Garmin Bounce 2

The Garmin Bounce 2 is a smartwatch made for children rather than a scaled-down adult fitness watch. Garmin announced it on 17 September 2025 as a redesigned successor to the first Bounce, built around LTE connectivity so that a child can call and text parents, and parents can see where the child is, without the child owning a smartphone. It has a round 1.2-inch AMOLED screen, a swim-friendly case and a modest battery life of up to two days. This page is a specification-and-information review based on the published specifications and manufacturer information, covering what the watch does, how the parental controls and plans work, the hardware, the battery and the trade-offs of a connected kids watch.

Place in the lineup

Bounce 2 is Garmin's kids smartwatch, a separate branch from the company's sports and outdoor watches. Garmin's own marketing frames it as an answer for families who are deciding whether to give a child a phone: it keeps calls, texts and location in a smaller, parent-managed package. Its closest relatives in hardware are Garmin's adult AMOLED watches, which use a similar 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 panel, for example the Garmin Forerunner 170. The practical difference is the target: the Forerunner is a running and training tool, and Bounce 2 is a communication and safety tool with simple activity tracking. For a direct specification comparison, see the Bounce 2 vs Forerunner 170 page. Garmin lists a suggested retail price of $299.99 in the United States, available from 17 September 2025, and it is offered in light purple, turquoise and slate gray.

Design and display

The case is 43 x 43 x 12.4 mm and weighs 26.5 grams, or 40.4 grams with the supplied silicone band. The band covers wrists from 115 to 180 mm, which suits a wide range of child sizes. The case and bezel are fiber-reinforced polymer, and the glass is chemically strengthened. Garmin rates the watch at 5 ATM, and its press material describes a swim-friendly design for all-day play; the activity list even includes pool swimming for kids. The screen is a round AMOLED touchscreen measuring 1.2 inches at 390 x 390 pixels, with two side buttons. Garmin states that the combination of touch and buttons makes it easy for children to move between screens and to type text on the watch's full keyboard. A color-shift feature, animated watch faces and color themes keep the look playful, and a Find My Garmin feature helps locate a lost watch.

Calling, messaging and safety

The point of Bounce 2 is its connected features, which require an active LTE subscription plan and coverage. With the Garmin Jr. app on a compatible smartphone, parents and approved contacts can talk to and locate the child. The watch has a built-in speaker and microphone for two-way voice calls and for voice messages, and parents can read transcriptions of the voice messages the child sends. Parents can text the child, who can reply or write their own message on the on-watch keyboard. Location tracking works in real time through LTE LiveTrack, with check-ins and boundary alerts: Garmin describes temporary geofencing that notifies a parent when the child enters or leaves an area the parent has defined. An assistance feature is part of the safety set, and the watch can also be used with voice commands such as calling a parent or setting a timer. All of these communication functions depend on LTE coverage, so parents should look at Garmin's coverage map for their area before buying.

Activities and entertainment

Bounce 2 includes a long list of activity profiles with a step counter. Garmin names running, walking, cycling, pickleball, jump roping and team sports, and the full list also includes hiking, skiing, skating, racket sports and many team sports. The watch uses GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou for speed and distance. The sensors listed are an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor, and the published specifications do not list an optical heart-rate sensor, so this is not a heart-rate-focused wellness device. Kids can also download songs from Amazon Music to the watch, which requires an Amazon Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, and listen through the watch speaker or compatible headphones. The watch includes games, a calculator and weather forecasts. With 4 GB of memory there is enough room for music, though the quantity depends on song sizes.

Battery and charging

Garmin quotes up to two days of battery life in smartwatch mode. That is short by Garmin's own standards, and the company adds that the use of connected features and LTE network conditions have a significant impact on the number. Parents should expect to charge the watch every night or every other night, using the Garmin proprietary plug charger. A child who forgets to charge the watch effectively loses the safety and communication features, so charging needs to become a routine.

Setup, software and everyday use

The watch connects to the parent's phone through Bluetooth and to the internet through Wi-Fi or LTE, and it is compatible with both iPhone and Android. Parents manage contacts, messages and location in the Garmin Jr. app, so the child can only reach people the parent has approved. Garmin also lists everyday functions such as weather forecasts, an alarm clock, a timer and a stopwatch, plus voice commands for common requests. These basics matter more than they sound, because a watch that a child enjoys wearing is more likely to be worn every day, and a worn watch is the only one that keeps its safety features useful. Garmin adds that the watch is built for all-day play, and the 26.5-gram case is light enough that most children should not find it a burden.

Who it is for

Bounce 2 suits families who want a child to be reachable and locatable, with parent-controlled contacts, but do not want to hand over a smartphone yet. It is more useful for children who walk to school, play outside or go to activities on their own than for those who are always supervised. The parent needs an iPhone or Android phone to run the Garmin Jr. app, since the child's watch is managed from there. Compared with a phone, the watch limits distractions, and compared with a cheaper non-connected activity tracker, it adds two-way contact. The rankings page shows how the watch fits within the wider smartwatch catalogue, even though it is aimed at a different audience than most entries.

Compromises and things to check

The main cost is not the watch but the plan. Garmin lists kids smartwatch plans, managed by Garmin, at $9.99 per month in the United States press release, on top of a $299.99 purchase price. Without a plan and LTE coverage the calling, texting and tracking features do not work. Battery life of two days is short, and heavy use will drain it faster. The display is smaller than a phone's, so typing messages on a watch keyboard is slow. Prices and plan terms are different in other countries, so confirm the local price and the supported network before buying. Adults who want a premium training watch should look at models such as the Garmin Instinct 3 instead.