Long gone are the days when walkie talkies were only toys for adults. Today, kids are using these tools to make it fun and exciting to play superheroes, secret agents, and even hide and seek. And that is not all; kids can also use walkie talkies to communicate with friends down the street, with each other in different rooms in the house or around the garden, or even talk to their parents while out on the campsite.
Walkie talkies come in different forms, from complex gadgets to simple to operate. Most of them usually have multiple channels so that if one doesn’t have a good signal, your kids can always change to the one with a strong signal. However, you should know that walkie talkies function by turning into the same frequency as another device, meaning another device from the same range may also be able to join the channel of communication. This can lead to an invasion of privacy, but you can always show your kids how to switch channels or turn it off in case this happens.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the best walkie talkies for kids on the market today.
Best Walkie Talkie for Kids: Buyer’s Guide
Walkie talkies are great devices to help us stay in touch with our kids or kids have fun with fellow kids. One advantage of these toys is that you can communicate in places where mobile phones cannot get reception, plus since they are palm-sized you can carry them pretty much anywhere you want to make fun.
In addition to being communication devices, walkie talkies can also provide weather updates as well as SOS signals.
Modern walkie talkies feature improved frequency options and radio ranges and they weigh less so you don’t feel excessively burned as you walk. Thus, if you are planning for an outdoor adventure – hiking, road trip, or camping – you should get the best walkie talkie that suits your needs.
In this second part of the review, I am going to share with you everything you need to know before getting walkie talkies for your kids.
Types of walkie talkies
Walkie talkies come in different forms and shapes and so the main question you are like to face is: which model should I pick? To answer that question, you need to decide where and how you will use the radio.
But generally, there are two major categories- General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service (FSR) walkie talkies.
To use GMRS radios, you will need a license from your state communication commission or communication authority of your region. When it comes to FSR walkie talkies, you can use it without licensing and they are typically cheap with a legal limitation of 500 milli-watts. How they tend to have short coverage of just two miles.
- Walkie talkies for kids
Walkie talkies for kids are designed specifically for kids to play with. Most of them are made from plastic and are lightweight. They are either powered by double or triple A batteries and can come in different colors and designs to appeal to the little ones.
- Long-range walkie talkies
As the name tells you, these radios feature long ranges that increase with power. For instance, 2 watts walkie talkie can cover a maximum of 8 miles while 4 watts can cover a maximum of 30 miles.
- Waterproof walkie talkies
These radios can be used in rain or sunny days, which make them a great choice for kids, particularly those who love nature. Check the best waterproof walkie talkie
The Best walkie talkie for Kids – summary
Our Top Pick: SUPTEMPO Best Walkie Talkies for Kids
The SUPTEMPO Walkie Talkie for Kids will prove to be a great gift for kids and the elderly thanks to its wide range of cool features.
Coming in 3-pack, this walkie talkies have a light-up LCD screen and a handy LED light that enables it to be used even in the dark.
Each device comes with a button inside the belt clip, which you can press gently to push the clip upside and open the battery cover.
In terms of durability, the materials used to make these walkie talkies are indispensable for kid’s toys. It is durable and can endure all sorts of pressure put on them by the kids including 2 meters drop resistant.
A great walkie talkie should also have a long-range. Luckily, this piece supports up to 3 km range in open conditions and 2 kilometers in neighborhood conditions.
SUPTEMPO Walkie Talkies for Kids Key Features
- Long-range: These walkie talkies have a clear call alert function with anti-interference clear voice technology and support 3 kilometers in open conditions and 2 kilometers in neighborhood conditions.
- Voice activation (VOX): Your kids can talk without pressing the PTT button as long as the VOX function is activated.
- Security: SUPTEMPO Walkie Talkie for Kids is fitted with 22 channels, protected by 99 CTCSS sub-codes to reduce the chance of other people communicating with your kids using the same frequency.
- Built-in flashlight: This feature is helpful for night adventure
Our Runner Up Pick: LOOIKOOS Walkie Talkie for Kids
Equipped with up to 22 channels, LOOIKOOS Walkie Talkie is ideal for 3 to 12-year-olds, teens, and even grownups. The three devices can be bought as kid’s birthday, Halloween, or Christmas gifts.
