The short answer
For a school-going child, an ID card GPS tracker is usually the best fit. It has no screen, so there's nothing to play with in class. It hangs on the lanyard your child already wears, and it has an SOS button and calling. A smartwatch suits a child of 8 or more who'll use what it offers. A phone is the last thing we'd hand a young child just for safety.
The first time your child takes the school bus alone, the day feels long. You check the clock at 7:40. You check it again at 2:15. Nothing is wrong. You'd just feel better knowing.
That's the whole job of a child tracker. It gives you an answer to "has she reached?" without ringing the school office for the 3rd time this week. It won't replace teaching your child to be careful, and we'll come back to that.
We make an ID card tracker, so you know where we stand. We've still tried to be fair to the other 2 options Indian parents usually weigh, because for some children they're the better choice. A 12-year-old who cycles to coaching on her own has outgrown a card on a lanyard.
ID card, smartwatch or phone?
| ID card GPS tracker | Kids' GPS smartwatch | Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live location | Yes | Yes | Yes, through an app |
| SOS button | Yes | Yes | No dedicated button |
| Calling | Two-way calling | Yes | Yes |
| Screen, games, internet | None | Some | Everything |
| Draws attention | No, looks like an ID card | Yes | Yes |
| Likely to be allowed in school | Check with your school | Often restricted | Often restricted |
| Right age | 4 and up | 8 and up | Teenagers |
Row 4 is the one we'd decide on. Every feature a device adds is something a 6-year-old can fiddle with during maths, and something a teacher can confiscate. A tracker that's sitting in the staff room drawer isn't tracking anyone.
School rules differ, so ask before you buy. Many schools don't allow phones or smartwatches in class. An ID card tracker has no screen and sits with the card the child wears anyway, so it's the least likely to cause a problem. For a child in class 1 to class 5, we'd go screen-free every time.
What is an ID card GPS tracker?
It's a slim tracker the size and shape of a school ID card. It goes on a lanyard or inside the bag. Inside are a GPS chip, a SIM, a battery, a speaker and a microphone.
The TWM 4G ID Card GPS Tracker does 5 things:
- Live location in the TWM app, indoors and outdoors.
- SOS button. 1 press sends you an alert with the child's location.
- Two-way calling. You can call the device, and your child can call you.
- Safe zones. Draw a boundary around school, home or tuition and get an alert when your child enters or leaves.
- Route history. See the path the school bus took.
A full charge lasts 4 to 5 days, so it goes on the charger at the weekend and gets through the school week. It costs ₹4,949 with a pre-activated SIM and the first year included. It carries a 1-year warranty, and a 7-day replacement if it arrives defective or damaged.
How parents actually use it
The school run
Set a safe zone around the school. At 7:55 your phone tells you she's arrived. At 2:10 it tells you she's left. You stop watching the clock.
Tuition and activity classes
The stretch between the school gate and the 4 pm tuition class is where a lot of parents worry most, because nobody is officially in charge of it. A second safe zone around the tuition centre covers that gap.
Crowded places
Malls, melas, railway stations, a cousin's wedding with 600 guests. If you get separated, open the app and walk to the dot.
School trips
You can see the bus reach the picnic spot at 11 and start back at 3, without messaging the class teacher.
What to look for when you buy
- 4G, not 2G. A device your child depends on in an emergency should be on a network with a long future. Read more in 2G vs 4G trackers.
- A real SOS button. Big enough for a small hand, hard to press by accident.
- Calling. Location tells you where. A call tells you what's happening.
- Battery that lasts the school week. Charging every night is a habit most families won't keep up past the 2nd week. Ours runs 4 to 5 days on a charge.
- A clear yearly cost. Ask what the renewal is after year 1. Our guide to tracker charges shows how to compare.
- An Indian support number. When the device goes offline on a Monday morning, you want someone to pick up.
How to talk to your child about it
If we could change 1 thing about how these devices get used, it would be this part. A tracker works when the child is in on the decision. It fails, quietly, when it's something done to them.
- Be honest. "This helps me know you've reached safely" is true and easy to understand.
- Show them the SOS button. Practise once at home, so they know what it does and that you'll call straight away.
- Explain when to press it. Lost, hurt, scared, or if a stranger asks them to go somewhere. Forgetting the lunch box doesn't count.
- Don't use it to police them. If every location update turns into an interrogation at dinner, the tracker will start getting "forgotten" at home.
Revisit the arrangement as your child grows. What suits a 6-year-old isn't right for a 15-year-old, and she'll tell you so.
Is it legal to track my child?
Yes. Parents and guardians can make safety decisions for a minor. We cover this, along with elderly parents and other family members, in Is a GPS tracker legal in India?
What a tracker can't do
It tells you where your child is. It doesn't keep them safe. Children still need to know their address and your 10-digit phone number by heart, how to cross a road, and that they don't go anywhere with someone they don't know. Teach those first. The tracker sits on top of them.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can a child start using a GPS tracker?
From around 4, when children start school. An ID card tracker asks nothing of the child except wearing it and knowing the SOS button.
Will the school allow an ID card tracker?
Policies differ, so ask the class teacher or the school office. Because the device has no screen, games or camera, schools are generally more comfortable with it than with a smartwatch or a phone.
Can grandparents use the same device?
Yes. The same ID card tracker works well for senior family members. The SOS button and two-way calling matter even more for a parent of 70 who lives alone.
Can both parents track the same device?
Yes. The TWM app is 1 platform, and more than 1 person can log in and see the same device from their own phone. Both parents, and a grandparent too if you like.
Does it work inside the school building?
GPS is most accurate outdoors. Inside large buildings the position can be less precise, but safe-zone entry and exit alerts continue to work.
