The best tablets for kids in 2025
Overview
These are the tech, tools, and products — from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more — that Mashable ranks best in class.
Table of Contents
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
It's a parental debate for the 21st Century: How much screen time should we allow our kids to have? But because this is the 21st Century, it would be almost impossible to fight screen use entirely, so why not put it to good use by buying the kids a tablet that's good for both entertainment and education?
The good news is that there are tablets made especially for kids, or regular tablets that have great kid-specific features. It's a happy medium between giving your kids the access to tech that they want, without turning them into screen zombies.
With so many tablets on the market, it's hard to know which device is right for you and your kids — you want a tablet that will play to their interests, no matter how young they are, and will serve their specific educational needs. If you're unsure about how to choose a tablet for your kids, here's a quick guide.
Should kids have limited screen time?
Screen learning and screen time restrictions are increasingly significant points of study. Parents' questions often boil down to "how much is too much?" The general advice, as offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is that kids between 2-5 should be limited to one hour of quality content a day. Beyond that, it’s about setting a plan that suits your child and family. Routines are always good and sensible limits will help tackle reported problems that may come from excessive screen use, such as obesity, behavioural problems, and impact on learning or sleep patterns.
How do tablets help kids learn?
Tablets just feel more like playing, and it's not surprising that kids may be more willing to learn when it doesn't feel forced. One study found that students who used tablets saw higher exam scores than those who didn't use tablets, and they were able to recognise 20% more words due to an improved ability to recognise sounds and represent sounds as letters. A 2018 meta-analysis also found that touchscreens are beneficial for some learning, such as science and technology, because apps or games can create a memorable interactive experience (in contrast to simply reading about a science experiment, for instance, and not retaining the information).
What's important to remember is that tablets are a great learning tool as long as they're not a kid's only source of learning. Kids will always need to be comfortable reading print books and doing maths by hand. Sure. But the opportunities for self-sufficient and interactive learning on a tablet can't be understated.
How features do you need in a talblet for kids?
Most tablets made specifically for kids will already be equipped with built-in parent accounts, timers, and pre-selected websites or apps that are strictly for kids. Easy enough. General purpose tablets aren't a bad choice at all — many sites name the iPad as one of the best tablets for kids even though it's technically for everyone. The most important things to keep in mind when shopping for a tablet for kids are as follows:
Screen Resolution — The required screen resolution will depend on the amount of movie watching and gaming your kids will be doing. If the answer is "not a lot," you won't need anything special.
Storage — They'll probably have more apps than you do, and may need space for downloads like offline Disney+ movies, music, or some books for school.
Parental controls — For obvious reasons, you are going to want to pay attention to the level of control you will be able to have over usage.
Rugged-ness — Because kids are basically adorable destruction machines and you'll probably feel better with a protective case.
Focus on these features and you can't got wrong.
What is the best tablet for kids?
To help you make the best decision for you, your kid, and your life, we have shortlisted a selection of standout tablets for kids. There is something for everyone and every budget in this list, and all you need to do is pick a favourite. You have the choice of impressive tablets from the likes of Amazon, Apple, and more.
These are the best tablets for kids in 2025.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro
Best For Parental Supervision
The Good & The Bad
- Parent controls and age filters
- Amazon Kids+ content
- 1-year subscription included
- Generous battery life
- Prime subscription required
- Not for older kids
Why We Like It
The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the biggest and best option from Amazon’s range of tablets for kids. It comes with one free year of Amazon Kids+ — a kids-focused subscription service stacked with movies, shows, books, and games — plus a headache-saving two-year guarantee.
Parents can set time limits, while age filters keep all content age appropriate. That means you don't have to constantly monitor what your kids are looking at. It's already in hand. Parents can also give children selected access to bonus apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Roblox, or Minecraft.
As with previous gen editions of the Amazon Fire, the Kid Friendly case is both fun and durable — it’s made to withstand drops, spills, and rough play. But if something does happen to break, Amazon will send you a new tablet.
Details
Apple iPad
Best For Teenagers
The Good & The Bad
- Apple Pencil compatibility
- Powerful A14 chip
- Augmented reality learning
- Stunning camera and display
- No built-in parental controls
- No kids' stuff pre-installed
- Pencil sold separately
Why We Like It
Older kids need a tablet that can keep up with schoolwork and keep them busy beyond educational games. Look no further than the Apple iPad.
