Best Kids Tablet 2023

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Sure, when most of us were young if we were lucky we got a tiny GameBoy screen to entertain us for hours. Kids today have it a whole different way: they want and often need a full-fledged tablet allowing them to play games, watch videos, read comic books, and finish homework. But that’s okay because there are quite a few solid, affordable tablets designed just for kids.

Unfortunately for parents, it can be hard to wade through all the garbage that's out there. There are a lot of companies selling old, underpowered, or overly locked-down devices that just won’t cut it, so you have to be careful when shopping for your little one. It's also important that these tablets offer parental controls and keep your kid's data private. The internet is a scary place and giving kids unlimited access to do whatever could lead to some dire consequences – or expensive ones.

In most cases, we've found it’s best to stick with the big names: the same brands you’d buy from if you were looking for a regular tablet. In fact, you could just buy them a normal Android tablet and use its built-in parental controls. But for this list, we're going dig into mostly kid-focused tablets and a few full-featured slates for those that are a little more grown-up. Take a look at our favorites, you're bound to find the perfect option for your kid – and click here to find them in the UK.

TL;DR – These are the Best Kids Tablet:

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

Best Kids Tablet

Amazon makes some solid, budget-friendly tablets, and the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition brings that experience specially tailored for children. It delivers a vibrant 8-inch display large enough for kids to see what they're doing and interact with it, while it’s all wrapped in a beefy, durable case to ensure even the clumsiest can’t break it. However, if the tablet does meet an unfortunate fate, Amazon offers a two-year guarantee to replace any broken tablet for free.

The Fire 8 HD Kids Edition doesn’t stop with ruggedness, as Amazon loads it up with kid-friendly apps for entertainment and education, including a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. Naturally, parental controls let you keep the tablet locked down to only the apps you deem appropriate, and you can even set the tablet’s theme to younger or older children based on reading level. Everything is accessible over WI-Fi, or you can download content for on-the-go entertainment with its 32GB or 64GB storage (expandable up to 1TB), while up to 13 hours of battery life should keep kids busy for even the longest travel days.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

Best Tablet for Older Kids

We love the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, but as your kid gets older, they're not going to need the same kind of concessions for their tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is geared towards 6-12 year olds, so when kids get a bit more responsible. They shouldn't need the same bulky case to protect their device, and the hardware limitations of such a kid-focused device might make it harder to complete tasks. This is a solid middle ground, giving kids a bit more power, more screen, and a slimmer case that isn't too childish while still offering a strong degree of protection.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet totes a 10.1-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 display, giving them plenty of screen to play or work with. That sharper clarity also helps if they plan to do a lot of reading or watching TV on it. With an octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM, it gets a boost in muscle to run a wider variety of apps quickly, so it won't test your child's patience. Beyond that, the tablet still comes with many of Amazon's kid-focused features, including special parental controls, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and the same two-year worry-free guarantee it provides on its other kids tablets.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

Best Android Tablet for Kids

Simple, affordable, and easy to use, that’s what you get from the Samsung Tab A8. This slate is lightweight and its large 10.5-inch display makes for easy viewing and interacting with content. Meanwhile, the built-in quad speakers sound surprisingly good with clear and loud audio for such a small device, making it a great way to watch YouTube or streaming movies. There’s even Dolby Atmos support too. The onboard octa-core processor on board is plenty powerful to keep up with your kid's schoolwork, and it can also handle some of your kid’s less graphically intensive games, too. And it comes toting the relatively recent Andriod 11 operating system to help prevent security vulnerabilities, so you can ensure your kids stay safe while connected.

Of course, the Samsung Tab A8 offers parental controls, so you can limit what your kids do, see, and how long they spend on the tablet. And they can spend a long time playing, with the impressive battery life tapping out at around nine hours. It’s also pretty sturdy on its own, as the chassis is primarily made of metal, but you’ll still want to grab some extra protection, as we know kids are prone to accidents. Finally, you get an 8MP camera on the back that lets them explore their inner-photographer, while a 5MP front-facing camera may be useful for video calls with grandma and grandpa.

