The Best Tablets for Kids in 2023
The Best Kids’ Tablet Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Kids want tablets. But tablets are fragile, expensive gadgets with potentially unlimited access to the internet—both issues that challenge parents. Whereas you might want a tablet that’s slim, light, and fast, an appropriate slate for your kid should be cheap and rugged above all else.
Below are some of our favorite tablets for children, which we selected for their balance of price, durability, and age-appropriate features. Whichever tablet you get, buy a case and some kid-friendly headphones. These small investments pay for themselves.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2021)
Best for Kid-Safe Content
Why We Picked It
The Fire HD 10 offers lots of kid-safe content via an Amazon Kids+ subscription, as well as a robust set of parental controls. The tablet also comes with a rugged case and an extended warranty, so you don’t need to worry too much about your child damaging it. A 1080p, 10-inch display that’s great for reading books, watching videos, and playing games rounds out the package.
Who It’s For
The Amazon Fire HD 10 is a top option for parents who want control over the content their younger kids consume. Its durable case and forgiving warranty can also give you peace of mind.
PROS
- Excellent parental controls
- Library of brand-name kids’ content
- Two rugged case options
- Long warranty
CONS
- App store lacks some popular comics apps and games
- Not enough power for action gaming
Learn More
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2021) Review
Apple iPad (10th Generation, 2022)
Best iPad for Kids
Why We Picked It
The base-model iPad features an expansive 10.9-inch screen with a dense resolution of 2,360 by 1,640 pixels, while its A14 Bionic chip ensures that your kids can easily run all of the age-appropriate apps from the App Store. This tablet even gives your child access to iMessage for chatting with any family member or friend who also has an Apple device.
Who It’s For
Apple’s entry-level tablet makes sense for parents who want something that their kids can continue to use as they age. Robust parental controls allow you to keep a close eye on the activities of young kids, but you can always relax these restrictions over time. Just know that you pay somewhat of a premium for the Apple branding.
PROS
- Appealing iPad Pro-like design
- USB-C port
- Relocated webcam
- Higher-quality cameras
- Improved speakers
- Faster performance
CONS
- Higher price than previous model
- Loses traditional Touch ID button
- No Face ID
Learn More
Apple iPad (10th Generation, 2022) Review
Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
Best Affordable Android Tablet
Why We Picked It
The Lenovo Tab P11 Plus packs an appreciable amount of power for its price and works with most popular parental control services. An 11-inch, 2,000-by-1,200-pixel screen, quality speakers, and decent battery life are all advantages for entertainment needs, while optional keyboard and stylus accessories make it usable for schoolwork.
Who It’s For
This slate is better for older, more responsible kids.
PROS
- Sharp display
- Loud, clear speakers
- Perky performance
CONS
- Unimpressive cameras
- No promise for OS updates after Android 12
Learn More
Lenovo Tab P11 Plus Review
Apple iPad mini (2021)
Best Small iPad
Why We Picked It
Not everyone needs or wants a big tablet, regardless of their age. That’s why the iPad mini’s 8.3-inch display, compact frame, and light feel are so appealing. You don’t sacrifice many performance benefits either, and can still access all of the apps and parental control features that make iPads such a good choice for parents.
Who It’s For
If your kid wants an Apple tablet, but can’t handle the base model’s hefty 10.9-inch screen, the iPad mini is the way to go. You pay a premium for its portability (and also likely need to factor in the cost of a good case and an extended warranty), but the iPad mini is a lot more future-proof than other entries on this list.
PROS
- Excellent performance
- Long battery life
- Works with second-generation Apple Pencil
CONS
- No multi-user option in iPadOS
- Pricier than previous model
Learn More
Apple iPad mini (2021) Review
Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet (2022 Release)
Most Affordable
Why We Picked It
Like the regular Fire 7, the Fire 7 Kids Tablet is an excellent value. It comes with a rugged case, an extended warranty, and a one-year subscription to the Amazon Kids+ service, so you don’t need to worry about your child breaking the device or running out of things to watch and read. You also get good battery life, which is helpful for long car trips.
Who It’s For
If durability and kid-friendly content take precedence over outright performance in your tablet-buying decision, this is a top choice. The 7-inch screen is large enough for apps, games, and books, and nothing else in this price range offers as complete an experience.
PROS
- Affordable
- Comes with a rugged foam case
- Two-year warranty
- Excellent battery life
CONS
- Sluggish performance
- Low-resolution display
- Poor cameras
Learn More
Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet (2022 Release) Review
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2022 Release)
Best for Reading Books
Why We Picked It
The Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet offers a higher-quality screen and slightly better performance than the Fire HD 7 Kids, but still comes with a rugged case, an extended warranty, and a one-year Kids+ subscription. It also costs more, but it’s worth the extra money because the larger display and faster processor result in a more enjoyable experience overall.
Who It’s For
If an iPad or midrange Android tablet is too pricey for your tastes, the Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet strikes an excellent balance between price, size, and performance.
