Best kids tablets 2023

Kids these days are so used to touchscreen technology that even the youngest can swipe away notifications on a phone like it’s their second nature. Whilst giving your kids a tablet can feel a bit like you’re handing off your parenting to a machine, they can be incredibly useful educational tools. And, if we’re honest, sometimes letting them watch YouTube Kids for a bit so that we can make dinner without them destroying the house is the only sensible option.

If you’re looking for a tablet for your kids, you’ll want to be sure that you make the right choice, as most tablets don’t come cheap. Here’s our list of the best kids tablets you can get right now to provide your little ones with educational content or just to keep them entertained.

The 2021 Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro was already one of the best kids tablets out there, and the new version looks to be even better. It’s a 10.1-inch tablet that includes the same Full HD display and 3GB of RAM of the 2021 Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, but now runs up to 25 per cent faster, has an additional hour of battery life at 13 hours, and is even lighter than the original version. The front camera is also upgraded from 2MP to 5MP to match the rear camera.

It’s aimed at kids aged 6-12 and comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+ which grants access to a huge collection of books, apps, games, and videos. There’s also a filtered web browser for older kids, and even voice and video calling, but it’s great for younger kids too, with the protective case keeping it protected against most things that smaller kids can throw at it.

Apple doesn’t really do cheap; you get premium products, but you pay the price for them. For that reason, an iPad Mini may not be ideal for younger kids, but it’s a perfect choice for older kids who want to use their iPad for educational and entertainment purposes. The iPad mini (6th generation) is small enough to be easily portable, with an 8.3-inch display, and 12MP cameras front and rear. It also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil, allowing your kids to get really creative with their tablet.

You can set up parental controls, which will apply to all devices on the same Apple ID, so you can have the same parental settings on the iPad as on their iPhone. And you get access to the full range of apps and games from the App Store. The iPad mini also comes in a Wi-Fi and Cellular model, so you don’t have to worry about them not being able to access their favourite content when you’re away from home. It’s important to note that you can’t easily swap between accounts on an iPad, so it’s not ideal for kids of different ages to share.

One of the biggest problems with tablets and kids is that they’re just so easy to drop. Protective cases can help, but most them still don’t solve the problem of dropping the tablet in the first place. The Nokia T10 Kids Edition does, however, by having a chunky handle as part of the protective case, making it easy for your kids to carry around without dropping it corner first onto a tiled floor. The handle folds back to become a support for standing the tablet up if you want to watch a video.

Inside the protective case is Nokia’s T10 8-inch tablet with an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. It comes with Google Kids Space that has a library of age-appropriate apps, books, videos, and games, and with the Family Link app, you can manage the content they can access, set screen time limits, and monitor their activity from your own phone.

You can have the best of intentions in the world, and download the highest-rated educational apps for your kids’ tablet, but at some point they’re going to end up using it to watch YouTube. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, either; there is some great educational content on YouTube, and the YouTube Kids app can help protect them from seeing anything inappropriate.

The Lenovo Tab P11 is a great choice when it comes watching videos, thanks to the 11.5-inch 2K display that’s big enough for multiple kids to watch together. Although not specifically aimed at kids, it’s still possible to install popular parental control apps on the tablet to monitor and limit their activity, and there is a huge range of Android apps for kids that you can install.

An important note for parents; there’s no headphone jack, so you’ll need to invest in some Bluetooth headphones for your kids if you don’t want Baby Shark burrowing its way into your brain, again.

Whilst the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is aimed at kids aged 6-12, the smaller (and cheaper) Fire 7 Kids is aimed at younger kids, with a suggested age range of 3-7. There’s a 7-inch display, with 2MP cameras front and rear. It has a rugged kid-proof case with a fold-out stand and comes with a two-year guarantee that if it breaks, Amazon will replace it for free. It means that even if your kids see ‘kid-proof’ as a challenge, if they do manage to destroy it, you won’t be out of pocket.

There’s a decent 10-hour battery life, and you get a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ with a huge selection games, apps, videos, and books that are perfect for younger kids. You can filter media based on age rating, and even grant access to individual apps that fall outside this age bracket, if you want to let your kids watch their account on Disney+, for example.

If you or your kids already have iPhones, then you may decide that you want to stick with Apple products when choosing a kid friendly tablet. Not only will all your devices play seamlessly together, but it means you can also take advantage of family subscriptions for things like Apple Music or Apple Arcade. If you want to opt for an iPad but don’t completely trust your kids not to destroy it, then the iPad 10th gen is a great value option.

