Child using a tablet

Best iOS and Android Tablets for Kids

While it’s often recommended to limit your children’s time on screens, there are many benefits to allowing them to explore on a tablet. In this article, we’ll guide you through some of the best iOS and Android tablets for kids that encourage learning, whilst keeping them safe online.

Keeping your child safe online

To keep your children safe on the internet, you may want to invest in parental control software like Qustodio or FamilyTime. These apps allow the parent to apply security measures to their children’s electronics, so that they cannot be exposed to malicious content. You can set time limits, block certain websites, inhibit keywords being entered, track your child’s online activity, and more. 

iOS vs Android

Whether you’re an Android fan or a loyal Apple lover, there’s something for everyone here to suit all budgets and all purposes. 

The best Android tablets for kids

Android is a popular brand for many devices, from smartphones to tablets to computers. With a multitude of options available, it can be hard to filter out the best ones. Use our navigation list below to find the right tablet for you and your child’s needs. 

Best overall - Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition

Released in October 2019, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is unanimously the best Android tablet overall for children. Designed with ultimate child safety in mind, the Fire HD 10 is a reliable choice for any parent wishing to invest in a useful and educational device. 
 

Cost

£199.99

Design

Dimensions

292 x 206 x 26mm

 

Screen size

10 inches

 

Colours

Pink, Blue, Purple

 

Includes a sturdy child-proof case with a fold-out stand to prop the tablet up

Camera

2MP front and rear

720p HD video recording

Storage

32GB (with microSD card slot expandable up to 512GB)

Processor

Octa-core

Battery life

12 hours

Charges up again in 3 - 4 hours

Kid-safe features

  • Set time limits and curfews, like bedtime
  • Set educational goals for your child to work towards
  • No access to social media, the internet, Alexa, or in-app purchases without prior approval from parent
  • VoiceView screen reader for children who are blind or visually impaired
  • Control features from your Amazon Parent Dashboard (up to four child profiles)


Big screen for clarity

Expandable storage up to a massive 512GB for all the games, apps, photos, and videos your child might want

Battery life is long enough to last for a whole day’s worth of use

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition comes with a two year warranty if the tablet is lost or broken. Also included is a one year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which gives your child access to a host of apps, games, videos, books, and audiobooks, as well as Disney, Nickelodeon, and Sesame Street content.
 

Best Samsung - Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition

Another beloved Android brand - Samsung. With education and curiosity at the heart of this 2019 release, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A is a sturdy option for parents looking for a long battery life and durable case. 
 

Cost

£120

Design

Dimensions

8 x 124 x 210 millimetres

 

Screen size

8 inches

 

Colours

Silver

 

Includes a rugged bumper case to protect against drops

Camera

N/A

Storage

32GB (expandable with microSD card slot up to 512GB)

Processor

Qualcomm

Battery life

13 hours

Kid-safe features

  • Set time limits
  • Monitor their usage and screen time


8 inch screen was designed to fit nicely in most children’s hands for ultimate comfort and accessibility 

Protective case is handy for children who are prone to dropping or misplacing their devices

Option for big 512GB of storage 

Very long battery life means you won’t have to charge the tablet often if your child only uses it for a couple of hours (or less) a day

This Samsung tablet offers over 10,000 hours of activities, from movies, games, videos, and more. It also comes with a free month’s trial of Samsung Kids, so your child can explore even more content - great for learning and supporting curiosity. 
 

Best budget-friendly - Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition

If you’re on the hunt for a budget-friendly tablet option, or simply don’t think it’s worth paying hundreds for a device, the Fire 7 is your best option to avoid sacrificing all those necessary protective features. 
 

Cost

£99.99

Design

Dimensions

220 x 160 x 26mm

 

Screen size

7 inches

 

Colours

Blue, Pink, Purple

 

Includes a protective case to avoid damages from bumps and drops

Camera

2MP front and rear 

Storage

16GB (expandable with microSD card slot up to 512GB)

Processor

Quad-core 

Battery life

Seven hours

Charges in four hours

Kid-safe features

  • Set time limits
  • Set restrictions on certain content
  • Monitor their usage and screen time
  • Set goals for your child to work towards each day, week, or month
  • No access to social media, the internet, Alexa, or in-app purchases without prior approval from parent
  • Add content like a Netflix subscription and Minecraft
  • Access all of the parental control features through Amazon Parent Dashboard


Under £100

Option for large storage

Includes a camera for entertainment and capturing memories

Like other Amazon tablets, the Fire 7 comes with a two year warranty in case of drops or breaks. With this purchase, you’ll also have a year’s free subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited (Amazon Kids+), with over 5,000 apps, videos, games, books, and TV content available. After the year’s trial, it will cost £1.99 a month unless you cancel it. 
 

