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Nov 02, 2023

Best tablets for kids and toddlers

By Kaylyn McKenna Updated on: March 16, 2023 /

By Kaylyn McKenna

Updated on: March 16, 2023 / 7:54 PM / Essentials

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If you're shopping for your child's first tablet, it can be tricky to sort through all of the options. You want a tablet with excellent parental controls and great durability to keep up with -- let's say active -- toddlers and children. There are a lot of tablets on the market for different uses and age groups. Luckily, we've compared kids tablet features and consulted reviews from real parents to help you find the best tablets for your kids and toddlers (read more about how we choose the best products).

Top products in this article

Best Apple iPad table for kids: Apple iPad 10th generation (Wi-Fi, 64GB), $447

Best Amazon Fire tablet for toddlers: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (32 GB), $140 (reduced from $150)

Best reading tablet for kids: Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB), $160

Picking the best tablet for your child can be even more complicated than choosing the best tablet for yourself. Tablets can be great learning tools and portable entertainment options for children. They can use them to read, draw, watch YouTube Kids or PBS Kids and play games. Older kids may also be able to use tablets for some of their school assignments. However, it's important to find a tablet with all of the parental control features that you want to make sure that your kids can only access age-appropriate content and stick to your family rules on screen time limits.

There are plenty of options to consider, including Samsung kids tablets, Apple iPads, Kindle Kids tablets and more. Keep reading to explore the best tablets for kids and toddlers.

Many people choose iPads as the preferred tablets for their kids, and some schools or educational programs also use them to promote learning for older kids. Here are some Apple iPad tablets to consider for your child.

The latest edition in Apple's classic iPad lineup is the iPad 10th generation. This 10.9-inch tablet features a Liquid Retina display with Apple's True Tone technology. It has Apple's A14 Bionic chip, an upgrade from the iPad 9's A13 chip. The iPad 10 is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G internet for fast performance. It also offers all-day battery life, so that you can easily take it to school, work or on your holiday travels without having to worry about plugging it in mid-day.

The new iPad 10 comes in four vibrant colors: yellow, pink, blue and silver. You can also choose between 5G cellular and WiFi-only models.

Apple iPad 10th generation (Wi-Fi, 64GB), $447

The latest iPad Pro comes with several major upgrades. One of the most notable changes is that the 2022 iPad Pros are equipped with the M2 chip, the same fast and powerful chip included in the latest MacBooks. The M2 chip makes this the fastest iPad yet -- and an excellent iPad for video editing, streaming or gaming.

Apple made some improvements to the writing and drawing experience on the new iPad Pros as well. When used with the Apple Pencil 2, the iPad Pro provides a more effortless experience. The Apple Pencil can now be detected up to 12 mm above the iPad Pro display, which allows users to draw with more precision and preview marks before they make them. It also makes it more efficient for the iPad to register handwriting and convert it to text with the Scribble app.

11" Apple iPad Pro 4th generation (WiFi, 64 GB), $769 (reduced from $799)

The iPad Mini 6 is a compact tablet with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display screen. Released in 2021, the Apple tablet is powered by an A15 Bionic chip. It features a 12 MP wide-angle back camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle front camera. It boasts landscape stereo speakers. Available in four colors.

Note that the Apple iPad Mini is not compatible with Apple's external Magic Keyboard. It can, however, be used with other Bluetooth-enabled external keyboards.

Apple iPad Mini (64 GB), $469 (reduced from $499)

Kindles are the best tablets for reading and are great for encouraging kids to read. They're also a good idea if you're worried about your toddler or younger kid's screen time or responsibility with technology. Many Kindle kids edition tablets do not allow access to games or internet browsing.

The Kindle Kids e-reader is built specifically to encourage reading. It does not have games, ads, or videos like other tablets to reduce distractions for young readers. The Kindle Kids comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ which provides access to a number of kid-friendly books. There are four cover options to choose from including solid colors and fun prints.

Kindle Kids, $120

The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is one of the most popular Kindle models for children. It features a 6.8-inch display, adjustable warm light and up to 10 weeks of battery life. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids comes with a free one year subscription of Amazon Kids+ which provides access to

Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB), $160

Samsung makes a lot of premium tablets that are more suited for adults or college students, but the brand also has some durable and affordable options for kids.

The top-rated Galaxy Tab A8 offers a 10.5-inch LCD display, 32 GB of storage and fast-charging capabilities. It's on of the more affordable tablets offered by Samsung, make it a better option for kids who may be prone to dropping or spilling on their tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (32 GB), $199

The Samsung Galaxy tab a7 features an 8.7-inch display screen and an upgraded metal frame. It offers fast performance and a long-lasting battery, making it one of the best budget tablets for kids. The Samsung Galaxy tab a7 comes with 32 GB of memory.

Samsung Galaxy tab a7, $129 (reduced from $159)

Amazon makes several kids0edition versions of the popular Amazon Fire tablet line. Shop the best Amazon Fire tablets for kids below.

The new Fire HD 8 Kids is built for kids ages 3-7. The tablet comes in a durable kid-proof case and has a two-year warranty. It also includes a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes thousands ad-free books, games, videos and apps suitable for children. The tablet includes parental controls to limit screen time and set content restrictions.

The Fire HD 8 Kids is available for pre-order today. The tablet is offered in 32GB or 64GB storage options with a blue or purple kid-proof case.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (32 GB), $140 (reduced from $150)

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet is designed for school-aged kids. It comes bundled with a kid-friendly case, a two-year worry-free guarantee and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. The Kids Pro tablet also has access to a digital store where parents can buy and download additional content, including popular games like Roblox and Minecraft.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro (32 GB), $140 (reduced from $150)

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is designed for ages 3 to 7. The full-feature tablet comes with parental control settings that allow you to set restrictions based on the child's age, content restrictions and screen time limits. Parents can also set learning or reading goals for their children.

The tablet comes in a kid-proof case and includes a subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids, $200

Kaylyn McKenna is an expert on deals, travel, luggage, home and more for CBS Essentials. When she's not scouring the internet for the best deals on new luggage or robot vacuums, she spends time with her goldendoodle, Harley, our resident canine correspondent and dog treat expert.

First published on March 16, 2023 / 1:34 PM