When shopping for tablets for kids, hardware specs like a fast processor or several gigabytes of RAM aren’t the most important qualities to consider. They can also help kids keep in touch with friends and loved ones, which may benefit you, too, if you're gifting them to your nibling or grandchild. Plus, their touchscreens can be used to both read books and look at pictures. They come in handy for long road trips, too, since parents or their techie tots can easily download several hours’ worth of videos or music. Tablets for kids allow parents to easily download a bevy of entertainment and educational apps to keep children occupied.

They will make parents happy, too, since they typically have more comprehensive parental controls that prevent little ones from accessing the unfiltered internet and making in-app purchases. A kids’ tablet is a more affordable and durable version of the tablet you’re used to, and they make for an excellent gift since they offer both entertainment and educational features for children.

Today, kids are more technologically advanced than ever, with a kids’ tablet commonly being their first taste of technology. Most of us were lucky if we grew up with a Game Boy in hand. We still recommend our former “Best Overall” pick, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet, but have named it our budget-friendly option. We no longer recommend the iPad mini because the current model is more expensive than the ninth- and 10th-generation iPads and doesn’t offer any significant advantages to owners worth the price premium.

Editor’s Note: We reviewed our current product picks as of February 2023 and we’ve selected a new best overall pick, the Apple iPad 9th generation for its outstanding balance between price and performance, its wide app selection, and ease of use.

Best tablet for reading books