The world in which we live in has become more and more dependent on technology, meaning is has become increasingly important to introduce children to computers at an early age, to help with the inevitable transition from toys to technology. And there are several tablets that will be fighting for that honour this year, so we take a look at some of the top tablets that will be competing for your attention during the holidays.
The best kids tablets are extremely adept at providing both hours of entertainment as well as serving as an educational tool helping children develop a range of skills such as reading, math and problem solving. It is important for kids to be exposed to a wide variety of toys during childhood, and this should include toys geared towards introducing kids to technology.
Of course giving a 5 year old access to your expensive Apple iPad or Kindle is not exactly a tempting idea for most parents, but with the dramatic development of tablets aimed specifically at children (-that have bridged the once massive performance gap between kid and adult tablets-) these child-friendly tablets make a great alternative at more affordable prices.
So we take a look at 5 market leaders for tablets, the LeapPad 2, LeapPad Ultra, The Fuhu Nabi 2, the VTech Innotab 3S and the Samsung Kids Edition. Read on!
LeapFrog LeapPad 2
Because LeapPad produce their own software you are guaranteed that all of apps,will be of a consistent quality and each will focus on a range of developmental areas to ensure a child’s progress is well balanced.
The LeapPad comes in an attractive, child-friendly, sturdy green or pink casing and includes a 5 inch responsive touchscreen. Integrated into the casing is a front and back camera so kids can take photos of themselves or friends and family with ease. With the camera comes photo editing software that allows the child to get creative with some simple yet powerful and fun tools to manipulate the photos that they take. Storage includes a 4GB hard drive.
The LeapPad 2 is one of the bestselling kid’s tablets and usually a best seller at Christmas. It consistently receives great reviews from parents across the globe for its quality performance and software and is a great way to keep kids entertained for hours at a time, whilst helping their development at the same time, and what’s more it is very affordable.
The LeapPad 2 successfully bridges the gap between tablet and toy, reminiscent of them both making them an ideal gift for children as they become interested in this sort of gadgetry. The only issue some parents may have with the LeapFrog is that older kids (7 years upwards) may find the design too juvenile and get bored with the software with is aimed towards kids from 4 years upwards (In which case read our reviews on the LeapPad Ultra or Nexus further down). So always keep that is mind if you’re purchasing for an older child.
However the LeapPad 2 is certainly on the best-selling tablets of the year and is a great choice for kids from around 4-8 years of age. When it comes to both entertainment and educational value, you will struggle to find a toy that matches a tablet like the LeapPad 2.
The LeapPad 2 is one of the bestselling kid’s tablets and usually a best seller at Christmas. It consistently receives great reviews from parents across the globe for its quality performance and software and is a great way to keep kids entertained for hours at a time, whilst helping their development at the same time, and what’s more it is very affordable.
However the LeapPad 2 is certainly on the best-selling tablets of the year and is a great choice for kids from around 4-8 years of age. When it comes to both entertainment and educational value, you will struggle to find a toy that matches a tablet like the LeapPad 2.
LeapPad Ultra
Released in the run up to Christmas 2013, the LeapPad Ultra is the next generation of LeapPad tablets that builds on the progress made by the LeapPad 2 and is aimed at slightly older kids with a more adult design, Internet connectivity and more efficient hardware inside.
The LeapPad Ultra is slimmer, yet larger in size and appears visually similar to that off an adult tablet. The larger 7” screen and improved video capabilities will make this tablet appeal more to children who feel they’ve outgrown the LeapPad 2 but not ready to take on the complexities of an adult tablet like the Kindle or iPad.
The LeapPad Ultra boasts an impressive 1024x600px sharp resolution and a more powerful 800Mhz processor means games load and run faster than ever. The Ultra device also packs more older-kid friendly capabilities, such as an inbuilt MP3 player, child-friendly Internet browser and better video capture, so older kids will have plenty to keep themselves occupied with, along with the extensive selection of educational games and apps.
If you feel that your child may outgrow the LeapPad 2 and you don’t feel they’re ready for the adult tablet world then the LeapPad Ultra may be that perfect choice from a market leader in the kids tablet industry.
Fuhu Nabi 2
The Nabi 2 from Fuhu is the 2nd generation Nabi console and arguably one of the most popular Android based children’s tablets on the market this year, and for good reason.
To look at the Fuhu Nabi 2 kind of resembles the classic Etch-a-Sketch but don’t let that fool you into thinking this console is some kind of relic, because it is not. The hardware inside the Nabi 2 includes an impressive 8GB hard drive and speedy quad-core nVidia Tegra processor (yes that means it’s fast) and this makes it ones of the fastest and best performing children’s tablets available.