The App Store has a number of (free) educational apps, and kids will be psyched about the iPad's games and augmented reality capabilities. There's even an AR frog dissection, if you want to combine education and gaming.
Parents can set controls, restrictions, and locks — or even limit which websites your kids visit and which movies they can stream. But you have to figure all that stuff out for yourself. It can be a little tricky to set up.
The iPad is basically a mini computer, decked out with spec that blows away most tablets (or even laptops). That means it’s far more delicate than youngster-specific tablets, such as the Fire, but child-proof cases are available.
Details
Amazon Fire 7 Kids
Best For Younger Kids
The Good & The Bad
- Very durable case
- Stacks of Kids+ content
- Expandable storage
- Worry-free guarantee
- Case has a built-in stand
- Lower res screen
- Ages 3-7 only
Why We Like It
Nobody does kids' tablets like Amazon. That's why the Fire 7 Kids, which has been around a few years now, is still going strong — and at a decent price while still packing plenty of features that younger kids will love.
It comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, with over 20,000 movies, shows, book, and apps for kids aged 3-7. Content features popular characters from Disney, Nickelodeon, Peppa Pig, and more. Kids+ basically saves parents from having to comb through an app store for entertainment.
You get the same age filters, time restrictions, and control options as with the Fire HD 10 — and it’s always worth noting how amazing FreeTime is. This keeps an eye on your kids' usage so you don't have to. The kids content is so genius that little ones don't realise they're learning or being monitored.
Details
Amazon Kindle Kids
Best For Little Bookworms
The Good & The Bad
- Six months of Kids+
- Huge selection of books
- Encourages good reading habits
- Bright and glare free
- Weeks-long battery
- No durable case
Why We Like It
The Kindle Kids Edition is bare-bones compared to the other tablets on its list, but for its intended purposes — reading and listening to books — this tablet serves a young bookworm very well indeed. It has no games, videos, or apps, so there are no distractions. It's purely about building great reading habits.
In terms of reading material, it comes with a year's subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes lots of popular books and Audible titles for kids — everything from Big Nate to the entire Harry Potter series.
Your little reader will also get access to two valuable reading tools: "Vocabulary Builder" creates flashcards out of any words they look up in the device's built-in dictionary, and "Word Wise" puts simple definitions above tricky words.
You've also got the option of adding books to your kid's library through the Kindle Store and checking in on their reading progress.
Details
Apple iPad Air
Best For School
The Good & The Bad
- Lightweight & portable
- Amazing high-res visuals
- Decent for gaming
- Souped-up M2 chip
- 12MP front/back cameras
- Accessories sold separately
- Apple quality, Apple price
Why We Like It
This is Apple's best bang for your buck — the newest iPad Air. It sits between the entry-level iPad and the powerful iPad Pro. But Air is way more Pro than it lets on. Older kids won't feel lame having to share this with their parents.
As with other iPads, the App Store is home to thousands of educational apps for all age groups and interests, from simple maths and reading to science.
The parental locks and restrictions are still applicable (though as nothing comes pre-installed, you’ll have to set these yourself). Even if a responsible older kid doesn't need their usage monitored 24/7, controls are handy for keeping them from getting distracted during homework hours.
Schoolwork may actually be enjoyable with the crisp visuals and no-lag screen. And while all tablets are portable, the slender and lightweight build makes this super easy for carrying in a backpack between classes.
Details
Lenovo Tab M11
Best For Android Families
The Good & The Bad
- Samsung Kids app
- Comes with a stylus
- Made with families in mind
- 8mp rear camera
- Lower price means lower spec
Why We Like It
Some people just prefer using Android, which is why we're recommending the Lenovo Tab M11. While the Amazon devices listed here are technically Android, they run on an Amazon-specific version, FireOS, and come pre-loaded with Amazon Appstore, rather than Google Play (though it is installable). But with this Lenovo tablet you get the full Android experience.
There are other reasons this 11-inch tablet is great for kids and families: It's a good size, it has fun features, and it's very affordable compared to other tablets.
It's actually made with families in mind, designed for both learning and play. It has access to Google Kids, a platform that gives kids their own home screen and a huge selection of teacher-approved apps, videos, and games. It will also recommend content and ensure safe-searching online. Parents can relax thanks to Google Kids' robust parental controls.
It also looks and sounds great — perfect for movie watching with all the family — and comes with a Lenovo Tab Pen for note-taking and sketching.
Details
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.
Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.
