The Best Tablets for Kids, Picked by Parents, Therapists, and Tech Experts

Our Review Process

In order to select the best tablets for kids, we considered a wide range of uses, such as the best tablets for younger vs. older kids, or tablets for drawing vs. reading. We also looked at value and durability, considering each tablet’s shelf life and construction against its cost. We also evaluated important features of all the tablets, including parental controls, quality display, storage, what apps they support, and their ability to withstand rough-and-tumble use by kids.

Our Experts

We also interviewed real parents as well as experts on digital technology and health for children, including:

• Don Grant, Ph.D., MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV, National Advisor of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare
• Shelley Delayne, chief mom at Pinwheel, a kid-safe phone company. In her role at Pinwheel, the Austin-based mom collaborates with researchers and institutions such as the Digital Wellness Lab to help create products and content that help parents of digital natives navigate the complexities of technology. 
• Dana Oliver, founder and president of Adventure Kids Playcare
• Liesl “Darr” Schuh, a Texas-based mother of three daughters, and author of The Girl Dad
• Olivia Howell, CEO of Fresh Starts and a New York-based mom of two kids, ages 7 and 9
• Meg St-Esprit, a journalist and mom of four kids
• Reena B. Patel, LEP, BCBA, a licensed educational psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst

Factors to Consider When Buying Tablets for Kids

Parental Controls

Delayne recommends a layered approach to tablets for all devices your child may use, tablets included. “Because every approach has gaps and glitches, layering them creates a more reliable system,” she explains. 

Layering means using different methods to configure the network, manage and monitor the device, limit app functions, and prepare and guide the child. For instance, with her own family’s devices, she uses a Gryphon router with Apple ScreenTime, carefully chosen apps, and “constant open conversations” with her children. 

“The guidance you give your child is what will go with them to protect them when they are outside the home around other people’s devices,” Delayne notes. “The other tools can make your home more relaxed, like locking your front door helps you sleep more peacefully.”

Display

The display may not be as important for younger kids, but if you plan on using the tablet long-term—or want to do a lot of movie-watching on it—the visual display quality, as well as screen size, may be features to look for. As kids grow older, they may need higher display quality for completing their homework or for hobbies, such as drawing and gaming.

Storage

Consider what your child’s tablet will be used for—if you want the option to download a lot of games, apps, movies, or books, you’ll want a decent amount of storage. Many of the tablets on our list, like the iPads, can be purchased with varying amounts of storage based on your preferences. (Price does go up with more gigabytes of storage.)

Alternatively, using a cloud-based subscription like Amazon Kids+ means you don’t need to store things directly on the tablet. Some models also give you the option of purchasing extra storage if you have a selfie king or queen on your hands. 

Operating System and App Availability

If you already are an Android or an Apple family, you’ll want to consider if your apps will sync to a new device. Some features, like device location or photo syncing, may only be possible with devices that operate on the same operating system. Conversely, if the tablet you’re choosing is different from your adult devices, but your child will primarily be using it in the short term for movies or games, it might work just fine. 

Durability

In general, the durability of a tablet will matter in direct reverse correlation with your child’s age, meaning the younger the kid, the more you want it to be able to withstand. Of course, that’s not a firm rule, and some tweens and teens may need more rugged tablets—or at least cases—to take on the go with them. 

“It is beneficial to check how easily the tablet could break, be damaged by a spill or temper tantrum, how long it is expected to last, and facility and ease of operation for both parents and kids,” Grant notes. We appreciate that our top overall pick, the Amazon Kids HD 10 Tablet, comes with a water-resistant case to help elongate its shelf life.

Cost

Schuh suggests spending no more than $150-$200 on a kids’ tablet, as well as searching for deals during major sales like Prime Days or Cyber Monday. “Deep discounts make them extremely affordable,” she notes.

While this makes sense for younger kiddos, it is also worth considering an investment in the long run. Maybe it’s worth spending more on a tablet if the whole family will use it, or one that will last until your kid is in high school and needs it for homework. Just like there is no “right” age to get a tablet for your family, there’s no one “right” price either—every family is different. 

How to Safely Use Kids’ Tablets

As the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) acknowledges, screens are now a part of nearly every child and family’s life. So the conversation is no longer about avoiding all screens entirely, but rather, how to incorporate a screen into your child’s life in a healthy way. 

The AAP still strongly discourages parents from introducing screens of any kind before a child is 18 months old, but after the 18-24 month mark, there could be some benefits from some screen time, such as communicating with loved ones and learning new words. 

However, full evidence of the impact of using screens—including tablets—with young children is ongoing, so here are some tips to keep in mind if you plan on introducing a tablet into your family soon. 

