The Best Tablet for Kids: Our Top 7 Picks

Is there a youngster in your life who’s asking for a tablet as a birthday or holiday gift? Maybe you’ve decided they’re at the right age to start interacting with one of those gadgets, but you want to find one durable enough to tolerate a kid owning it. Consider these recommendations during your hunt to find the best tablet for a young person in your life.

1.  Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

One of the standout features of this tablet is that it offers a two-year worry-free guarantee from Amazon. The high-definition, 8-inch screen is ideal for a kid who wants an immersive experience, whether watching a favorite show or playing a game. 

Although this tablet provides Wi-Fi connectivity, it also offers 32 GB worth of internal memory. That advantage makes it ideal for long car trips, as does the 12-hour battery life. Recharge the tablet when needed with the included USB-C cable and power adapter. The included kid-proof case converts into a stand for better usability, too. 

2. Kurio NEXT

Put this option on your list as an especially affordable option. People often mention it as the best tablet you can get for under $100 when shopping for a kid. If you’re a parent worried about your child getting exposed to the dark side of the internet, take comfort in that the tablet has built-in filtering software that analyzes and categorizes more than 1.8 billion websites per day. 

Select a preloaded filter or customize which websites get blocked. Kids can start using the tablet immediately since it comes with more than 60 apps, plus more than 150 e-books. This model offers 16GB of internal memory. There’s also a slot for adding more space as needed. 

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition

Most of the best tablet models marketed to children have integrated parental controls to allow for screen time management. This option from Samsung offers those, plus lets you get details about how they spent their time. 

The tablet comes with 32GB of memory, but you can expand the space up to 512GB with a microSD card. Another handy feature is the ability to gradually show kids more content. They start by solely interacting with the Samsung Kids portal screen, but you can tweak settings to and allow them to use a browser and see the broader internet, too. 

4. PBS KIDS Playtime Pad

Maybe you’re looking for the best tablet that kids can use without internet access. If so, put this possibility on your shortlist — especially when buying for a youngster who’s a big fan of PBS programming. The tablet comes with hours of video clips, apps and games that someone can play without going online. They’ll learn math and reading skills, plus unleash their creativity with drawing and coloring applications.

Like other tablets mentioned here, this one includes parental controls. Another welcome feature is the ability to set up multiple accounts with different settings on each one. That comes in handy in a household with more than one child. The tablet’s specifications recommend it for users aged two and up.

5.  Lenovo Smart Tab M8 With Google Assistant

Maybe you’re in a situation where you’re looking for the best tablet for your family — something your spouse can use while unwinding after a day at work but is safe for kids, too. This model from Lenovo meets those requirements. The gadget has an 8-inch screen engineered to reduce the blue light that can interfere with sleep patterns. 

You’ll also appreciate that the tablet comes with a charging dock that doubles as a stand. That base activates the tablet’s Google Assistant capabilities. It’ll hear your commands, even from across the room. Use the special kid-friend mode to create parental controls and open a usage dashboard. 

6. EPIK Learning HighQ 7″ Learning Tab Jr. 

Since this model does not show kids any ads or let them make in-app purchases, it could be the best tablet to help you have peace of mind about the content. A drop-resistant bumper case shields the target from damaging accidents, while the gadget’s water-resistance makes it keep working after getting wet from brief exposure to a sudden shower. 

The tablet also weighs less than a pound and has a six-hour battery life, making it ideal for trips. It’s age-appropriate for kids from 3-8, and the content gets them well-equipped for school by teaching things like critical thinking, language arts and social studies. 

7. LeapFrog Epic

This is LeapFrog’s most advanced tablet that uses the Android operating system. The developers also designed it as the best tablet for parents who want the gadget to grow with their kids. For example, the tablet’s LeapSearch browser only allows access to child-safe sites. You can also add more permitted online destinations as a youngster matures. 

There’s also the tablet’s Just For Me learning content. LeapFrog personalizes the content of some apps so that it caters to a user’s knowledge level to keep them interested and challenged, but not frustrated. 

Even the Best Tablet Won’t Replace Adult Guidance

These seven suggestions will get you off to a good start as you investigate options for tablets and decide which is the best one for the child using it. Remember that even though tablets for young people have internet filters and time limits for parents to set, those features should only supplement a grown-up’s supervision. 

Establish guidelines for safe usage, such as that the child should only use the tablet while in the same room as a parent or other responsible adult. Moreover, watch for signs that the youngster uses the tablet too much. For example, if they avoid going outside and keep their gazes glued to their gadgets, it may be time to set some more limits, or at least discuss the trend. 

Today’s kid-ready tablets can encourage children to use technology to learn, and that’s a great thing. However, virtually all products come with potential downsides. Monitoring overall usage and supporting a child as they get accustomed to technology helps them create healthy habits now that positively shape their futures.