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Garmin's next step in its plan to own your fitness life: an activity tracker for kids

Garmin's next step in its plan to own your fitness life: an activity tracker for kids

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Garmin, which makes so many different activity trackers that you actually burn calories just by trying to distinguish between them all, is now selling an activity tracker to kids.

Called the Vivofit JR, the wristband tracks steps, sleep, and overall activity. It has a sunlight-readable display that shows a "Move" bar when kids have been inactive for too long, and is supposed to motivate its wearers to move for at least 60 minutes a day. Like the adult version of the Vivofit activity-tracking wristband, its battery is expected to last for a year; and the band is water resistant for swimming.

Garmin-Vivofit-Junior-kids

Garmin says it based the 60-minute move goal on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, aerobic activity is supposed to account for 60 minutes or more of a child's physical activity every day.

The Vivofit JR even has its own mobile app (which Garmin describes as "parent-controlled"). The app is supposed to let parents create challenges for kids, ranging from completing an adventure trail to cleaning their rooms. The word "monitor" is carefully not used in the marketing for the wristband, but essentially, parents can monitor their kids activity, chores, even screen time.

Garmin-Vivofit-Junior-kids

The Vivofit Jr costs $80 and will start shipping later this fall.