Best Kids Tablets 2025: Easy Parent Guide
The Best Tablets for Kids: A Simple Breakdown for Parents
Choosing a tablet for your kids doesn’t have to feel complicated. With so many options out there, it becomes easy to get overwhelmed by specs, prices, and features that may not actually matter for your family. This guide breaks everything down in a simple, parent-friendly way so you can make the right choice without spending hours comparing devices.
Below are the three most popular tablets most recommended to families, based on performance, durability, price, and ease of use.
1. Amazon Fire Kids Tablets
If your child is young, this is usually the best place to start. Amazon’s kids tablets are affordable, durable, and come with built-in parental controls that are incredibly simple to use. The included kid-proof case is a huge bonus, and you get access to Amazon Kids+, which offers books, apps, and educational content.
This is the most budget-friendly option and perfect for toddlers through early elementary ages.
Something to note: Amazon Tablets are locked into Amazon marketplaces. In simple terms, the apps you are able to download may be limited. When app developers create an app, they have to develop the app specifically for a certain marketplace - Apple, Android, etc. Amazon isn’t in the top 2, so often apps are not created specifically for those tablets. This is something super important to note if there are apps you know you want for your kids.
Best for: younger kids, first tablets, families on a budget
Why parents love it: durable case, easy controls, strong content filtering
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A Series
This is a great middle-ground option for families who want something a little stronger than the Fire but not as pricey as an iPad. Samsung tablets run Android, which gives you flexibility with apps and settings. They’re lightweight, fast enough for school apps, and offer a clean experience without being too complicated.
They also typically last longer than the Fire tablets when it comes to performance.
Best for: elementary through middle school
Why parents love it: affordable but smooth, good screen quality, flexible setup
3. Apple iPad
If your child uses a school iPad, works in art apps, or you want the most reliable long-term tablet, the regular iPad is the top choice. It’s more of an investment, but you get unmatched performance, app quality, and longevity. iPads last years longer than most tablets, and Apple’s parental controls are solid and easy to manage.
There are a few models of iPad - the iPad, the iPad Air, and the iPad Pro. The lower end iPad should honestly be enough for your child, and they are the cheapest model. As you go up in models, they get more expensive and have more capacity.
Best for: older kids, creative kids, schoolwork, long-term use
Why parents love it: fast, intuitive, lasts for years, easy parental settings
Which One Should You Choose?
Here’s the simplest way to decide:
Under $150: go with the Amazon Fire Kids
Under $250: grab the Samsung Galaxy Tab A
Best long-term value ($300+): choose the iPad
Every family is different, but these three choices cover nearly every need, age range, and budget while keeping setup easy and kid-safe.
Parent Tip
No matter which tablet you choose, take a few minutes to set up your parental controls, screen time limits, and app permissions right away. A quick setup now saves you so much time later.
