Fitbit has introduced its new Fitbit Ace 3 fitness tracker, bringing improved battery life, a new animated watch face, and a Minions tie-in to kids' wrists.

The past year has been tough on kids, with many schools closed and activities cancelled, and while the Fitbit Ace 3 won't solve all of that, it will help kids stay active with a number of features designed to encourage exercise and healthy behaviors. It will help them stay active.

Here's everything you need to know about the Fitbit Ace 3.

The Fitbit Ace 3 is available for pre-order today and will begin shipping on March 15. It costs $79.95 in the US and £69.99 in the UK.

Design-wise, the Fitbit Ace 3 has subtle changes from the previous model. It is more curved than before and looks more comfortable on smaller wrists, but we will have to wait until we use it to find out for sure about this.

The Fitbit Ace 3 will be available in two bold color schemes at launch, with kids able to choose between black and red or blue and green options. We like that Fitbit is not offering only pink and blue, the usual choices for children's devices.

New straps can be added, and two Minions-themed bands will be available in the summer; Fitbit also promises "more engaging Minions features and products" coming soon.

The Ace 3 is also waterproof to 50 meters, so you don't have to worry about your kids going for a swim or spilling a drink.

Fitbit has not announced screen specs, but the Fitbit Ace 2 had a 0.72-inch OLED touch display with a 128 x 72 resolution. Leaked information over the weekend indicates that the new model will have a 240 x 240 resolution, but given the rectangular design, this does not appear to be correct. We will update this article as soon as we receive confirmation.

On a basic level, the Ace 3 tracks your child's steps and active minutes, as do none of the best fitness trackers. But what really helps here is the animated clock face, where the character changes and grows as your child progresses toward daily goals.

In all, the Fitbit Ace 3 has over 20 clock faces, six of which are animated. Just keep in mind that using these can have a negative impact on battery life.

Sleep tracking is again included, along with bedtime reminders and a silent alarm that wakes the child with a gentle buzzer. This is all designed to ensure that children get a healthy amount of sleep each night.

However, heart rate tracking is not available: the Fitbit Ace 3 has a heart rate sensor, but it is not activated.

One thing that is noticeably improved in the Fitbit Ace 3 is the battery life: the Fitbit Ace 2 could be used for five days, but the third generation of Fitbit's children's wearable has upped that number to an impressive eight days.

The Fitbit app combined with a family account has both parent and child views to provide a tailored experience for each age group. This means parents can track their child's progress, approve friend requests, and manage what their child sees in the child version of the app.

Ace 3 also makes it easier for parents to stay in touch with their children. If the child has a smartphone, they can receive incoming notifications on their wrist.

The Fitbit Ace 3 is likely to be a strong contender for the best fitness tracker for children. The second-generation Ace 2 was already an excellent product, but the Ace 3 improves on it in several ways.

The price is reasonable, and the tie-in with the "Minions" series is sure to please many youngsters: especially the tie-in with the new movie "Minions: The Rise of Gru," due out in 2022.

I will let you know what I think once I try it.