Watch & Learn: Flik Flak’s New Island Greetings Series Offers Kids a Fun Analog Experience

Yesterday, I watched a toddler splashing around in a puddle. The kid apparently wanted to go out in the rain specifically to splash. And I watched her mother watch her kid having the time of her life, stomping around in her unicorn rain boots. It was a delightful, wholesome moment to witness. However, the best part of this scene was the fact that at no point did anyone film it for content. It was a rare, screen-free experience.

Today, Flik Flak is launching a colorful new collection called Island Greetings.
 

And while the line is meant to inspire the imagination, the brand is also hoping to tap into a growing cultural vibe shift as more schools and parents are moving to ban smartphones and connected smartwatches in classrooms to reduce distractions and encourage focus. Which means that it’s the perfect time for analog watches to make a comeback for kids.

Let’s take a look at the new collection!

In Manitoba, Canada, the province enacted a cellphone ban in schools that prohibits all cell phone use by students in kindergarten to Grade 8, while students in grades 9 through 12 are allowed to use the devices during breaks and lunch.

In just two years, these rules have led to a positive change in the students’ well-being. So much so that the province is now looking into limiting the use of social media accounts and artificial intelligence chatbots in classrooms.
 

So, what does this have to do with watches?

Students still need to manage their time. And a good old-fashioned analog watch keeps kids on schedule without the anxiety-inducing pinging of notifications or the risk of running low on battery power.

I also recently overheard a young woman explaining to her friend why she wore a watch rather than just checking the time on her phone. “I like a little friction in my life,” she said. “It teaches you how to problem solve.” Interestingly, science backs this up.

Research shows that, just as physical exercise builds up our muscles, mental challenges promote brain health. Understanding new things plays a key role in cognitive fitness by strengthening neural connections, enhancing cognitive reserve, and building neuroplasticity.
 

And according to Flik Flak, the same skills that go into learning how to read an analog clock support concentration, sequencing, independence, and early mathematical thinking. At the same time, it helps if challenging tasks are also engaging.

The new Island Greetings collection brings a world of ocean-inspired designs, tropical details, and playful characters to life. There are nine variations in this lineup: Happy Dolphins, Bubbly Seahorse, Ocean Party, Toucans Treasures, Hibiskiss, Shark Gang, Surfing Essentials, Fizz in Hibiscus, and Fizz in Waves.
 

The selection ranges from simple two-handed Story Time models with printed fabric straps to three-handed Power Time models with working diver-style bezels and more complicated plastic straps.
 

That being said, my favorite Island Greetings watch is the Fizz in Waves for its basic blue-and-green colorway and perforated silicone strap. It seems like a style that kids can easily grow into as they explore the world in person and not through a screen.