Recently, mobile computing devices have become a necessity. And what device is better than a tablet? It’s a middle ground between the powerful performance of laptops and the portability of smartphones.
Getting one for a 2 – 4 year old toddler would make their life a lot easier in all aspects: education & learning, entertainment, communication, you name it.
But can children use the same devices as adults? It’s definitely better if you get them an age-appropriate option, and that’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best tablets for toddlers to make buying the right one super easy for you.
- Save up to $89 on a full-featured fire 7 tablet (not a toy), 1 year of amazon kids+ (freetime unlimi
- 2-year worry-free guarantee: if it breaks, return it and we’ll replace it for free.
- The included 1 year of amazon kids+ gives your kids access to over 20,000 apps, games, books, videos
- This bundle contains two fire hd 8 kids edition tablets (32 gb): one with a blue kid-proof case
- 2-year worry-free guarantee: if it breaks, return it and we’ll replace it for free.
- The included 1 year of amazon kids+ gives your kids access to over 20,000 apps, games, books, videos
- Save up to $69.99: y88x pro kids tablet gives your little ones their pick of endless kids-friendly
- Tough enough for small hands: the kid-proof case is well designed for kids 2-10, each side and edges
- Lots of age-appropriate apps & games: enjoy thousands of kid-friendly contents in the coppa certifie
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Best Tablet for Toddlers – Comparison Table
Image | Product | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Editor’s Choice | Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case
| 10 | Check On Amazon |
Best Overall | Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi + Cellular, 64GB) – Silver (Latest Model)
| 9.5 | Check On Amazon |
Premium Pick | All-new Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet 2-pack, 8″ HD display
| 9 | Check On Amazon |
Best Allrounder | Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition 8”, 32GB Wifi Tablet Silver (2019) – SM-T290NZSKXAR
| 8.8 | Check On Amazon |
Best Value | SANNUO Kids Tablet 10.1 inch, GMS-Certified Android 9.0,Kids -Mode,2GB RAM,2.0+5.0MP Dual Camera,IPS
| 8.5 | Check On Amazon |
Good Allrounder | Vankyo MatrixPad Z1 Kids Tablet 7 inch, 32GB ROM, Kidoz Pre Installed, IPS HD Display, WiFi Android
| 8 | Check On Amazon |
Budget Pick | Dragon Touch Y88X Pro 7 inch Kids Tablets, 2GB RAM 16GB
| 7.5 | Check On Amazon |
Best Tablets for Toddlers – Reviews
Let’s delve into each product and how they will benefit your toddler whether they are, 2, 3 or 4 years old. We’ll help you to make a well-informed decision according to what you want from a tablet and what you want for your little one.
1. Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition
Hardware Specifications of Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition
Processor | Quad-Core, 1.3 GHz |
RAM | 1 GB |
Resolution | 1024 x 600, 171 PPI |
Storage | 16 GB |
Display | 7 inches |
Dimensions | 8.7 x 6.3 x 1 inches |
Battery Life | 7 hours |
Weight | 16.1 ounces |
Top 3 Features
The Amazon Fire 7 is one of the smallest kids tablets out there, and despite that, it comes with a durable silicone bumper case that prevents any damage from befalling it. It’s equipped with a kid’s operating system, and child-appropriate content yet comes at a very affordable price, especially if you get it on a sale, like a Black Friday.
Measuring 8.7 x 6.3 x 1 inches, it’s small enough tablet that a 2-year old could hold it with no trouble. Naturally, however, it doesn’t have the most powerful specs as it comes with a quad-core processor at 1.3 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage space. You can upgrade the latter up to 512 GB if your child runs out of free storage.
However, you might want to step your budget up a notch and buy the Amazon 8 Fire HD tablet kids edition as it comes with better components and is upgradable to support more demanding apps. But if you’re only just getting your child acquainted with electronics, you could opt for the Amazon Fire 7.
It’s worth mentioning that the Fire 7 tablet comes with a kid-proof bumper case with a built-in stand, a 2-year worry-free guarantee, and a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited that includes a considerable amount of kid-friendly content like books, videos, apps, games, audiobooks, and even hand-picked Spanish books.
