Trying to find the right tablet for your kid is quite stressful! There are so many options out there, with different specifications, features, and prices. Plus, nearly every option on the market says it’s the best tablet for kids. But which one really is?
In this article, we uncover how you can pick a good kid-friendly tablet as well as what features to look out for to keep your kids safe, happy, and learning along the way.
Here are the 7 best kids' tablets available in 2024 for all ages from toddlers to teens!
Top 5 kids tablets – shortlist
- Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro – the overall best kids tablet
- Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids – the perfect tablet for 6 to 12-year-olds
- Apple iPad (10th Generation) – a great choice for Apple-loving parents
- Apple iPad (9th Generation) – a tablet for the whole family
- Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) – the best tablet for 4-year-olds
How to choose the best tablet for kids?
To choose the best tablet for your kid, or kids, there are several things you should consider, such as:
- Age appropriateness. Some tablets are designed specifically with children in mind. But features differ a lot depending on age. A teen isn’t going to benefit from a tablet for toddlers! Make sure you get a tablet that is well-suited to your child's age.
- Durability. If you’re a parent, you already know that kids can be clumsy! Their tablet is probably going to end up on the floor, get liquid spilled on it, or even be thrown across the room. You need a tablet designed to withstand this sort of damage.
- Parental controls. The internet, unfortunately, can be a dangerous place, especially for children. To keep your kids safe, the best child-friendly tablets have advanced and comprehensive parental controls.
- Educational content. Tablets are a great way to keep your kids entertained. But it’s even better if they can learn something along the way too. The greatest tablets for kids have libraries full of educational apps, books, and videos.
- Battery life. Chances are, you’re kids aren’t going to remember to plug in their tablet. Of course, you can check the battery occasionally, but at the very least, it’s inconvenient. Save yourself the hassle and pick a tablet with day-long lasting batteries.
- Price. Some kids' tablets might have everything your child wants and needs. But, if it comes with a hefty price tag, it’s still not the best. Take a look at all your options, you might find something with the same features for a lot less!
7 best kids tablets – our detailed list
After extensive research and careful consideration, we’re confident that we’ve found the very best tablets for kids in 2024. Check out our list below!
1. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro – the best kids tablet overall
| 👶Best suited for: | 6-12 year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 10.1" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 13 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 32GB – 1TB |
The Amazon Fire 10 Kids Pro is the best tablet for kids in 2024 overall – it has all the features kids want and parents need.
Parental controls. This tablet is designed for kids which means it’s designed for parents too! With the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, you get comprehensive parental controls – from managing screen time limits to approving app install requests.
Durability. It comes with a thick case, near crack-proof aluminosilicate glass, and a built-in kickstand to prevent the damages commonly caused by kids. In fact, Amazon is so confident its Fire 10 Kids Pro is child-proof, you get a 2-year warranty!
Educational content. When you purchase this tablet, you get a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ for free. This subscription includes over 20,000 books, apps, and games hand-picked specifically for kids aged 6 to 12.
2. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids – the perfect tablet for 6 to 12-year-olds
| 👶Best suited for: | 6-12 year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 8" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 13 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 32GB – 1TB |
If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids is the next best thing – it is also a favorite for both kids and parents.
Durability. Just like our top pick, the Amazon Fire HD 8 has a sturdy case, strong glass, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee.
Parental controls. The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids includes a suite of parental tools to keep your child safe. The browser is pre-loaded with a kid-friendly filter, and you can block sites as you wish. Apps won’t install without your approval either and you get full control over screen time.
Educational content. Every purchase includes one free year of Amazon Kids+ – a comprehensive library of books, games, shows, and movies perfect for kids aged 6 to 12.
2. Apple iPad (10th Generation) – a great choice for Apple-loving parents
| 👶Best suited for: | 6+ year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 10.9" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 10 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 64GB or 256GB |
Although iPads aren’t specifically made exclusively for kids, the iPad 10th Generation has built-in child safety features, making it the perfect option for Apple-loving parents.
