Kids want tablets. But tablets are fragile, expensive gadgets with unlimited access to the internet, both of which present challenges for parents. A good kid’s tablet is not the same as a good adult tablet: While you want an adult tablet to be thin, light, and fast, you want a kid’s tablet to be cheap, tough, and protected.
Here are some of our favorite kids’ tablets, chosen for a balance of price, durability, and age-appropriate features. No matter which tablet you buy, invest in a case and some kid-friendly headphones. These small investments are worth it.
This week’s best kid’s tablet deals*
- Apple iPad 10.2-inch 64GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (released 2021) — $ 269.99 (list price $329)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 10.5″ 32GB Wi-Fi Tablet — $ 177.76 (list price $229.99)
- Samsung Tab A7 Lite 32GB Wi-Fi Tablet — $ 119.99 (list price $159.99)
- Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 64GB tablet (released in 2020) — $ 69.99 (list price $139.99)
- Apple iPad Air 10.9-inch 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (released in 2022) — $ 499.99 (list price $599)
best school tablet
Probably the best school tablet is the base model iPad. The dominance of the iPad in the tablet space means that most schools support them, many teachers have them, and tech support is easy. Other tablets may not be able to run third-party apps required by the school, or even fill out web forms properly. The worst offenders here are Amazon’s Fire tablets, which are cheap and popular, but not great for productivity.
If an iPad isn’t right for your school, opt for something that runs on Chrome OS — head to our list of the best Chromebooks for kids for recommendations.
What specs do I need for a kids tablet?
Don’t assume that your kid’s tablet is supposed to be a piece of junk. Adequate hardware specs can help you find a tablet that works well enough to avoid frustrating crashes. Let’s start with screen size and resolution. The 8-inch, 1,280-by-800-pixel display is great for reading comics and watching videos, so use that as your benchmark.
Also, pay close attention to the storage specs. We recommend 32GB (or more) of built-in storage instead of 16GB. This amount of storage space enables you to install more applications and take more pictures and videos. A microSD card slot doesn’t hurt either, especially if you want to download movies to watch on long road trips. Some games, like Genshin Impact, take up over 20GB by themselves.
Look for 2GB or more of RAM. This amount of RAM helps apps launch and run more smoothly, especially if there is anything else running in the background.
Battery life is another factor to keep in mind — you don’t want your tablet dying during a long car ride. Carrying spare batteries will help.
The best iPad for kids
The iPad has the best tablet apps , grows with your child, and doubles as a pseudo-laptop for schoolwork. Apple’s operating system, iPadOS, has tools that allow you to monitor your child’s tablet usage and keep tabs on which apps they’re running and for how long. Apple also has parental controls that block apps, filter content, and block purchases — controls you should use to prevent your kids from spending money without your permission.
iPad has by far the best ecosystem of accessories for productive and creative kids on any single tablet model: cases , keyboards, and the Apple Pencil stylus. It is versatile and extensible.
As you probably already know, the iPad also allows kids to use iMessage and FaceTime to talk to other friends or relatives who have Apple devices without buying them a phone.
The Best Fire Tablets for Kids
For years, Amazon’s cheap Fire tablet has been the best family option. The Kids Edition comes with a rubber case, an unconditional two-year warranty, and Amazon’s parental controls. The 8-inch kids’ model (based on the standard Fire HD 8) is also affordable.
Amazon’s tablet features a simplified interface, powerful parental controls, and Kids+ , which is basically a giant bucket of kids’ content. Parent Dashboard lets you keep track of what your kids are doing and limit their screen time. You can also place multiple user profiles on the tablet.
The best Android tablet for kids
If you primarily use Google cloud services and Android apps, an Android tablet can get you what you want for a little less money than an iPad, and it won’t be locked into Amazon services like the Fire tablet.
Regarding parental controls, Android restricts user profiles, prevents accidental purchases and filters Google Play apps. However, if you plan on letting your kids use one of these tablets out of your sight, you should consider installing some parental control software, as the open nature of Android could cause problems for them.
Why You Should Avoid Toy Tablets
Companies like Fuhu, Kurio, and Leapfrog are known for highly restricted tablets with kid-friendly software that don’t provide access to the open internet by default. In general, though, these tablets haven’t been updated in years and run older, insecure versions of Android that we no longer recommend. They also don’t grow with your kids as they get older, and you can end up buying a fancier tablet from this list anyway.