What’s more, it includes popular characters like Dora and Sonic the Hedgehog as well as titles and brands like Disney and Nickelodeon. It’s an all-in-one subscription that offers around 20 thousand books, movies, apps, TV shows, and games that suit children between the ages of 3 and 12.
- 2-year worry-free guarantee
- Plenty of security features for kids
- Protective case
- Comes with Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited
- Budget-friendly
- Fire OS comes with limited choices of apps
- Not the best specs
- FreeTime Unlimited subscription only lasts 1 year
2. All-New Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
Hardware Specifications of Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
Processor | Quad-Core, 2.0 GHz |
RAM | 2 GB |
Resolution | 1280 x 800, 189 PPI |
Storage | 32 GB |
Display | 8 inches |
Dimensions | 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.0 inches |
Battery Life | 12 hours |
Weight | 19.4 ounces |
Top 3 Features
Through parental control, you can set screen time limits and goals, like spending time on certain educational apps.
With an 8-inch LCD display with a 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, the screen on this device is pretty solid. Yes, it’s not the best, but it’s great as a toddler’s tablet. If you’re looking for the sharpest, brightest display with great looks, you can expand your budget and go for an Apple iPad Mini. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger toddlers.
Amazon moved to a USB-C design that makes charging more efficient and quicker. Although the bezels are thicker than what you’d typically find on a 2021 tablet, they make the device pretty durable and suitable for a kid’s careless handling.
The rubber, thick casing—which you can get in purple, pink, or blue—is one of this tablet’s strongest suits. It’ll survive knocks, drops, and any external attack on the hardware. It even has a built-in kickstand that increases its convenience.
What’s more, Amazon allows you to rest easy about investing in this tablet as it makes the generous offer of replacing the tablet for free if your little one breaks it within the first two years, which is an incredible guarantee!
By default, you’ll become a member of a year-long subscription to FreeTime Unlimited, which gives your child access to plenty of content, including apps, TV shows, movies, and games. There are even things from Disney, Nickelodeon, CBeebies, and more.
This tablet comes with more than 5 thousand downloadable apps, which is plentiful, but admittedly not as extensive as other options like the iOS app store or Android stores.
It measures 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.0 inches and weighs 19.4 ounces, which isn’t the lightest or most compact, but it’s pretty good for a child around 5 to 9 years old.
- A good combination of affordability and durability
- Excellent battery life
- Effective performance
- Extended battery life
- Limited app choices
- Not the most compact
3. Dragon Touch Y88X Pro Kids
Hardware Specifications of Dragon Touch Y88X Pro Kids
Processor | Quad-Core, 1.5 GHz |
RAM | 2 GB |
Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
Storage | 16 GB, expandable with a MicroSD card |
Resolution | 1024 x 600 pixels |
Dimensions | 11.8 x 8.2 x 3 inches |
Battery Life | 3 hours |
Weight | 30.4 ounces |
Top 3 Features
This is especially true thanks to the 178-degree viewing angles of the IPS panel, which makes images look sharper and more vivid from any viewpoint.
There’s also a child-lock feature which locks the tablet in the Kidoz dashboard, which can only be exited with a password set by the parent.
The Dragon Touch Y88X Pro tablet is a mid-range choice in all aspects, including price, performance, durability, and reliability.
It runs on a quad-core processor at 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, and has 16 GB of storage space where you can store photos, videos, ebooks, and plenty of songs. It’s also expandable up to 128 GB with a microSD card.
Though it’s a kid-friendly device, it has a luxurious look and a sleek design that’s slim and makes them feel like they’ve got their hands on an adult tablet.
Measuring 11.8 x 8.2 x 3 inches, this tablet is definitely not the most compact, and at 30.4 ounces, it’s not so light either. That’s why it doesn’t suit younger toddlers but ones that are between 6 and 12 years old.
- Great display
- Extensive parental control
- Dual cameras for video calls and pictures
- Sleek design
- Short-lived battery
- Not very portable
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition
Hardware Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 |
RAM | 2 GB |
Display | 8 inches |
Storage | 32 GB |
Dimensions | 0.31 x 4.89 x 8.28 inches |
Resolution | 1280 x 800 pixels |
Battery Life | 13 hours |
Weight | 21.12 ounces |
Top 3 Features
Not to mention, parents can ever pick specific skills like creativity, science, critical thinking, and math, in order to enhance their children’s abilities.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A would make a great, reliable choice for children of all ages. Admittedly, it’s not the most affordable option on the market, but then again, it doesn’t miss out on any of the full Android tablet features.
