Getting to review toys is always an exciting time in my house. Mostly for my youngest son since he gets to try them all out, but also for me because when he has something new to play with, it keeps him happy and occupied. Testing out the Vtech Kidizoom Action Cam and the Smartwatch DX was no exception.
Initial impressions
The Vtech Kidizoom Action Cam comes with so many accessories your kids can take it on the go with them wherever they go. There are mounts for bikes, skateboards and scooters. There’s also a wrist strap and the best accessory of all, a shell case for underwater use. My son had so much fun with it I had to share a video below of my son and his friend slipping down the slide at our local indoor pool.
There’s also a USB cord for charging and downloading your pictures or videos onto your home computer. The screen is 1.4” and is an LCD touchscreen which makes it simple to use. There is also 128mb of internal 
storage on the camera, but it can be expanded with a microSD memory card that is sold separately.
I love that the Kidizoom Action Cam has fun games to play too. The size of the camera makes it easy to take along in the car, and having games to play will keep them entertained on the go.
Vtech Kidizoom Action Cam key considerations
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Are option buttons on the Action Cam easy to use? |
Yes, they are very basic with a power button, a camera button, a record button and left and right arrows. |
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Does the camera take batteries? |
No, the action cam is rechargeable with a USB cord that’s included. |
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How is the camera quality? |
Parents should know the camera is not HD quality, but I was really impressed with how clear and crisp the video was |
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Is recording a video easy to do? |
Yes, you can either scroll to the video recorder picture or press the video recorder button on the top of the camera. Press ok and then ok again to start and stop recording. |
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Is the camera easy to use? |
All you have to do to take a picture is scroll and choose the camera on the screen. Press ok or press the camera button on the top of the camera. |
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How far underwater can the camera go? |
The camera can underwater up to 6 feet and for a time limit of 30 minutes. |
Testing and play
As soon as we opened up the package my son began immediately taking pictures and videos of our cats. On the camera screen you’ll notice a small green left and right arrow and if you scroll through you’ll see tons of fun borders to add to your photos and videos either before or after you take them. I think a fun way to play with this feature is to play dress up and they can coordinate costumes to the border of their choice. There’s also a black and white and sepia option for when you’re taking video.
There are three games to choose from for added play options. The super boarder and mountain bike games are fun and you follow a path to collect coins or toys and avoid crashing into things. My favourite has to be the crazy captain game. Watch the video below to see this game in action.
Final thoughts on the Kidizoom Action Cam
The Kidizoom Action Cam is the perfect size for small hands and is so simple to use. The buttons and functions are clearly marked and the camera has alot to offer. Not only is it a camera and video recorder, but I like that you can take your pictures and videos to the next level with fun frames.The games are also an added bonus. I love that they are simple to play but still fun. Sometimes it’s the simple things that keep us entertained.
The Action Cam is definitely more for outdoor use. You will see this in the difference of picture clarity from the indoors to the outdoors. Photos taken inside tend to look a little yellow, but are much more clear when taken outside. I’ve added two pictures below so you can see the difference for yourself.
Indoors with the Action Cam Outdoors with the Action Cam
The Vtech Smartwatch DX
On to the Vtech Smartwatch DX, which I think I may have enjoyed more than my son. I am a really big fan of this watch and all its extras. This watch is more than a watch; it packs a lot into its size.
Initial impressions
Not only does the Smartwatch DX have a digital clock option for the younger ages, but also an analog option for older kids who are learning to tell time that way. There is also over 50 clock faces to choose from to customize the watch to whatever your child likes and there are even some 3D designs which are really cool.
The watch also has a calendar to keep track of the days of the week and a calculator which will help your child with some basics in math. The most fun I had with this watch was playing the games. The games are very basic and so easy to play and they are the ones that you find yourself playing over and over. There is also new action challenges that are not only fun to play, but will get your child active either jumping rope, running or having a dance party.
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What are the watch features? |
The watch has a calculator, timer, games, action challenges, camera/video recorder, settings, and learning lodge. |
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Are batteries required? |
No, another great feature is that this watch is chargeable with the USB cord included. . |
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Are the watch buttons easy to use? |
Yes there is a home and camera button located right on the frame of the watch, the rest of the watch is used with the LCD touchscreen |
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Are the games fun and easy to play? |
The games are very easy to play with only a couple controls each, and the instructions are easy to see being located on the touch screen. There is also an icon for something called the Learning Lodge, and that’s an an app you download onto your home computer. From here you have more games and apps available to you that can be downloaded onto the Smartwatch |
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What kind of storage does the watch have? |
It has 128mb of internal storage |
Testing and play
This is a watch that’s all about games, so my son went straight for the games after opening the box. I had to let him have his play time before he even let me look at it, and I have to say when my turn was finally up I was pretty impressed. This is so much more than a watch with all the extra features.
The bonus of a camera on this watch is fantastic. It’s location on the watch is perfect too for when it is on your child’s wrist. They can pretend to be spies and take photos, which I can tell you my son did do, since he wants to be a ninja when he gets older. There’s also a video recorder for recording short videos. All your pictures and videos can then be uploaded to your computer via the USB cord for storage.
Here’s my video taking a look at the Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX and the Action Cam.
Final thoughts
My son is 10 now and I sure wish I would have had one of these when he was much younger. It would be a great gadget for kids to take on the go. You can teach your kids to tell time, but also how to be on time when you need to be somewhere. All the games and extras make the watch multi functional. Since it will be strapped onto their wrist, it’s super easy to take along wherever you go and offers extra entertainment.
My boys and I really enjoyed testing out these two Vtech toys. We even had a few kids at the pool commenting how cool the Action Cam was.
Check out bestbuy.ca for more toys by Vtech
Title image @ thetoyinsider.com