Durability. Its toughened glass and metallic housing help prevent some of the damage your kids might cause. It’s not 100% child-proof on its own. But because of Apple's popularity, there are plenty of third-party cases and tempered glass screen protectors designed especially for kids, which you can get for reassurance.
Parental controls. The iPad 10 matches most kid-specific tablets when it comes to parental control. You can manage what apps are installed, block inappropriate content, and prevent inappropriate images from being delivered to your kid's device. It’s even possible to restrict who can contact your child and get notified if sensitive images are sent or received.
Educational content. This tablet has the App Store with a category dedicated especially for children. There you can find thousands of options, from teaching languages to toddlers to maths for teens. Plus, the tablet’s guidance feature restricts your kid to an app of your choosing so you can keep them focused.
4. Apple iPad (9th Generation) – a tablet for the whole family
| 👶Best suited for: | 6+ year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 10.2" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 10 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 64GB or 256GB |
If you’re willing to sacrifice a little speed for some cash savings, the iPad 9th Generation is a great alternative that your kids are still sure to love.
Durability. It’s got a reasonably strong glass screen. But it’s not drop or scratch proof so it needs a protective case – especially if you’ve got younger children. Luckily, 9th Gen cases are usually inexpensive because it’s a slightly older model.
Parental controls. The iPad 9 offers the same parental controls as the 10. You can adjust browser filters, monitor screen time, manage app downloads, and protect your kids from sensitive images.
Educational content. Nearly every education app in the App Store supports the iPad 9th Gen. There are plenty of games, books, and apps that are sure to help teach your kids.
5. Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) – the best tablet for 4 year olds
| 👶Best suited for: | 4-12 year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 8.3" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 10 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 64GB or 256GB |
For Apple lovers who don’t want to spend a lot on a tablet that a younger child might break or lose – try the iPad Mini 6.
Durability. Considering the low price of the iPad 6 mini, it’s surprisingly durable. Of course, you’re going to need a screen protector and a shock-proof case, but its strength is pretty similar to the latest, and far more expensive, iPad generations.
Parental controls. The iPad 6 Mini is still fully supported. This means you get access to the same comprehensive parental control as you would have with the 10th Gen.
Educational content. Most educational kids' apps on the App Store work with this tablet. But this device is slower than newer models so some more resource-intensive games and apps might not work as well. It’s better suited to younger children who won’t need as much tablet power.
6. Lenovo Tab P11 Plus – preferred pick for Android-using parents
| 👶Best suited for: | 4+ year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 11" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 15 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 128GB |
For Android lovers, we’d recommend the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus – a budget-friendly option with useful features for kids.
Durability. The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus is built to last, and you can opt for a 3-year extended warranty if you want more reassurance. Plus, it’s water resistant, which is ideal for younger children who are more prone to spilling.
Parental controls. It’s got built-in parental controls which you can adjust to your liking. You control which apps are usable, what sites are allowed, and screen time limits as well as monitor app/browser history. It’s a great tablet for the whole family because you can switch in and out of kids' mode as you please!
Educational content. The Tab P11 includes a Google Kids space. Here your child gets access to thousands of apps, games, and books approved by teachers. What's more is that, unlike many kids’ tablets, there’s full access to the Google Play Store when Kids Mode is disabled – giving parents far more flexibility.
7. TCL Tab 10 5G – the best budget table for kids
| 👶Best suited for: | 6-12 year olds |
| 📱Screen size: | 11" |
| 🔋Battery life: | 10 hours |
| 💽 Storage: | 32-512GB |
The TCL Tab is the cheapest option on our list and is the best suited for those on the tightest budgets.
Durability. This is a budget tablet so it doesn’t have a super-strong screen or a housing. However, TCL’s Tab 10 is still a very popular choice for parents because there are many shock-proof cases for this tablet specifically designed to protect it from kids.