Best for a small screen - Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids

Small screens are perfect for travelling and portability, so if you need a tablet that can easily fit inside a handbag or rucksack, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is the one for you. Though an oldie (2013), it’s one of the smallest on offer, closer to a smartphone than a tablet, and allows you to swap between child and adult usage seamlessly. 
 

Cost

£250

Design

Dimensions

111.1 x 188 x 9.9mm

 

Screen size

7 inches

 

Colours

Yellow

Camera

1.3MP front

3MP rear

Storage

8GB (microSD card slot expandable up to 32GB)

Processor

Dual-core

Battery life

Seven hours

Kid-safe features

  • Time management limits
  • Manage applications
  • Switch internet on and off easily
  • Tablet is interchangeable between Kids Mode and Standard Mode so both child and parent can enjoy using it


Easy to hold, lightweight, and portable

Cameras on front and rear for selfie or landscape shots

Designed for both child and parent to use

Clear 1024 x 600 resolution makes it ideal for watching videos, reading books, and playing games 

The kid-friendly interface is bright and colourful with fun characters to interact with. Children can access the Samsung’s Kids’ Store to download safe and enjoyable games and apps. This tablet also comes with 50GB worth of free Dropbox storage for two years, making it ideal for older children or parents who may want to store documents or videos/pictures to be accessed across other devices. 
 

Best for youngest children - LeapFrog Epic

Catered towards developing child’s minds, the LeapFrog Epic tablet (2015) is a combination of Android and LeapFrog to provide limitless apps and games for children’s exploration and education. It constantly adapts to fit your child’s developing mind, making it a device they can grow into rather than grow out of. 
 

Cost

£184

Design

Dimensions

8.89 x 25.4 x 18.42cm

 

Screen size

7 inches

 

Colours

Green, Pink

 

Includes a stylus and protective bump case

Camera

2MP front and rear

Storage

16GB 

Processor

Quad-core

Battery life

Five hours

Kid-safe features

  • Use the LeapSearch browser to add new websites for your child to explore
  • Set time limits on apps
  • Control up to three child profiles


Grows and expands alongside your child, changing its interface and apps/games to suit all ages

Includes cameras to encourage your child to capture memories 

Small and portable

Includes a stylus to help children with dexterity struggles, or simply as another option to interact with the screen

This Leapfrog-Android model comes with auto-levelling learning games and a playable home screen your child can redesign as their thoughts and feelings shift.Access educator-approved games and apps that cover maths, science, reading, writing, creativity, and life skills. 

 

The best iOS tablets for kids

There are less options out there for iOS tablets for kids. After all, Apple are only one company (compared to the 100s that use Android), but they also don’t specifically design any with young children in mind. Therefore, Apple tablets (iPads) are typically more expensive and better suited for older children. 

Whilst none of the following are necessarily designed with children in mind, you can download parental control software onto any device, so can easily change these into kid-friendly tablets. 

Best overall - Apple iPad 

A fairly modern 2020 release, the Apple iPad is the best tablet to buy for a child, as it’s one of the cheapest compared to the other models, but still has a whole host of features on it for your child’s developing mind. As we’ve said, these would probably be better suited to older children who you’re starting to trust more with electronics and the internet. 
 

Cost

£349+

Design

Dimensions

250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm

 

Screen size

10.2 inches

 

Colours

Silver, Space Grey, Gold

 

Includes an Apple Pencil

Camera

8MP 

1080p video recording

Storage

32GB or 128GB

Processor

A12 Bionic chip

Battery life

10 hours

Features

  • Bluetooth 4.2 - pair with a PS4 console, Xbox, or wireless headphones 
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Touch ID unlock
  • Siri 
  • Accessibility features like Voice Control, Assistive Touch, Speak Screen, and Magnifier


Big screen for gaming and other creative activities like virtual drawing

Clear 2160 x 1620 pixel resolution makes the screen vivid and detailed

Good quality camera for pictures and video chat

Apple tablets are typically quite easy to use, so a child aged 10 or above would be fine navigating the large interface. This iPad, in particular, can transform into a Smart Keyboard, essentially a mini computer, so children can use it for their schoolwork too. 
 