They are designed to work perfectly for both indoor and outdoor activities such as spring outings, games, and summer camping.
It also features an ergonomic design, with a small and lightweight case and each walkie talkie weighs just 80 grams. Each device functions on 4 AAA batteries, though you will have to buy them separately. The design fits comfortably into your kid’s hand and the simple push-to-talk button makes it easy to use.
The flashlight on top of the toy allows your kids to use it even at night.
LOOIKOOS Walkie Talkie Key Features
- Long-range: These walkie talkies can handle large areas of up to 3 kilometers in an open field and 0.5 to 1-mile range neighborhood.
- Privacy: The toys come with 22 channels reinforced by 99 CTCSS sub-codes to minimize the chance of other people being able to communicate with your kids on the same channel.
- Built-in flashlight and LCD: It is mostly useful for night adventures, emergent situations, or working in poorly-lit areas.
- Voice activation (VOX): This allows you kids to talk on the walkie talkie without having to press the PTT button.
Snoky Walkie Talkies for Kids
With its child-friendly design, this walkie talkie is ideal for 3, 4, 5, and 6-year-olds. It is palm-size and lightweight with a built-in flashlight as well as battery indicator and keypad lock feature to prevent accidental changing of settings.
There is also a removable clip at the back of each toy for easy changing of batteries.
Each walkie talkie has 22 main channels and a long-range in various terrains for up to 1.86 miles. They also have professional functions such as hands-free (VOX) auto power saving, and channel monitor and scan for easily finding available channels. With these functions, your children can choose a private communication channel to keep their conversation away from unauthorized persons.
Snoky Walkie Talkie for kids has just been upgraded to include an earpiece jack with dust plug as well as an auto squelch function (CTCSS) that allows you to mute the background noise so you can always get the crisp sound even when in crowded places.
Each toy is simple to use and can broadcast to one or multiple channels.
Snoky Walkie Talkie for Kids Key Features
- Wide and long-range: Allows you kids to use the walkie talkie for both indoor and outdoor activities such as hiking, outing, camping, and shopping.
- Earpiece jack and CTCSS: To cancel the background noise to allow kids to communicate even in noisy places.
- Auto power-saving function: This allows the toys to function for long hours without needing to change the batteries.
Best Long-Range Walkie Talkie: Motorola T107 Talkabout Radio
If the distance is what you are looking for, Motorola T107 Talkabout Radio is the right option thanks to its range of up to 16 miles.
These walkie talkies come in twin-pack or triple-pack and feature simple, compact, and easy-to-use design. With 22 channels, these toys offer just what you need to instantly communicate with your family and friends and ensure they are ok.
The range of each toy is calculated based on a clear line of sight test under optimum conditions, and therefore, the actual range will vary based on conditions and terrain, but it is usually less than the maximum possible number.
Motorola T107 Talkabout Radio Key Features
- Family-friendly: The toys are easy to use by any member of the family
- Sturdy construction: Simple, compact, and strong construction that makes them long-lasting
- Long-range: With up to 16 miles in range, these walkie talkies won’t slow you down
Best Value For Money: Motorola T42 Talkabout PMR446 2-Way Walkie Talkie – Currently available only in Europe
On a personal level, we had these walkie talkies and proved to be better value for money and an amazing range of up to 4 kilometers in a flat area. It is simple, easy, and fun to use, be it camping, hiking, playing in the backyard, or on the beach.
The setup of the radio is simple due to the easy pairing function. They work the same way as the radio but unlike most walkie talkies on this list, you only get 16 channels. But the good news is that you can communicate with anyone within the range even if they have a different brand.
Motorola T42 Talkabout PMR446 2-Way Walkie Talkie key Features
- Best value for money
- LCD display with 16 channels
- Easy pairing button that makes setting up a breeze
- Range of up to 4 kilometers
- Low battery warning indicator
Things to Consider When Buying the Best Walkie Talkie
After learning about the different kinds of walkie talkies for kids, you need to make sure that you are buying the best device there is in the market. Below are the top factors to keep in mind when choosing your kid’s walkie talkie.
