9 Best Kids Tablets & iPads to Buy in 2024
With a huge saving of $175, your kid can have their very own Apple iPad
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Screens no longer have the bad rap they used to. In fact, in many ways, they're the MVP in our lives. Here are the ones we recommend for everyone from the littlest members of the family to your big kids heading off to school.
Not so long ago, screens were fairly taboo when it came to kids. Plenty of parents would feel guilty whipping out a tablet or handing their kid a phone just so they could eat a meal in peace while others would fret at night about the damage being done to their tiny brains by too much time spent staring into a device.
And while there's no doubt that every growing child needs a healthy balance (and screen-free exercise and activities are a crucial part of every kid's day) the Covid years have shown how important screens are, as a way to learn, connect, relax and have fun.
So, we've scoured the internet and studied all the kid-friendly tablets available in Australia - so if you're looking to get your child one of their own (so they don't keep borrowing yours), here's our guide to the best ones out there.
Best overall tablets for kids
Galaxy Tab S9, $799.99 at Samsung
What You Need To Know
This tablet is super powerful and with the AMOLED 2X screen, you can expect amazing colour, contrast and detail. Lightweight and easy to carry around in the backpack or school bag, this can also double up as a laptop simply by adding the keyboard. It comes with the S Pen, which comes in handy and offers amazing value. Definitely one to consider for your kids first device, especially at this current price. Also available with 256GB and 12GB of RAM, if you need a bit more power and memory space.
One reviewer uploaded the comments, "First time tablet owner here — definitely impressed on what the Tab S9 productivity can handle. It can literally double as a laptop (just buy the keyboard). I've been using it for almost a month now, both for work and play."
Another customer said, "This device is wonderful! speedy, lightweight..."
Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen, $304.45 at Amazon Australia
Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen
What You Need To Know
This premium kid-friendly tablet is perfect for entertainment, with powerful streaming capabilities and storage. It's not specifically designed for children, however, with its decent 10.61" screen, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and an impressive 12 hours of battery life, it's good value for money and does everything kids need. Use Google Kids Space to help your child learn and discover - and by managing content and limiting screen time, you can keep them safe at the same time.
Best cheap tablets for kids
Lenovo Tab M8 HD, $188 at Bing Lee
What You Need To Know
Slim, lightweight, and inexpensive, this tablet isn't designed specifically for kids, but makes a great choice for them, nonetheless. It has a front and rear camera for all the selfies and snaps with their friends plus 32GB of storage and an expandable memory of up to 128GB. It's also fast and powerful, great for watching movies or playing games and for on-the-go learning.
LeapFrog LeapPad Ultimate Ready for School Tablet, $308.95 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This sturdy and durable tablet is a total winner for younger kids and preschoolers, helping to introduce them to the digital world safely and in a super fun way.
Completely kid-safe and kid-smart, this tablet can access over 1000 learning games, videos, eBooks and more (it has a lot built in, you buy the rest separately, and it uses Just For Me (TM) personalised learning technology to target whatever stage of learning and development your kid is.
With language, number, spelling and memory games, there's plenty of variety and will encourage kids to want to learn. It's also (unlike a lot of tablets that can be used by adults as well as kids) completely kid-safe, with a gated web-browsing environment. You can even share the tablet around various family members, with password protection meaning different kids can use the tablet independently of their older or younger siblings.
It's been a big hit in our house and while my kid uses the iPad for watching movies and YouTube kids, she regularly turns to her LeapPad for educational games and more. Highly recommended.
Best android tablets for kids
Lenovo TAB11 2nd GEN 128GB, $549 at Lenovo
What You Need To Know
This is an excellent android choice for kids that delivers a strong performance for a budget-friendly price. It offers a strong 11 inch display, front and rear cameras and an impressive ten hours of battery life to get your kid through the school day. It also has super quick charging capabilities for those moments when they forgot to charge up. Plus, the optional Precision Pen 2 comes in handy if your child likes to draw, sketch or edit their work free-hand.
