Apple
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)
Test score
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Having a tablet the kids can use for school work or entertainment is very handy. Luckily, thanks to our tests, we know you can bag yourself a perfectly good kids' tablet quite cheaply.
While nobody wants their child glued to a screen 24/7, strategic use of a tablet at home can help with your child's education and keep them entertained on rainy days or long journeys.
Buying a tablet for your kids to use at home may not be as expensive as you think. We've chosen some great tablets that are portable, affordable and simple to use.
Want to see how we rate all the tablets on the market? Click through to all of our expert tablet reviews.
None of the tablets we've selected have been designed exclusively for children's use, because we've found you're better off buying a low-cost (but robust) 'grown-up' tablet, rather than something from a kids' range.
Opting for a tablet that isn't targeted at kids will generally give you a better product that starts quickly and has decent battery life, plus it will be more flexible as your child grows and wants more from the tablet.
Pick a decent cheap Android tablet, for instance, and you'll be able to download and run more apps than you would on a 'kids-only' device.
Whatever tablet you go for, you can still set up parental controls (we explain how, below) and, if your child no longer needs the tablet, you can use it yourself with full 'grown-up' functionality.
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A great choice for those on a budget, this 8-inch tablet isn't a power house, but does more than enough for the average user. The battery stamina means you can use it for long stretches away from the plug socket.
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There's almost no need to consider any other brand of ultra-cheap tablet. This model does such a good job of hiding its cheapness, it's a great pick for adults and kids alike.
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A tablet designed specifically for kids, this model comes in a robust case and with a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace it, quibble free, should it befall a mischief in the hands of your child. It's not overly powerful, but the kid specific features make it compelling.
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The table above was last updated in May 2022.
If you're shopping for a tablet for a child, your budget and the specs will depend on what your child will use it for. However, there are a few things it's worth bearing in mind over and above what you'd think about if you were buying a tablet for yourself.
Looking to buy the best tablet or iPad for a cheaper price? Our experts have rounded up the best tablet and iPad deals.
Some tablets have a specific 'kids mode' in the settings. But if you simply want to give your current Android tablet to your child, you can follow these steps to control what they can access on your tablet.
You can also use a more advanced system of management if you have multiple children and devices to keep an eye on. The Google Family Link app lets you set rules around screen time and the amount of time spent using individual apps. It can also block transactions to prevent any surprise spending sprees. It's available on the Google Play Store.
The process for setting up a restricted account on an Amazon device is similar to the process on an Android model and can be done from within the Amazon's Fire's settings menus as above. Go to Settings and then Parental Controls to get started.
If you subscribe to the Amazon Kids+ service you can use the Parent Dashboard to take more granular control of what the kids can access, how long they can do it for and add specific content to their device – such as books – for them to use.
You can’t create different user profiles on Apple tablets, but you can still implement certain restrictions on how the iPad is used.
You can find more details on how to set this up on Apple's website.
It's worth noting that the most effective way to control how your child uses a tablet is to keep an eye on them while they do so.
Parental controls are only as good as the software behind them; an app that appears to be kid-friendly could contain ads that are age-inappropriate, or may be updated with content you no longer approve of. In other words, adult supervision is the only 100% reliable parental control.