Best for a small screen - Apple iPad Mini

If you’d prefer to buy your older child a smaller, more travel-friendly iPad, why not go for the Mini? It’s designed with portability and functionality in mind, and will allow children to complete tasks on a bigger screen than their smartphone. 
 

Cost

£399+

Design

Dimensions

203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1mm

 

Screen size

7.9 inches

 

Colours

Silver, Space Grey, Gold

 

Supports Apple Pencil

Camera

8MP

1080p video recording

Storage

64GB or 128GB

Processor

A12 Bionic chip

Battery life

10 hours

Features

  • Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Touch ID unlock
  • Siri
  • Accessibility features like Voice Control, Assistive Touch, Speak Screen, and Magnifier


Good quality camera for pictures and video calling

Portable size with screen that fits comfortably in the hand

Up to 128GB of storage, which is ideal for storing photos, videos, files, games, and apps

The Mini is an ideal option for children looking for a smaller, more smartphone-sized tablet that still packs all the power of a computer. Good for schoolwork as well as for entertainment, the Mini can still be adapted into a more kid-friendly device by downloading your parental software of choice. 
 

Best for creativity - Apple iPad Pro

If you want to buy a tablet for a child who loves gaming, watching videos or movies, drawing or painting, or reading eBooks, this is the perfect choice to harness their creativity. It has the speed and clarity of a computer, but in a smaller format. 

But be aware, these prices aren’t for the faint-hearted. With two sizes to choose from, this is definitely the priciest tablet on offer. 
 

Cost

11 inches = £769+

12.9 inches = £969+

Design

Dimensions

11 inches = 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm

12.9 inches = 280.6 x 214.9 x 5.9mm

 

Screen size

11 inches or 12.9 inches

 

Colours

Space Grey, Silver

 

Supports Apple Pencil

Camera

12MP

4K video recording

Storage

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

Processor

A12Z Bionic chip

Battery life

10 hours

Features

  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Face ID unlock
  • Siri
  • Accessibility features to support vision, hearing, and mobility
  • Apple TV


Huge storage options up to a whopping 1TB, which is probably more than your child would ever need

Powerful pixel resolution screens for the clearest, most detailed, and vividly colourful displays of all the choices on here

Smartphone-level camera quality

Superfast processor will rival any computer, ensuring the tablet can keep up with heavy demands like live-streaming and playing videos offline

The iPad Pro is definitely for the older kids, with a host of features and impressive specs. If your child is nearing or in their teenage years and you want to get them a tablet that can do almost everything they’d want, look no further than the iPad Pro if you have the budget for it.
 

Now that’s it for our tablet recommendations. Once you’ve found the perfect device for your child, you can read up on the right parental control software for you. 

If you opt for an iPad, you can insert a nano SIM to turn it into a smartphone too. If you’re looking for a great deal on data, check out our monthly SIM only bundles, starting from just £5.

For the parents

You may be interested in reading about the best apps for parents, from expecting mums and dads to parents of teenagers. 

Not sure what these new acronyms and text slang mean? Stay up to date with the newest mobile speak with our easy breakdown of children’s online language.
 

Follow us on Twitter for more guides, tips and tricks!


No commitment, no limits
No commitment, no limits

With no commitment you have the freedom to flex your usage whenever you need to.

Powered by Vodafone
Powered by Vodafone

Powered by Vodafone with up to 99% UK population coverage.

Cap your spend
Cap your spend

Put a limit on how much you spend every month so you don't need to worry about getting a big bill.

Very good network cover especially in remote countryside and best date deals and flexibility to change monthly plans.

P K

Always easy to get through and speak to real people. Problems easily sorted & resolved with good cheap realistic prices. Very happy with Asda Mobile!

D H

I get what I pay for and it all works fine. Now the billing issues from the switch to Vodafone network have been sorted, job's a good 'un.

A G

I love ASDA mobile for me it's great and I love having my phone on the ASDA mobile network also good bundles without any contract commitments

R G

Asda Stores Limited (registered address: Great Wilson Street, Leeds, LS11 5AD) trading as Asda Money, acts as a credit broker not a lender, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Asda Stores Limited only offers finance from a restricted range of finance providers. Finance provided by PayPal Credit. Terms and conditions apply. Credit subject to status, UK residents only. ASDA Stores Limited acts as a broker and offers finance from a restricted range of finance providers. PayPal Credit is a trading name of PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A. 22-24 Boulevard Royal L-2449 Luxembourg.