Noise Explorer 2 review: A kids' smartwatch built for safety, not specs

The kids’ smartwatch category in India has quietly matured over the past few years, driven by a very modern parenting dilemma: children are becoming more mobile, but parents are increasingly wary of handing them smartphones.

I got my eight-year-old the Noise Junior Explorer 2 that leans directly into that anxiety. It’s a controlled communication tool and walled-garden digital experience that keeps kids connected but not exposed.

Built for rough use

The Explorer 2’s design makes its intentions clear. It is unapologetically kid-first: chunky casing, bright colours, and a rugged build that can survive playground tumbles. It carries IP68 water resistance to guard against overenthusiastic splashes or that puddle hopping in the rain — which is essential for the target age group.

That said, when we are out for formal events or parties, we usually have our son wear his classic Casio or some other kiddie watch instead of this. Essentially, once the initial excitement wore off, we use the smartwatch when we require safety and tracking and not as an always-on-wrist smartwatch like the Garmin I wear.

The 1.4-inch IPS display is functional rather than premium, but visibility outdoors is decent. While children will appreciate the animated watch faces and the layout and navigation are easy to manage, the UI is a bit dated like the first wave of smart devices. It lacks the finesse, but gets the work done.

The performance won’t win it any bragging rights and that’s okay, since the intention here is about stable connectivity and efficient power use. The battery life is adequate rather than impressive. With GPS and calling enabled, you’d find yourself charging it daily — like you would for any other smartwatch. But since our kid doesn’t wear it all the time, we usually charge it once in three days and once lasted an entire active weekend trip.

Safety takes centre stage

Where the Explorer 2 really asserts itself is in its safety-first feature set that directly address parental concerns. Real-time GPS tracking is the centrepiece, allowing parents to check their child’s location through the companion Noise Explorer Hub app, available for both Android and iOS. It’s a functional app that won’t win any UX awards.

The app also lets you them set geo-fenced safe zones, triggering alerts when the child steps outside a defined area, like the condominium park or a party venue.

Two-way video and voice calling via the inclusion of 4G SIM support is the headline feature, of course. It works only with approved contacts, ensuring controlled communication: it gives kids a way to reach their parents or other family members instantly without exposing them to random callers. A dedicated SOS button adds another layer of reassurance, instantly sharing the child’s live location in an emergency.

Additionally, there’s a thoughtful School Mode feature that locks the watch into a distraction-free mode during school hours. That said, assuming the school and the daily school bus commute are safe spaces, we don’t allow our kid to wear the watch to the school lest it becomes an attention piece.

By the way, the watch also offers steps and activity tracking, but this is not a fitness device obviously. It’s more of a bonus than a selling point. I’ve also kept these turned off because I don’t want to get into the anxiety of an eight-year-old’s activity.

Thankfully, the app allows you to turn off individual features. This enables you to customize your kid’s experience and change it as he grows along. For our kid, we’ve disabled most features and apps to avoid him indulging with the watch instead of having fun at whatever he’s doing.

There’s camera too which takes soapbox-like photos, but it was fun for the kid to click selfies with his friends at the birthday party he recently went to and show us who was in attendance and what face-tattoos they got.

Do you need one for your child?

Of course, the primary question is whether children really need a smartwatch like this.

I would’ve liked to answer this with a no (“why are we becoming gadget-depended” and “let’s kids have their freedom,” and “we didn’t need any watches growing up,” I’ve said with an old uncle shrug), but for many families, the answer increasingly leans toward yes. I relented as well.

Children today navigate far more independent movement than previous generations — in an increasingly unsafe society, unfortunately.

Since smartphones introduce a world of content, distraction, and risk that many parents want to delay, a device like the Explorer 2 offers a middle path: connectivity without exposure. It gives kids a sense of autonomy while keeping parents in the loop.

Competition in India’s kids’ smartwatch space is limited and fragmented. Imoo, a global leader in this niche, sells watches – with excellent video calling and GPS performance but similar user experience – but at a price that feels out of step with Indian expectations (starts at ₹9,490 and goes up to ₹16,490). There’s a similar watch from boAt (boAt Wanderer at ₹5,999) but it hasn’t been updated in some time and often is out of stock.

The online marketplaces are full of generic 4G kids’ watches that promise everything for half the price, but they often fall short on reliability, tracking, app quality, and, also, data privacy. Avoid them.

Noise appears to be significantly invested in the category considering they have a portfolio of 3-4 kids’ smartwatches and have recently introduced the Explorer 2 as a successor to the original Noise Explorer from 2023.

At ₹5,999, the Noise Explorer 2 doesn’t come cheap. And it’s not perfect. But it isn’t a gadget meant to impress with specs or excite or overwhelm kids with its shenanigans; it’s a tool designed to solve a specific parenting problem.

For families with children in the six-to-twelve age range who frequently travel or go out a lot, and kids are out and about often, it makes a compelling case. Older kids may find the design too juvenile and constant tracking a tad annoying.

In a market that’s still figuring out what a kids’ smartwatch should be and if one is needed, Noise’s answer feels practical and reassuringly focused.