What makes a good tablet? It’s easy to draw up criteria of features to look for: A fast processor, a user-friendly platform, portability, and battery life, to name a few. What makes a good kids’ tablet? Amazon appears to be in the running to figure that out, and they’re on track to nail the formula.
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I’ve been testing the new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet since its launch. This is the latest generation of the Fire HD 10 Pro, a kids’ tablet aimed at children from six through 12. The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro, as their first tablet. If you have a younger kid and are afraid an iPad won’t hold up to their handling, consider an Amazon Fire Tablet.
Since my oldest of three is in second grade, I’ve tried several Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablets. iPads are great, and my husband and I each have one. But ever since my iPad screen got cracked by a cheap case a couple of years ago, I’m less than enthused about giving an eight-year-old such a fragile tablet.
My kid’s bad habit of leaving the tablet on the floor was finally curbed when I accidentally tripped over it and cracked the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet’s screen. After quelling the tears, I contacted Amazon customer service to see what could be done. A representative instructed me to send the tablet in to assess whether the screen could be replaced or if a new tablet was necessary. In the end, Amazon sent us a new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet to replace the broken one, with the whole process taking under two weeks.
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This bigger, ‘Pro’ level tablet has been the perfect upgrade from the smaller Fire 8-inch model, which is cloaked in a chunky protective case. Aside from having a larger 10-inch display, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is protected by a slim case that is more kid-friendly than kid-proof, as Amazon’s listing describes.
Though my firstborn is getting on in years and looking for more grown-up tech, she is still eight. In almost a year of use, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro has been dropped countless times and stepped on at least a dozen times. Like the older models, it has remained completely unaffected, except for the abovementioned event (which was promptly resolved by Amazon).
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I appreciate that Amazon’s Kids Tablets have strong parental controls. I can easily control what my kids watch, approve their app and purchase requests, and set up time limits from the app on my phone. When it’s time for bed, and my kids are stalling on their tablets, I can quickly access the app on my phone and block them, which oddly results in fewer groans than if I decide to take them away.
If you’re trying to choose between an iPad or a Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet, much will depend on your kid’s age and how they will use it. Amazon has refined the Amazon Kids platform into a kid-friendly user experience that doesn’t feel childish for older kids but that younger kids can still navigate.
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This tablet can handle multiple profiles, including young children, older children, and adults, so it can grow with the kids. However, it is still limited by its 3GB of RAM and a slower processor than an A13 Bionic chip.
An iPad has more high-end features, like a better processor and camera, and is a grown-up platform that is perfect for older kids, those who like to do more intricate play, like editing photos, and even those in the Apple ecosystem. Even if we are an Apple family, I’ll continue getting my youngsters Fire kids tablets until they can appreciate the value of a device you can’t walk on.