Of course, you can’t mention the Samsung Galaxy Tab A without speaking of the Samsung Kids app. It comes with plenty of popular games, video content, and ebooks to keep kids entertained and curious.
With a 1280 x 800-pixel resolution on an 8-inch screen, this kids tablet provides one of the best displays you’ll find on the market. On it, your little ones can view popular brands and titles like LEGO, Crayola, Peppa Pig, and more, which give them both entertainment and education in one.
As for durability, this tablet is pretty rugged. It comes with a rubber casing that provides security to the chassis of the device and that you can easily remove to clean.
At night, you can switch the tablet to night mode and turn on adaptive brightness and blue light filters to protect your little one’s eyes and help them fall asleep more easily at night.
At 21.12 ounces, it’s not exactly the most lightweight option, but it’s pretty compact as it measures 0.31 x 4.89 x 8.28 inches.
Moreover, the Galaxy Tab A comes with an 8 MP rear camera and a 2 MP front one with kid-friendly controls and a couple of options that can help them get creative, which is a nice method of honing their photography skills and creativity.
Finally, the Galaxy Tab A can run for 13 hours and only takes 3 hours to fully charge and reach full capability to handle games, view videos, and listen to music.
- Amazing set of parental controls
- Can progress with the child’s aging process
- Incredible battery life
- Rugged and durable
- Free trial requires payment details
- Not very compact
5. SANNUO Kids
Hardware Specifications of SANNUO Kids
Processor | Quad-core MTK processor, 1.3 GHz |
RAM | 2 GB |
Resolution | 1280 x 800 pixels |
Storage | 16 GB |
Display | 10.1 inches |
Dimensions | 9.4 x 0.4 x 6.7 inches |
Battery Life | 4 – 5 hours |
Weight | 17.6 ounces |
Top 3 Features
If you’re looking for a lightweight tablet for your kid, the SANNUO is a pretty practical choice. It weighs 17.6 ounces and measures 9.4 x 0.4 x 6.7 inches, which is a pretty neat combination, especially when considering the fact that it comes with a quad-core MTK processor that runs at 1.3 GHz.
It also features 2-GB RAM and 16 GB of storage space, making its performance smooth as silk. You can even add 128 GB of external storage if you want to expand the built-in one.
It comes with a 12-month warranty and 24-hour customer service, so you can rest assured that any inquiries or complaints will be answered. But it’s unlikely that you’ll have any, by all means.
- Comes with a silicone case and a screen protector
- Packed with kids’ apps
- Decent display
- Extended battery life
- Accommodates up to 2 SIM cards
- Screen protector is a bit difficult to apply
- Doesn’t come with a word processor
- Extended battery life
6. Vankyo MatrixPad Z1 Kids
Hardware Specifications of Vankyo MatrixPad Z1 Kids
Processor | Quad-Core, 1.5 GHz |
RAM | 1 GB |
Display | 7 inches |
Storage | 32 GB |
Resolution | 1024 × 600 pixels |
Dimensions | 7.40 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches |
Battery Life | 8 hours |
Weight | 12.8 ounces |
Top 3 Features
The Vankyo MatrixPad Z1 is one of a kind. It has some unique features that no other tablet on this list can match. Most importantly, it has an Eye Health mode that minimizes blue lights to ensure your kid’s comfort. Not to mention, it can take a beating and remain as good as new.
Its 7-inch HD display mixed with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution is a delight to navigate and makes activities like reading, listening to music, browsing the internet, and solving puzzles a lot more fun. Not to mention, the 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and the 1 GB RAM work together to make the tablet run as smoothly as can be.
Should your child drop it, the tablet comes with a kid-proof case that protects the device against bumps, drops, and dust. Not only that, but there’s a colorful stand on the back of the case, which is 360-degree adjustable and provides children with a hands-free experience if they want to watch a movie or an episode of their favorite cartoon with the family.
