You’re headed out for your next family trip and you’ve covered all the bases. Passports? Clothes? Medication? Tablet? Yep, we said it: tablets are becoming essential for family travelers.
Traveling with a tablet for kids, whether you’re taking a plane, train or automobile, has quickly become a popular way of entertaining your child (not to mention the adults in your group) while keeping everyone relatively quiet and seated.
With the array of educational apps, games, shows, movies and books at your fingertips, a tablet for toddlers is a great investment, and bonus: it takes up little room in your carry-on bag.
Wondering about the best tablet for kids? We explored some of the best kid-friendly features, such as drop-proof cases, parental controls, and more to help you decide on your next tablet for kids.
1. Amazon Fire Kids Edition
The granddaddy of tablets for toddlers and kids, this fully functional Fire HD 10 tablet — the same one you’d buy for yourself—essentially adds on a kid-proof case, a two-year replacement guarantee, plus an array of pre-loaded kid-friendly content, including a one-year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. It’s beloved by parents for its impressive battery life and parental controls (including time limits), especially for kids ages 3 to 12.
Specs
- 10-inch screenfront and rear cameras
- 32 GB of storage (you can add a microSD card for up to 512 GB additional storage)
- USB-C charging
- 9W power adapter with up to 12 hours per charge
2. iPad mini
For older kids and families not averse to a higher price point, the iPad mini is a great tablet that can grow with your child. Offering a stunningly sharp display for watching videos and playing games and an amped-up processing speed, plus access to Apple’s exclusive suite of apps, the iPad mini’s size is ideal for traveling families. Parental controls may be configured.
Specs
- 8-inch screen
- Front and rear cameras
- 64 GB storage
- Lightning connector
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- Touch ID fingerprint sensor
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition
Many parents we know who aren’t loyal to Amazon or Apple prefer Samsung Galaxy tablets for their kids. The price is a little easier on the budget, and the battery life is among the best of any tablet for this Android tablet. The Tab A comes jacketed with a bumper case to help insulate the tablet against drops, and parental controls are available.
Specs
- 8-inch screen
- Front and rear cameras
- 32 GB plus SD slot
- Micro USB charging
- Up to 13 hours of battery life
Related: Best Headphones for Kids
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite
Another tablet for kids, the Tab E Lite offers a similar experience to the Tab A, but in a smaller (and more affordable) package, making it one of the best tablets for toddlers. Like Tab A, the Tab E Lite comes with the bumper case and parental controls, but the screen size and available memory are smaller. The tablet comes packaged with Samsung Kids educational apps and parental controls.
Specs
- 7-inch screen
- Rear camera only
- 8 GB plus SD slot for up to 32 GB
- Micro USB charging
- Up to 8 hours of battery life
5. Vankyo MatrixPad Z1 Kids Tablet
We liked several innovations that this tablet brings to the table: its shock-resistant bumper comes with a swiveling built-in stand so you can prop it up or your child can carry it around, and the display offers blue light filtering, which might be easier on those little eyes. This tablet for toddlers comes equipped with an array of kid-friendly and educational apps, and there are advanced parental controls, which earn good reviews from parents.
Specs
- 7-inch screen
- Dual camera
- 32 GB (expandable by up to 128 GB)
- Micro USB charging
- Up to 8 hours of battery life
6. Ematic PBS Kids Playtime Pad
The PBS Kids-branded tablet in partnership with Ematic—a great choice for toddlers and younger kids. The PBS content is probably the biggest draw, with a selection of educational games and videos and access to the PBS Kids Video App. The tablet carries a kidSAFE® Coppa-certification and features strong parental controls and a play timer.
Specs
- 7-inch screen
- Dual cameras
- 16 GB plus micro SD slot
- Up to 6.5 hours of battery life
7. Contixo V8-2 Android Tablet
Weighing in at less than a pound, this value-priced Android kids tablet delivers several preloaded educational apps, with additional options over at Google Play. The drop-protected bumper case is available in several colors, and you can lock down your kids’ content with parental controls.
Specs
- 7-inch screen
- Dual cameras
- 16 GB plus micro SD slot for up to 128 GB of storage
- 10 hours of battery life
8. Lenovo Tab 4
Lenovo Tab is designed to allow multiple users to share one tablet, each with their own account—an economical way to travel and access customized content for each person in your family. Fans of the Lenovo Tab 4 like the front “theater-like” Dolby speakers, as well as the impressive battery life. You can buy an additional Lenovo Kid’s Pack including a shock-resistant bumper and blue-light screen filter for the younger, more drop-prone members of your family. There’s also a dedicated “Kids Account,” which curated content specifically for kids.
Specs
- 8- and 10-inch screens available
- 16 or 32 GB plus micro SD slot
- Up to 20 hours of battery life
- Front-facing Dolby speakers
Cynthia J. Drake is a travel writer based in Austin, Texas, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Since becoming a mom, she’s been stranded at sea with her family, gotten lost in the Rocky Mountains, dealt with more than her fair share of public vomiting, and still can’t wait for the next trip. She writes regularly for AAA magazines, Austin American-Statesman, Texas Highways and Cruise Critic. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
What to Pack for Your Next Trip
Items to Pack Before You Get to the Airport
Boy’s Jacketless Fall Outfit with a Scarf
Girl’s Jacketless Fall Outfit with Uggs
Mom’s/Women’s Outfit to Wear in the Winter
Baby Boy’s Comfy Jacket with Pants Outfit
You Might Also Like:
• 5 Best Fitness Trackers for Kids• The Best Family Pajamas for 2023
• 10 Best Waterproof Winter Boots for Kids
• 10 Best Winter Mittens for Toddlers (That Will Actually Stay On)
• 8 Things You Should Never Wear at the Airport
Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.
