A New Smart Watch For Kids Teaches Good Habits

A new startup called JOY thinks it’s never too early to start teaching kids about time management. Mashable reports that JOY has created a colorful smart watch for kids called Octopus that will teach children good habits and help them stick to schedules set by their parents.

The Octopus watch has three main functions: It serves as a watch, a scheduler, and an assistant that provides helpful tips for parents and kids. Designed for children ages 3 to 8, the watch can be set to various modes that are appropriate to the different stages of childhood development. The earliest uses icons and illustrations to tell small children what task to complete, while the older modes teach kids how to read digital and analog clocks.

Parents can choose from 600 icons to remind children of chores or inform them of upcoming events. For instance, parents trying to remind children to brush their teeth or feed their pets can send reminders using the appropriate icons. According to JOY, the watch is designed to foster independence and self-esteem by helping kids complete tasks on their own while subtly nudging them towards greater responsibilities.

“Studies have shown that children under 8 years old don’t understand the concept of time, let alone remember what to do when a certain time rolls around,” the company's Kickstarter page explains. “We have designed the first watch that helps them understand how parents expect them to use their time. We believe this will help children form good habits and help them to take responsibility for their actions.”

JOY is currently accepting pre-orders for the Octopus watch on Kickstarter, where they have already exceeded their initial $50,000 goal by around $300,000. Check out the video below to see the Octopus watch in action.