- Decent parental control
- Portable and lightweight
- Excellent battery life
- Rugged
- Not the best resolution
- A little pricey for the features
7. Apple iPad Mini
Hardware Specifications of Apple iPad Mini
Processor | Apple’s 64-bit A12 Bionic processor with Neural Engine |
RAM | 3 GB |
Resolution | 2048 x 1536, 326 PPI |
Storage | 64 GB |
Display | 7.9 inches |
Dimensions | 8 x 5.3 x 0.2 inches |
Battery Life | 10 hours |
Weight | 10.88 ounces |
Top 3 Features
They can experience and try drawing and getting creative with colors and shapes. It’s enjoyable and quite satisfying to scribble with Apple’s smooth pencil
Needles to say, the Apple iPad Mini is one of the best high-end options you can get for your toddler, but it’s more suitable for older ones.
For starters, it comes with Apple’s fast 64-bit A12 Bionic processor with Neural Engine, 3 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage space. This tablet definitely beats all the technical specs of any of the other options on the list, expected for its price.
It’s also pretty slick and comes with an incredibly extensive choice of apps within the app store, so there’s no doubt that anyone using it will be impressed with what iPadOS has to offer.
The drawback, of course, being an Apple product, is the hefty price tag it comes with. Especially when you consider the fact that you’re buying it for a toddler. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend it for younger toddlers.
Admittedly, it’s not the most rugged or durable option you can opt for either, and that’s another reason why you shouldn’t get it for a very young toddler who wouldn’t understand the importance of taking care of their device.
- Excellent display
- Highly portable
- Easy to be handled by a toddler
- Incredible performance
- Apple Pencil support
- Expensive
- Not very rugged
Best Tablet for Toddlers – Buyers Guide
A tablet for toddlers serves a pretty straightforward job, and that is to provide your little one with some education and entertainment for a while until they’re old enough to use and understand the value of a regular tablet. There are som let me walk you through what you need to consider.
Parental Control
This is the most important aspect of a toddler-oriented tablet. It should give you the option to create an account for your child while it’s run by an admin account, which would be yours. The admin account should be able to set screen limits for certain apps as well as control the kind of content that the child can access and view.
Some options even come with the option to create multiple accounts for bigger families, which would be a much more convenient and cost-effective option than having to buy a device for each child.
Durability
You should make sure that the chassis of the tablet is strong or that it comes with a rugged case to withstand the bumps, drops, and hits that it would inevitably suffer at the hands of a toddler, especially younger ones.
Portability
Children have small hands, so you should make sure that you buy your little one a lightweight option that’s 1 pound or less, and one that’s compact enough for their little hands to carry, around with no issues.
Price
Being a transient device in your child’s life, you shouldn’t opt for a really expensive option, especially if you’re buying it for a younger toddler or a little kid who’s bound to mishandle it.
Frequently Asked Questions
At What Age Should a Child Get a Tablet?
There isn’t a particular age when a child should get a tablet, but I wouldn’t recommend making a kid who’s less than two years old use an electronic device in general. Starting from 3 years and up, you can use tablets to build their various skills, as long as you monitor their use of the device.
What Can You Do on a Kid’s Tablet?
Most of the tablets directed at kids don’t come with many features, which means that most of the time, you can’t use them like regular ones. Still, there are plenty of games you can play, music you can listen to, and online videos you can watch.
How Do I Monitor My Kid’s Tablet?
Tablets made for children usually come with a parental mode, which gives you full control over the apps and websites your child(ren) can access in addition to giving you the freedom to set time limits on certain apps and games
Final Thoughts
Now that we’ve reached the end of the article, we hope you were able to decide on which option is the best tablet for toddlers age 3 or 4 – specifically yours.
I’d recommend the Amazon Fire 7 as a good option by and large. For an affordable price, it has plenty to offer in terms of performance, parental control, and durability. You could even step it up a notch and opt for the Fire HD 8.
If you’re looking for an incredible investment, I’d highly recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab A as it has plenty of basic options yet can grow with your child.
Finally, I’d recommend the SANNUO tablet if you’re looking for the best value for the price and a real bang for your buck.