Apple iPad (9th Generation)

Best iPad for Kids

Apple’s 9th generation base iPad comes packing loads of power that make it perfect for kids and adults alike. Under the hood, the latest iPad has upgraded to an Apple A13 Bionic chipset, which will help it keep speeding along a bit longer than previous models. The tablet has also received a camera upgrade, including a special mode that can help your kid record dynamic and engaging videos for school projects. And, if you're worried about your kid getting into any sticky situations while scrolling, Apple makes it super simple to block apps, stop purchases, and prevent restricted media on the device through parental controls.

Apple's iPad offers is a sharp, vibrant 10.2-inch display panel. Conveniently, the dimensions of the product remain the same as older models, so you don't have to worry about shelling out extra dough on cases and accessories. That even includes that 1st Generation Apple Pencil for detailed note-taking while your kids are in school. If you're planning on doing any road trips, the 10-hour battery should be plenty to entertain them for the entire journey. Plus, you'll be able to download a few movies or TV shows for the ride with 64GB of storage.

Asus Chromebook CM3

Best Chromebook Tablet for Kids

Running on Chrome OS, the Asus Chromebook CM3 is ready to take on your kid’s school work and will fit seamlessly into their school’s Chrome Ecosystem. It's simple to get set up and use, while the MediaTek 8183 processor and 4GB RAM are optimized for tablets adding to the excellent functionality of the touch screen. Your kids will be zooming through tasks on this device, and it’ll especially shine when playing game-based learning apps.

The Asus Chromebook CM3 is lightweight and durable, making it easy to hold on to or take on the go. It doesn’t stop there, as this 2-in-1 tablet includes a kickstand and detachable keyboard cover, so you’re not paying extra just to get basic functionality. You’ll even get a USI stylus that slots into the tablet’s chassis and will fast charge inside, delivering 45 minutes of battery life after just 15 seconds of charging, allowing for more precise inputs when kids want to get creative.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Best Chromebook 2-in-1

Lenovo's Chromebook Duet demonstrates exactly what a great 2-in-1 Chromebook can be. Its compact size makes it kid-friendly, while Chrome OS makes it easy to use, especially since it can be easily integrated into the school's Chrome Ecosystem. It offers up a 10.1-inch display, which is plenty of space to do a bit of homework or explore educational apps. That display is a sharp 1,920 x 1,200 and hits 400 nits, making it bright enough for most settings including outdoor learning. It's also got a quality IPS panel, so your kids will have an easy time seeing it, plus you'll be able to make out what's on the screen from an angle if you need to monitor your child's use.

The tablet portion is just under one pound, making it incredibly light for kids to play with, and it weighs just over two pounds with the keyboard attached. That portability makes it great for older kids who might need to take it along to school with them. And, with a 10-hour battery life, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet has enough juice to last through a whole school day. For kids' artistic urges, active stylus support is another major bonus for getting creative or even just taking better notes. If you're worried about what your kid may be doing on the device, using Chrome's Family Link app, you can monitor and manage usage.

Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen

Best Family Tablet for Kids

It's great having a tablet for your kids, but that doesn't mean the device needs to be dedicated purely to them. The 3rd Gen Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus works for the whole family. This tablet has a sharp 10.5-inch display with a 2000 x 1200 resolution. That's plenty crisp to enjoy all your favorite content, while a 400 nit peak brightness means you’ll be good to see things outside on the patio, too. Listening to music and streaming shows on the go is even better, thanks to the quad speakers in the same vein as the Tab A8 and impressive 12-hour battery life. Of course, it also doesn't hurt to have the tablet's 8MP rear and front cameras handy, so you can grab it to capture footage whenever your kid's doing something too cute to miss.

Naturally, you might not want your young kids running around with the tablet and all its broad capabilities. After all, the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus runs a full-fat version of Android 12. That's where the preloaded Google Kids Space comes in. This mode offers tons of kid-friendly content, and you can put further restrictions on what your kids can see and do with the Family Link app. To make life easier, it's possible to tune these parental controls from your phone or other devices as well. If your kid is a budding artist, this tablet even supports Lenovo’s Precision Pen so they can draw to their heart's content without the messy clean-up. Just be sure to grab a heavy-duty case or bumper for the device to ensure it stays safe when in their clumsy little hands.

Where to Get the Best Kids Tablet in the UK

Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.

Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.