Parental controls. Accessing parental controls is made easy with the Google Family Link app. From there you can block apps, manage screen time, and restrict which websites your child can visit. You get full Play Store access, too so you can always download more child safety apps if you need more.
Educational content. This device comes with TCL Kids Edutainment software. Here your kids have access to various educational videos, hundreds of interactive stories, and apps – designed for entertainment and learning.
Comparison of top 5 tablets for kids
| Model | Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro | Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids | Apple iPad 10th Gen | Apple iPad 9th Gen | Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen |
| Best suited for | 6-12 year olds | 6-12 year olds | 6+ year olds | 6+ year olds | 4-12 year olds |
| Screen size | 10.1" | 8" | 10.9" | 10.2" | 8.3" |
| Battery life | 13 hours | 13 hours | 10 hours | 10 hours | 10 hours |
| Storage | 32GB – 1TB | 32GB – 1TB | 64GB or 256GB | 64GB or 256GB | 64GB or 256GB |
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| Price | Check current price | Check current price | Check current price | Check current price | Check current price |
How we selected these tablets for kids?
As well as extensively testing each tablet, to make sure we only selected the best kids' tablets, we took into account key specs and features such as:
- Age-appropriate content. The best tablets for kids come out of the box with preset filters to block inappropriate content – without the need for parent configurations.
- Parental controls. Child safety is, of course, a major priority for parents, so it was a major priority for us when selecting the best tablets for kids! Every tablet on our list has excellent parental control and monitoring options.
- Durability. We checked each tablet we reviewed to see if it could withstand common kid-caused damages such as drops, slaps, and even spillages.
- Educational apps. We looked extensively at the apps available to ensure there was a diverse range of educational apps, books, and videos.
- Battery life. We picked tablets that last all day on a full charge. So, whether it’s a long car journey or a school project, you can avoid charge-related complications!
Are tablets good or bad for kids?
Whether tablets are good or bad for kids depends on several factors, such as the child's age, what they’re using it for, and for how long.
Tablets are generally considered bad for kids under the age of two. Two to five-year-olds can have very limited access to these devices. Some studies have shown that tablets are good for kids who are five and older.
That being said, a tablet is only good for a kid under the right circumstances. For example, tablets must have comprehensive parental controls to protect their well-being. It’s also best to enforce strict screen time limits and only enable child-friendly apps.
Can kids learn from tablets?
Yes, kids can learn from tablets. But only when a parent or guardian provides the right guidance.
For example, limiting kids to particular educational apps, games, and videos is quite effective. Plus, you can control their screen time and monitor their activity to ensure that their tablet-based education is going in the right direction.
If you’re considering getting a tablet for your kid to help them learn, you also need to pick the right type of device. Some tablets, such as Amazon’s Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, are specifically designed for children. These devices have built-in educational resources and are far more likely to help teach your kid.
FAQ
What is the best kid tablet with parental controls?
The best kid tablet with parental controls is the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro. You can limit as well as monitor online activity, control app usage, and manage screen time.As a bonus, it has got tons of educational content – apps, books, and games designed specifically to teach kids.
What is a good age for a kid to have a tablet?
The best age for a kid to have a tablet is often debated, but it’s generally agreed that a kid younger than two shouldn’t have a tablet. Once your kid is in preschool, it’s ok for them to have a tablet as long as proper parental controls are enforced.
What is the best tablet for a 4-year-old?
The iPad Mini 6th generation is the best tablet for a 4-year-old. This tablet is small, making it easy for a 4-year-old to handle. It has a range of parental controls you can set up to prevent exposure to explicit images, dangerous sites, and unsuitable apps.
What is the best tablet for a 10-year-old?
The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the best for a 10-year-old. It has got a range of learning resources, handpicked specifically for kids around the age of 10. It’s relatively cheap, durable, and most importantly there are advanced parental controls to maximize your child’s safety.
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