Let’s face it - there’s no keeping kids away from screens these days. In fact, many of the jobs that they will end up doing don’t actually exist yet, such is the speed at which technology is developing.
If you have ever been occupied for a few seconds and come back to find that your child has dropped your phone down the loo or disfigured your iPad, it might be time to consider investing in their own child-friendly tablet.
From indestructible bumper cases to un-smashable screens, these devices can survive just about anything. Here’s what to look out for if you’re in the market.
Features
First off, if you want your child to be able to take photos, you need to check out the quality of the camera. Even though most of the tablets have one, few are actually of any real quality.
There’s also the matter of the apps available - are you looking for them to use it for homework? For coding? For reading? Several of the operating systems on offer, such as Amazon and Android are well equipped with thousands of educational and skills-building apps but not all of them are created equal.
Age range
It might seem like a good idea to invest in a tablet that your kids can keep for years, but if its too difficult to use for little fingers, they’re not going to get much fun out of it for a while. Choose an option that’s appropriate for your kids’ age so that they get the most out of it and you can ensure they’re not seeing anything they shouldn’t.
Parental Control
Choosing a tablet specifically designed for children means you’ll have more control over how they use it and what for. Most come with monitoring systems and web browsers that have been designed to only show sites that are age-appropriate but some come with other handy tools such as messaging services, remote controlling and even timers, so if you’re likely to have a battle every time you want them to put it away, choose something that automatically switches off after a set amount of time.
If you’re still not sure what to go for, our guide to the best tablets for kids in 2019 will help narrow down your options.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Tablet
Best for: A long battery life
Age range: 8+
There’s nothing worse in the middle of a long journey and your child complaining that their device has run out of battery, thus beginning several hours of interminable restless whining.
The Fire HD 10 has a reliably long battery life, amongst its other myriad qualities, meaning you can trust it to hold out all the way to your destination.
The screen is wide and encased in a foam bumper (blue or pink - take your pick) which can be taken off when you can trust the kid is old enough to look after it properly. It comes with up to 256GB of storage and you’ll get a year’s access to Amazon Fire for Kids Unlimited, which opens the door to thousands of books, games, videos and educational apps.
As the guardian, you’ll be able to control how much time they can spend on it as well as monitor their on-screen activity. It’s a pretty cool all-rounder, allowing kids to have fun independence but within a set of safe parameters.
£199.99 | Amazon | Buy it now
Kurio Tab Connect
Best for: Young children
Age range: 5+
A more budget friendly tablet for smaller children, the Kurio Tab Connect offers a 7 inch screen set in a variety of brightly coloured robust bumpers, meaning it can survive a few meetings with the floor.
Adults can pair it with their phones, meaning you won’t be struggling for control when it’s time to put it away (you can switch it off remotely) and you can ensure they’re not being exposed to anything inappropriate.
In fact, seeing as it runs solely off its own operating system - Android 6 Marshmallow - which monitors over 32 billion websites, it’s almost impossible for them to find anything untoward. Including educational apps and fun games such as coding and reading tools, it can be used both for learning and fun.
£84.99 | Argos | Buy it now
LeapFrog LeapPad Ultimate Kids Tablet
Best for: Educating
Age range: 3+
With its huge bumper and simple interface, there’s no way of mistaking this for an adult tablet - it’s been completely geared up to entertain kids.
From the huge bumper edge to the shatter-resistant screen and simple user experience, it’ll suit smaller children down to the ground. There’s a stylus attached to the side so kids can enjoy games and exercises that need a little more intricacy — as well as sharpen up their fine motor skills — and the games console style controls are easy to navigate.
Apps such as an ebook library, music player and games centre are already on the tablet and the App Store allows you to purchase any others they might need. There’s only an 8GB memory on this one, though, so you’ll be limited on the number you can store.
One of its best points is that almost all the apps on offer are educational - there’s just the downside that some of them are quite pricey. It comes in green as well as the usual pink and blue, making a refreshing, gender-neutral change.
£90.36 | Amazon | Buy it now
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids Tablet
Best for: Curious kids
Age range: 4+
One of the best things about the Samsung Kids Edition is that it’s a lot sleeker than most of the other kids’ tablets out there - the screen itself is slimline and surrounded by a rubberised case which can be removed when necessary, for example, when it’s been in the vicinity of food and needs a good clean.
Hooked up to the Samsung Kids system, children are offered thousands of learning tools, games and books and the store is updated on a weekly basis, meaning kids who get bored easily or devour entertainment quickly will always have something new to get stuck into.
You will also be able to download apps and games to the tablet and use them in offline mode, meaning even when you’re out of wifi range your child can enjoy it.
£249 | Samsung | Buy it now
Kurio Smart 2 in 1
Best for: older kids
Age range: 10+
If you’re child is getting a bit old for the bumper packed tablet, it might be time to upgrade them to their first laptop. Well - a tablet with laptop capabilities, at least.
The Smart 2 in 1 from Kurio comes with a wireless keyboard, allowing the user to switch between laptop and tablet with ease. As with all the child-friendly options, it comes with parental controls, but also gives older kids more leeway in the form of quick web browsing, easy downloading and office tools - ideal for getting homework done.
The quad-core processor keeps everything running smoothly, whilst the large storage plan (you can get up 128GB) means they won’t need to constantly delete things to make room. The case is niftily designed to work as both a stand and a pad for the keyboard to sit on and its slimline form and inner magnets provide extra protection to the screen without adding bulk.
£159.99 | Argos | Buy it now
VTech InnoTab Max Kids Tablet
Best for: kids’ intro to technology
Age Range: 3+
As much as us adults might harp on about the halcyon days of no phones or Internet, our children are growing up in a completely different world and the reality is that they’ll need to know how to use technology proficiently.
As such, the VTech tablet for kids makes a great first introduction, being super simple to use. It comes with a range of games and gives the option to download more. There’s also a messaging service, which allows adults to send messages to the InnoTab via the Kids Connect app.
The design is pretty robust and comes with a book-like cover that can be folded back to form a stand. There’s also a stylus, so kids can alternate between using their fingers and the tool provided.
It’s only flaw is the camera - with just 2 megapixels, it takes undeniably poor photos, so if you’re after something they can take their own snaps on, we’d recommend looking at a few other models.
£89.99 | Smyths Toys | Buy it now
Verdict:
The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition takes the crown for ticking all of the major boxes: it’s easy to use, has a wealth of great resources and the parental controls are tight.
