our coconut milk cleaner for a gentle cleansing that is more suitable for dry or irritated skin. The skin is hydrated and protected with antioxidants such as marigold oil and coconut oil, not to mention the abundant hydration thanks to coconut milk.

Show the best way to clean the skin by applying the products to the skin and gently emulsifying with water. Once you've thoroughly cleaned the skin, it's time for the next step: masking!

2. Mask

This is a step that children of all ages will surely enjoy. Again, you should make sure that every mask you provide is child-friendly and does not contain any particularly effective ingredients.

Three masks in particular are popular with all age groups, and children will definitely smell them: our coconut cream, the strawberry-rhubarb mask and the chocolate mousse moisturizing mask.

Eminence Organics Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque

Deliciously fragrant, ours Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque is as decadent as it sounds! With its antioxidant-rich cocoa and blend of moisturizing oils, this mask is a perfect option to refresh your skin. Likewise, Coconut Cream Masque is deeply moisturizing and contains coconut milk, oil and tiny pieces of ripe coconut that the kids are sure to love.

Try a child-friendly scrub Strawberry and rhubarb mask on the skin. Strawberries are a natural source of salicylic acid and a calming and entertaining way to illuminate the skin and make it fresh and plump thanks to its astringent and brightening properties.

3. Moisturize

The last important step in every spa day is humidification! This is another great opportunity to teach children the proper moisturizing to keep the skin healthy and strong.

Depending on your child's skin care needs, there are some moisturizing options. If you are looking for a moisturizer for normal skin, this is it Apricot Whip Moisturizer is perfect for beginners. For dry or dehydrated skin, we recommend our Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer, which relieves dryness and at the same time has a deeply moisturizing effect. If your child has sensitive skin or is prone to rosacea, the sensitive formula in Rosehip Whip Moisturizer offers pure, moisturizing ingredients.

Mother gives her daughter a manicure

4. Manicure

End your children's spa day at home with a gentle manicure that nourishes the skin while everyone washes their hands more.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide for a manicure at home:

For more ideas on creating treatments at home with Eminence Organics, see Check out our beautiful selection of botanical cleaners, masks and moisturizers. And let us know in the comments or on social media which part of the spa day your child enjoyed the most!