When the battle with the little ones over mobile devices is about to reach critical mass, it’s a good idea to expand the digital family. The vast majority of tablets obviously seek to tempt the adult audience, but the market has several more than adequate options for children. Our selection today is based on recognized brands, so you won’t have to suffer with generic tablets that are impossible to update.
Now, why a tablet? The age of the youngest is inversely proportional to their ability to absorb technology, which has led many parents to opt for a smartphone or a laptop. On one hand, a smartphone adds extra risk when handling something that in the end is still a phone. On the other hand, computers are probably too formal an option for kids who just want to enjoy games, music, and movies. Despite the many promises on the market, our selection of kids’ tablets is limited to three, and none falls into the generic trap — a crucial factor these days when we need constant updates and security patches.
Amazon Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
Unlike what happened with its smartphone, the Fire HD series tablets have received a pretty good reception, which led to the creation of the Kids Edition variant. Its six-inch screen makes it a reasonable size for little hands to hold, and its combination of a quad-core SoC with 1 GB of RAM should cover any performance concern. Its case is ideal for withstanding bumps, there’s a function that limits session time, and with eight hours of battery life, there’s plenty of Marvel and Disney princesses to go around.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids
Taking the Korean giant by surprise is very difficult these days, and as expected, Samsung offers a dedicated kids’ tablet. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids has a seven-inch screen, its custom interface makes it very easy to use, it includes a special protector, and its parental control (which also includes a timer like the Fire HD) is up to the task. The only difference is that its SoC is dual-core, but the idea isn’t to run benchmarks on these tablets...
Nexus 7, 2013 edition
When kids start to stop being kids and turn into young teenagers, their gadgets also need to undergo a similar evolution. With that in mind, the 2013 edition of the Google Nexus 7 tablet takes on the role of “first adult tablet” to perfection. By design, the Nexus 7’s parental control requires a bit more work, but its advantages are too compelling to ignore, starting with a good price and access to the latest Android updates.
Do you have any other suggestions? Have you bought a different model for your little one and want to share it? If so, don’t hesitate. Good luck!