Display wise the Nabi 2 exceeds expectations with a large 7inch display and satisfactory 1024x600 resolution, making the Nabi great for more memory intensive games. And being an Android tablet you have access to thousands of different software apps including the ability to download from the Amazon app store. That said however, the enthralling pre-loaded software is often sufficient for children to be entertained with for the first few months. The tablet also features a 2MP front facing camera and photo editing software.
As well as many pre-loaded games like the classic Angry Birds, the Nabi 2 is, just like the LeapPad, aimed also at education and includes educational apps aimed at developing a child in the sciences, math, social studies and English, and the software is far superior than that to many other tablets out there.
Overall the Fuhu Nabi 2 is one of the best performing kid’s tablets on the market. A slight disadvantage to the device is the slightly narrow viewing angle as the screen can get dark when viewed from too deep/shallow position, but this can be easily overlooked when you take into account the Nabi 2’s two stronger points – quality software and powerful hardware.
To look at the Fuhu Nabi 2 kind of resembles the classic Etch-a-Sketch but don’t let that fool you into thinking this console is some kind of relic, because it is not. The hardware inside the Nabi 2 includes an impressive 8GB hard drive and speedy quad-core nVidia Tegra processor (yes that means it’s fast) and this makes it ones of the fastest and best performing children’s tablets available.
Display wise the Nabi 2 exceeds expectations with a large 7inch display and satisfactory 1024x600 resolution, making the Nabi great for more memory intensive games. And being an Android tablet you have access to thousands of different software apps including the ability to download from the Amazon app store. That said however, the enthralling pre-loaded software is often sufficient for children to be entertained with for the first few months. The tablet also features a 2MP front facing camera and photo editing software.
Overall the Fuhu Nabi 2 is one of the best performing kid’s tablets on the market. A slight disadvantage to the device is the slightly narrow viewing angle as the screen can get dark when viewed from too deep/shallow position, but this can be easily overlooked when you take into account the Nabi 2’s two stronger points – quality software and powerful hardware.
VTech Innotab 3S
One of the latest additions to the market is the Innotab 3S from VTech, released at the end of 2013 just before Christmas.
The target demographic in terms of age is similar to the LeapPad Ultra but it’s going to cost a little less, and that is because of a slightly smaller 5” screen as opposed to the Ultra’s 7” screen, and only 4GB memory when compared to the Ultra’s 8GB.
Once again we’re seeing another kids tablet become available that has access to Wi-Fi which is a great selling point with slightly older kids, and this is achieved through the kid-friendly Kid Connect network which allows children to send messages to other tablets, make friends (that have to be approved by the parent) and download music and pictures (which are pre-approved as child friendly).
And again just like the Ultra the Innotab 3S comes with an inbuilt music player and other pre-loaded applications (17 in fact!) so you can start playing and learning from the moment you unwrap!
The range of games available with the Innotab is extensive, and just like the LeapPad consoles the Innotab 3S is non-Android meaning they produce and control their own range of educational apps and games. Whilst the selection of games is arguably slightly less than those made by LeapFrog, there is still an amazing selection to choose from and you’ll never run out of options!
Other features include a 2MP swivel camera, e-book reading capabilities, inbuilt art studio app and a rechargeable battery pack.
Samsung Galaxy Tab for Kids
Lastly we have the Samsung Galaxy Tab, which by trade is
an adult tablet, beating the rest of the prospects on this list in terms of hardware
and performance.
However given the growing popularity in kids using adult tablets, adult tablet manufacturers are keen to have their products appeal to children as well, thus kid “versions” of their tablets.
In regards to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the hardware is identical with no changes between the kid and version changes. The software, on the other hand, is totally different. The adult operating system hasn’t been replaced – it is still there – but a kiddie friendly interface has been added over the top that includes games like Fruit Ninja and Toy Story Smash, as well as appealing apps and software that kids will enjoy.
Yes, you can easily switch to the adult operating system if you want to use the tablet yourself or change any of the parental settings.
The software has access to the Google Play store for further downloads, allowing this Android based app to appeal to children through a number of years, and the hardware is good enough to last children into adulthood and beyond.
The display is a 7 inch crystal sharp display with a
1024x600 resolution, and a 1.2GHz processor beats out kiddie-specific tablet
hands down. 1GB of memory and 8GB hard drive storage are also great.
Because the hardware is designed for adults, the Galaxy is not equipped for drops as much as the other tablets on the list here, so included is an orange bumper case to make the device more robust!
If you’re looking for a long-term tablet that can develop with a child and can tackle even hardware-demanding apps and games, then the Galaxy may be the choice for you, but being an adult tablet with kiddie extras, the price tag is a little higher.
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