VHF vs UHF
Very High Frequency (VHR) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) are not the same when it comes to walkie talkies. VHR devices function at 126 MHz to 174 MHz and operate well over long distances where the landscape is open and clear. They also have elongated antennas compared to their UHF counterparts and can penetrate trees and foliage easily.
UHF walkie talkies on the other hand operate at a higher Megahertz of between 400 MHz and 512 MHz and are more versatile compared to VHF in that they can penetrate building walls.
However, UHF and VHF cannot work together, so make sure you buy walkie talkies of the same kind.
Features
When buying kids’ walkie talkies, it is essential to check for additional features like a headset, hands-free gear, as well as other accompanying accessories. Some radios may come with noise-canceling and privacy codes features. If your kids like playing hide and seek, you may want to buy walkie talkies with vibration features and keypad lock or keystroke alert.
Some of the most important features to consider are:
- Channel saver: This enables your kids to save the channels they like
- Talk confirmation: It signals the beginning and end of transmissions so that your kids know when it is safe to reply to the broadcasts instead of being cut off.
- Backlit LCD keypad and screen to allow your kids to see and use the radio in the dark or at night. An LCD screen enables you to monitor how much battery is left as well as show a compass, timers, and alarms.
- Weather radio so that kids can choose weather alerts
Channels
A standard walkie talkie has 22 channels. These different channels serve various purposes and understanding this will help you choose the right walkie talkie for your kids. Also, the more the number of channels on the radio, the higher the price, so it is important to know how your kids intend to use the toys before buying.
Batteries
Basic walkie talkies use either AA or AAA batteries though modern versions use lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium, or nickel-metal hydride batteries. The life of a walkie talkie battery is usually estimated to be 5% transmission time, 5% reception time, and 90% standby time.
Higher quality walkie talkies tend to come with rechargeable batteries, either with charging cords or charging stations.
Whether you choose rechargeable or non-rechargeable radios depend on how you intend to use them. For instance, if you plan to use them upcountry or camps where recharging is not possible, then you should go for sets with single-use batteries.
Range
Most walkie talkies will specify the distance it can communicate with each other provided there are no barriers such as landscapes or buildings in between. For obvious reasons, you should go for walkie talkies with a bigger range – may be from 5 miles to 50 miles.
Size
Walkie talkies for kids should be as tiny as possible, so they will fit in small hands.
Dust and waterproofing
Since the toys will be played with by the kids, they need to be completely dust and waterproof. You should also get the ones with extra-loud speakers so that your children can communicate even in crowded or noisy places.
Privacy
Perhaps the most important feature to consider when purchasing a walkie talkie, a privacy feature will reduce the chances of strangers communicating with your kids through the same frequency. With that in mind, radios with fewer channels often operate on frequencies that other people are also using.
If you are buying the walkie talkies as toys for your young kids, then privacy might not an important factor, but for toddlers and teens, you should consider buying the sets with many channels or codes.
Voice Activation (VOX)
Voice activation feature allows your kids to use the device without pushing the talk button. This setting will prompt voice transmission when it senses voices over a specific volume. Generally, you want this feature if you want to supervise your kids while they are playing outdoors.
Direct call
While still on the subject of supervising and keeping in touch with your kids, some walkie talkies allow you to make a direct call to a single person or a whole group.
Accessories
You want walkie talkies that have additional accessories such as lanyards and belt clips among others to make it easier and convenient to carry and use.
Laws and regulations
As I mentioned earlier, some walkie talkies don’t need licensing to operate while others do. However, the extent of the limitation of the use of two-way radios depends on where you come from. So if you planning to travel abroad with your kids, be sure to check the laws and regulations of the country beforehand.
User-friendly
A great walkie talkie for kids should always be easy to manage in terms of size and buttons. The walkie talkie should be palm-size and straightforward in terms of interface and design.