The Best Kids Watches Are Analog Watches

It often seems that analog wristwatches have gone the way of the landline, the film camera, and the crowded indoor restaurant. And while you may be resigned to telling time with your phone, there’s still a chance for your kid to get a kick out of an old-school analog watch. Kids watches are not only a very cool accessory (and one with a low risk of getting lost, since they’re tethered to their hands), but the best kids watches help children understand the progression of their day in hours and minutes, and help them learn the fundamentals of telling time in a much more direct way than a smartphone or digital clock.

Related: The Best Smartwatches for Kids Who Aren’t Ready for a Phone

Kids start grasping the concept of time (though it remains somewhat abstract) around the first grade, and time becomes continually integrated into their daily lives. To help them make the connection, look for a kids watch with a face that’s big, bright, and easy to read. A band that’s cool and on-trend doesn’t hurt either.

So the next time you tell your kid they have six minutes until their Zoom class starts, they’ll know that you’re talking about something concrete, instead of some ephemeral concept, and you won’t have to nag to get things running on schedule. Just kidding: You’ll still have to nag.

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