PROS
- Rugged case
- Strong parental controls
- Good battery life
- Vibrant screen
CONS
- Sluggish performance
- $10 more than the previous model
- Limited app selection
Learn More
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2022 Release) Review
TCL Tab 10 5G
Best Low-Cost 5G Tablet
Why We Picked It
5G tablets are pretty rare, especially in the affordable segment, but the TCL Tab 10 5G is a notable exception. It lasted more than 10 hours in our battery drain test, which is impressive for a device with a large 10.1-inch display. A decent set of onboard speakers and a microSD card slot also add value. And, because it runs Android, most parental control apps are available for it.
Who It’s For
If you and your kid are often away from a Wi-Fi network, this TCL slate makes a lot of sense. Typically, you have to spend much more to get a tablet with 5G support.
PROS
- Quality screen for the price
- 5G support
- Good performance and battery life
- Decent stereo speakers
- MicroSD support
CONS
- Disappointing Android upgrade commitment
- Only 32GB of built-in storage
- Lackluster cameras
Learn More
TCL Tab 10 5G Review
Buying Guide: The Best Tablets for Kids in 2023
The Best Tablets for School
The best tablet for school is probably a base model iPad. The iPad’s dominant role in the tablet landscape means most schools support them, many teachers have them, and tech support is easy. Other tablets might not be able to run the third-party apps that schools demand or even allow you to fill out web forms. The worst offenders here are Amazon’s Fire tablets, which are inexpensive and popular, but don’t work well for productivity.
If an iPad won’t do for your school, pick something with Chrome OS. For those, head over to our list of the best Chromebooks for kids for recommendations.
What Specs Do You Need in a Tablet for Kids?
Don’t assume a tablet for a kid should be a piece of junk. Sufficient hardware specs can help you find a tablet that works well enough to avoid frustrating meltdowns. Let’s start with screen size and resolution. An 8-inch, 1,280-by-800-pixel display is good for reading comics and watching videos, so use that as your baseline.
Pay close attention to storage specs, too. We recommend 32GB of built-in storage (or more) rather than 16GB. This amount of storage enables you to install more apps and take more pictures and videos. A microSD card slot can’t hurt, either, especially if you want to download movies to watch on long trips. Some games, like Genshin Impact, take up more than 32GB on their own.
Look for 4GB of RAM or more. This amount of RAM helps apps launch and run more smoothly, particularly if there’s anything else running in the background. The Fire Tablets get a pass here because they still provide a stutter-free experience.
Battery life is another factor to remember—you don’t want the tablet to die in the middle of a long car ride. Carrying a backup battery can help.
The Best iPad for Kids
iPads have the best tablet apps, grow with your kid, and can double as a pseudo-laptop for schoolwork. Apple’s operating system, iPadOS, has tools to let you monitor your kids’ tablet use and keep an eye on what applications they’re running and for how long. Apple also has parental controls that can block apps, filter content, and prevent purchases—which you should use to keep your kids from spending money without your permission.
The iPad also has by far the best ecosystem of accessories for productive and creative kids of any individual tablet model: cases, keyboards, and the Apple Pencil stylus. It’s versatile and extendable.
Apple iPad (Credit: Eric Zeman)
And, as you probably already know, iPads let kids use iMessage and FaceTime to talk with friends or relatives who have Apple devices without you having to get them a phone.
The Best Fire Tablet for Kids
Amazon’s inexpensive Fire tablets have been the best family option for years. The Kids Edition has a rubber case, a no-questions-asked two-year guarantee, and Amazon’s parental controls service.
Amazon’s tablets have a simplified interface, strong parental controls, and Kids+, which is basically a giant bucket of content for kids. A Parent Dashboard lets you track what your children are doing and restrict their screen time. You can put multiple user profiles on the tablets, as well.
Recommended by Our Editors
The Best Android Tablet for Kids
If you primarily use Google services and Android apps, an Android tablet can get you what you need for a little less money than an iPad, and it’s not locked down to Amazon services the way a Fire tablet is.
Regarding parental controls, Android has restricted user profiles that can prevent accidental purchases and filter Google Play apps. But if you intend to let your kids use one of these tablets out of your sight, you should consider installing some parental control software, as the openness of Android could get them into trouble.
Why You Should Avoid Toy Tablets
Companies such as Fuhu, Kurio, and Leapfrog made their names with highly restricted tablets that come with kid-friendly software and, by default, don’t offer access to the open internet. By and large, though, these tablets haven’t been updated for years and are running old, insecure versions of Android that we no longer recommend. They also won’t grow with your kids as they age, leaving you to purchase a more advanced tablet from this list eventually, anyway.
While you’re shopping for your kid, check out our lab-tested picks for the best kids’ phones and the best kids’ laptops. For a broader selection of tablets for older kids and adults, look at the best tablets we’ve tested overall.
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