The Best Tablets for Kids

Amazon's Fire tablets are an affordable alternative to iPads. In addition to decent hardware, Fire tablets include one year of Amazon Kids+, the company's content subscription service for kids, which makes it easy to find age-appropriate games or apps for your kids.

There are several versions and sizes of Fire Kids tablets. The main difference between the Pro and regular versions is the content available by default. We’ve tried all of them and recommend the Fire HD 10 Pro Kids Edition ($200) for older kids, who will be more comfortable holding it and will benefit from the slightly more mature content included by default with the Pro version. The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition ($140) is our pick for younger kids (think 8 and under).

Buying into the Amazon ecosystem does limit you to Amazon content, but the selection of books, games, and videos in Amazon Kids+ is varied and includes some gems. Unfortunately, it's also constantly changing, so beware that your kids' favorite book may suddenly disappear. You can filter and monitor it to your heart's content via Amazon’s parent dashboard. And the two-year worry-free warranty is unbeatable, especially if your child tends to smash or drop things and you need to replace it. Also note that Amazon frequently puts these on sale for as much as 50 percent off. There's no reason to pay full price unless you really need it now.

Many school districts will provide your child with one, but if yours doesn't, Chromebooks are our top pick for kids in school. This Lenovo is a good pick for younger kids. It's powerful enough to handle a decent amount of web pages, play videos, and run kids games, and the detachable keyboard means they can use it like a tablet when they need to. Chromebooks can also run many Android apps, though sometimes they don't quite work as well as they would on a tablet.

Older kids (say fifth grade and up) might benefit from a more powerful Chromebook like the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 ($279). We like the Acer 515 for its speedier processor, extra RAM, and SD card slot. Check out our Best Chromebooks guide for more options.

As with most Amazon hardware, the kid devices are worth the price for two things: the content and the warranty. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids has a two-year, worry-free replacement guarantee, a cute case, and a year’s subscription to the Amazon's Kids+ platform, which sorts through Amazon’s huge selection to present your kid with age-appropriate characters and themes. You can somewhat control this content selection through the website interface.

It’s very easy to white-list free library books into your kid’s profile. With tons of free books available, a safe, secure Kindle might actually save you and your bookish kid money in the long run. You can save $50 by opting for the regular Kindle Kids ($120), but the screen isn't nearly as nice as the Paperwhite version, and it's not waterproof. Again, the devices are frequently on sale, so don't pay full price.

If you don't want to join the Amazon ecosystem, or if your kids are really into comics and graphic novels, we like the Kobo Libra Colour (8/10, WIRED Recommends) for its color E Ink screen, which handles comics much better than a Kindle. (Despite making a color Kindle for adults, there's currently no Kids version, and the regular color version is having issues, so you're better off with the Libra Colour). At $220 it's a bigger investment and probably best suited for older, more responsible children.

I've picked the Echo Show 8, but any smart display you already own is probably the best way to do video calls with relatives. That way there's nothing to hold up. (Calling with a tablet works just fine, though the grandparents might see more of the ceiling fan than your kids, if your kids get tired of holding up the iPad.) The third-generation Echo Show 8 is the middle child in Amazon's Show family and it's a good size for the kitchen or living room. We also like the Google Nest Hub Max. It's a good all-around smart display with a 10-inch touchscreen and decent camera. It dropped support for Google Meet and Zoom though, so you'll have to use Google Duo for your video calls.