There’s a large 10.9-inch display, with 12MP cameras front and back. It’s definitely more suited to older kids and isn’t something that they’re going to grow out of or feel is too babyish for them. It also supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, so is great if your kids have an artistic bent. The latest iPad is available in bright colours including blue, pink, and yellow, which are more likely to appeal to kids than the Space Grey or Silver of the ninth-generation.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a solid Android tablet from the popular South Korean company. It’s a great Android tablet in its own right, but using the included Samsung Kids app, you can transform into an ideal tablet for kids, too. Samsung Kids gives parents control over what their kids can access and how long they can access it for, but it also offers child-friendly internet and camera access, too. There are also challenges that encourage kids to develop their problem-solving skills.

The tablet itself has a large 10.5-inch screen, with a 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. There’s an old-school headphone jack, too, so you don’t have to worry about being forced to listen to your kids’ favourite YouTuber. It’s not the fastest tablet in the world but has more than enough grunt to meet the needs of most kids, and is excellent value compared to some of the other options on this list.

If your kids break everything they touch, then you might prefer to get a cheap and cheerful tablet that isn’t going to have you tearing your hair out each time you see them throwing it across the room when they die on Crossy Road. If that’s the case, then the Sannuo Kids Tablet may be just what you need.

It’s a 7-inch Android tablet with a kid-proof protective case that comes in pink or blue and includes a built-in kickstand. There’s a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP camera on the front. It comes pre-loaded with kid-friendly apps, games, videos, puzzles, and more – as well as links to child-friendly websites. You can also download popular apps such as YouTube Kids or Netflix, and there are parental controls that allow you to limit screen time. It may not have the build quality or spec of some of the other options on this list, but it can’t be beaten for value.

Best kids tablet: The bottom line

A great kids tablet isn’t just about the tablet itself, but also what your kids can access on it. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro comes with a full year of access to Amazon Kids+ which is packed with great age-appropriate content from games and videos to books and apps. The protective case reduces the risk of damage, and if it does get broken, Amazon will replace it for free within the first two years. The updated 2023 version is faster than ever and has even longer battery life.

If you’re looking for a tablet on a budget, the Sannuo 7-inch Kids Tablet is great value for money, to the extent that you could buy almost eight of them for the same price as an iPad Mini. It’s not the most powerful tablet, but it’s good enough to keep younger kids happy. A solid mid-point compromise for older kids in Apple households, is the Apple iPad 10th generation with the 10.9 in screen. Not quite as pricey as its iPad Mini counter-part and a machine the kids can grow alongside.

How I chose the best kids tablets

When choosing the best kids tablets, I wanted to choose options that were specifically designed to be used by kids as well as standard tablets that could be used by kids and adults alike. This allows the tablet to still be useful as the kids get older. I wanted to cover the most popular operating systems, with options for iOS, Android, and Fire OS. I also wanted to include a range of price points, from expensive Apple iPads to budget-friendly options.

What to look for when choosing a kids tablet

When you’re looking for a tablet for your kids, there are a few important questions you should keep in mind when making your selection.

Does the tablet have parental controls?

As a parent, keeping your kids safe online is your number one priority. Parental controls allow you to restrict access to apps or content that isn’t age appropriate, and also means you can set limits on screen time so that they’re not glued to the tablet all day long. If your tablet isn’t set up specifically for kids, you’ll need to install a parental control app from your tablet’s app store.

Is there pre-installed kids content?

Many tablets are set up for kids to use – the Fire models, Sannuo, and Nokia – with kids content pre-installed that they can start using straight away. If you opt for a standard tablet, such as an iPad, however, then you’ll need to install the apps and other content that your kids want to use beforehand.

How well protected is the tablet?

Most tablets have a significant price tag, and many kids have an uncanny ability to destroy anything that’s remotely expensive in the house. If this is your kids, then a tablet that has a protective case is a good shout. The two-year worry-free guarantee that comes with the Amazon tablets on this list can also give you peace of mind.

What age is the tablet best suited to?

Some tablets are aimed towards specific age ranges. You may find that as your kids get older, they find some of the options on this list a little babyish and want something that looks a little more grown up. An option such as an iPad can still be used by younger children, but your older kids won’t be embarrassed to be seen using it.