Best Samsung tablet for kids
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8, $520.85 at Amazon
What You Need To Know
This 10.5" tablet is a step up from the smaller-sized tablets that are aimed at kids - and packs a powerful punch in terms of technical features. For starters, it offers surround sound speakers and fast and powerful ram, just perfect for gaming. It comes with 64 GB of storage and offers family-friendly games and activities, along with parental control settings to help them stay safe online. "Great tablet for a great price," commented one verified purchaser, while another said, "Arrived in perfect condition and our son loves his birthday present".
Best Apple iPad for kids
Apple iPad Air 5th Gen, $824 at The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
If you're going to splash out and get an Apple, the Apple iPad Air is the lightest and the most speccy of all the iPads on the market. It offers a 10.9" screen, it comes with 64GB of storage and is available in five gorgeous colours. It has a ten-hour run time and weighs just 458 grams, so if you don't mind the price (or you're getting it for the whole family) it's perfect for little hands to hold. While it's probably a bit too expensive to be wasted on little kids, it's a great option for older kids or teens as it has so much capacity and power, great for streaming, games, and learning. If you're an Apple fan and you're looking to stay within the family, this is the best purchase.
One reviewer said, "Amazing features and easy to use," while another said, "...just what to expect from Apple, a great unit super fast and does exactly what it is supposed to do. Nothing more to say!"
Best tablet for school
Apple iPad 10.2" 9th Gen, $429 at The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
Perfect for kids and perfect for big kids and perfect for adults. Apple's most affordable iPad is also their best all-rounder.
My child uses my old iPad ALL the time, and honestly, it's such a sturdy, reliable, and easy computer to work. I'm an Apple girl so rather than buy a brand new tablet, it made sense to share this one for all her YouTube hair tutorials, selfies, games, and fun. It's available with 32 up to 128GB of storage, comes with WIFI only or cellular and while it doesn't have specific parental controls like some of the truly kid-friendly options above, you can fairly easily switch the settings to limit screen time and restrict content.
Best drawing tablet for kids
Apple iPad mini 6th Gen, $1,079 at The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
Available in 256GB, the mini is Apple's smallest tablet, making it great for tiny hands. It packs many of the same features of the larger models into the smaller package and is compatible with Apple Pencil, so excellent for kids wanting to explore their creativity and master drawing skills. It has a sharp, clear display, fantastic sound capabilities, and excellent performance for streaming or gaming. Again, if you're an Apple fan and you're looking for a kid-friendly device that you can borrow too, you won't be disappointed.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A TABLET FOR MY KID?
Age: Choose a device that is age appropriate and includes the functions they need. Also make sure that they can physically use the device, for example press the keys comfortably.
Purpose: What do they need it for? Is it just for playing games or is it for school? If they're school- aged, it's good to get a tablet which will support video chat as well as online learning (because as much as we wish it was a thing of the past, we all know it's likely to stick around for awhile). If they're younger, or you have a family desktop computer they use for school and you want it mostly for games and streaming,
Safety: Are there adequate parental controls?
Battery life: Will it last the day at school - there's nothing worse than a device that's constantly running out of power.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I monitor my kid's screen time?
If they're currently stuck at home and using the device for school, it's pretty hard to monitor screen time. But it's a good idea to set agreed limits with your child about how much "extracurricular" viewing they're allowed on their device, so they know the rules from the get-go. My son, (who doesn't use his for home learning) for example, is not allowed his device at all during the week but knows that come Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, he can catch up on his shows and play his games. He also knows that if occasionally he wakes up too early during the week (he is an early riser) that he is allowed to ask me for the computer but only to play his drawing or learning games. I put limits on certain apps which means he can't just mindlessly scroll YouTube Kids.
More Coverage
Most devices will allow you to set parental limits and restrict certain apps and websites, but it's a good idea to have a conversation with your kids about why you are doing that, so they understand they're not being punished.
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