Establish Family-Wide Rules

In addition to digital “basics” like blocking access to adult websites, limiting the use of devices to particular times, and using parental controls, Patel recommends creating digital rules that the entire family follows. 

For instance, ban screen time during meals and family time and keep all devices out of the bedroom. She also suggests establishing a central charging station where the entire family charges all devices together. 

“As with all behaviors, parents need to try to be the best role models possible for their children,” Dr. Grant adds. “Practice healthy device management yourself, never reject a bid for your attention from your child in favor of engaging with your devices, and teach them how to strike a balance between on- and off-screen time, activities, and real-life experiences, some of which may only present themselves once.”

Communication Is Key

While laying down the groundwork for digital rules is a good place to start, Grant adds that communicating about devices is crucial. “Understand that our children are very savvy though, and the more control we try to have over their devices, the more they try to ‘jailbreak’ them all,” he explains. 

“I haven’t yet found a perfect app that can prevent all device-centric risks or not be disabled by our youngsters,” he adds.“Thus, it remains important to have continued conversations with your child about the importance of online safety, healthy device management, good digital citizenship, and your expectations of them.”

The Type of Tablet Matters

The AAP notes that interactive, rather than passive, screen time may have more benefits for children. That means that using a tablet kids can touch and play on may be more beneficial for learning than just watching a video. However, even interactive apps meant for learning can be overstimulating to very young children. Reading apps that have a lot of additional resources may also distract a child too much.

In general, try to keep it simple, and whenever possible, interact with your child as they use a tablet to help them get the most out of the experience. 

“Digital literacy is much more than tapping around on a device and getting it to do things,” explains Delayne. “Kids are curious and learn through experiences, so they can and will tap on everything. Using the device alongside them at first is a good way to help them learn what they really need: how to close ads if any are present, how to flip it face down and get an adult if anything unexpected pops up on the screen, and how to decide what to do next.”

Maintain Tech-Free Connections

Delayne has an approach called “R.E.A.L” to help with this. “If you focus on what’s R.E.A.L., you’ll find your family’s tech limits naturally,” she tells Parents. 

The framework of using R.E.A.L. includes:

• R = Rest. “Children need slow-paced wind-down time in the evening before bed, and to get sufficient sleep. Protect their developmentally-appropriate sleep needs,” Delayne says. 
• E = Emotions. “For emotional well-being, children need eye contact and smiles and hugs and human engagement. They also need to be supported through their feelings and learn to self-regulate without reaching for the escape of a device every time,” she notes. 
• A = Activity. “Physical development requires ample physical activity every day: exercise, play, big movements, fine motor skills, and a variety to keep them strong and developing properly,” she adds. 
• L = Life skills. “Making a pizza in an app is not the same as learning the feel of well-kneaded dough,” Delayne points out. “Include real-life skill development in their daily routine. Even very young children can help wipe tables and pick up clutter.”

Technology is here to stay, and it’s become “an integral part of the workplace as well as the classroom,” says Oliver. So, it’s important that kids have a “fundamental understanding of tech and computers early on, but there needs to be some sort of balance.” 

Nothing Beats Real Life

While tablets can have some benefits, the AAP warns that for young kids, especially, nothing compares to the impact that real-life human interaction has on children’s development. So though using a tablet may be a part of your lives, don’t forget to unplug and connect as a family. Delayne recommends “post-processing” with your kids after tablet use whenever possible. 

“After they do anything on their tablet, take a moment to connect with them,” she says. “Treat it as you would if they had gone out somewhere. Ask how it went, what they discovered, how they liked it or didn’t, and if there’s anything they would want to show you or play with you sometime. Notice their emotional state. This helps ensure you are as involved in their digital life as you are in their physical one, and that’s important.” 

Your Questions, Answered 

What is the right age to get my kid a tablet?

While there is no concrete “safe” age to get a screen for a child, the AAP recommends that parents avoid screens with children younger than 2 years old. Additionally, the organization adds that parents consider the potential risks of screens under age 5 as well.

How much do kids’ tablets cost?

Tablets for kids can range in cost from anywhere around $50 to several hundred dollars based on the tablet’s features. Our top budget pick, the Amazon Fire 7, costs $60, while the priciest tablet on our list, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, costs over $1,000 with its deluxe features and capabilities. 

How much time should kids spend on tablets?

The AAP recommends a daily limit of one hour of screen time for kids older than two years old. Additionally, they note that screen time should not occur within an hour of bedtime or at meals. 

Who We Are

Chaunie Brusie, RN, BSN is a registered nurse and mom of five kids from Michigan. Her 4-year-old is probably on a tablet at this very moment, but she’s learning Spanish through an app, so it’s totally fine, right?