Kids Tablet vs Regular Tablet

Last Updated on December 3, 2022 by Ernests Embutnieks

Tablets have turned into an integral part of entertainment and productivity for both kids and adults. While usually used by both age groups, there are some tablets that are aimed specifically at kids compared to normal tablets. This begs the question, what is the difference between them?  

The primary differences between a kid’s tablet and a normal tablet are that kids’ tablets are slightly more expensive, are more rugged/durable, come with subscriptions to kid-oriented services and offer more parental control. 

In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at the difference between kids’ tablets and normal tablets and whether they are worth it in the first place.

What Are Kids Tablets?

Kids tablets are tablets that are designed and created with kids in mind. Contrary to tablets that have some kid-friendly features, these tablets are designed just for kids. Therefore, they have whacky vibrant designs, kid-friendly features and generally look and feel much more different than normal tablets.

With that said, kids’ tablets are generally based on a generic normal tablet and have features added onto them. For example, the entirety of Amazon’s Fire Kids lineup has an equivalent Fire tablet that retains the same display, size, and specifications.

But, there still are some key differences between a normal tablet and a kid’s tablet. We’re going to be looking at those below. But, before we do so; do note, kids’ tablets can perform all the functions a normal tablet can as they still run Android. 

So, a kid’s tablet can be used to open a Google document, watch a few YouTube videos, open up a spreadsheet, or perform more demanding tasks if the specifications allow for it.

Kids And Normal Tablets Differences

We’ve gone ahead and taken a look at all the differences between kids and normal tablets. Surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of them as we initially thought. But, the ones that do exist are quite integral. Here they are:

Difference	Kids Tablet	Normal Tablet
Parental Controls	Present right out of the box and quite expansive. Includes features such as content restrictions, location tracking, and multiple user logins	Need to be installed after unboxing. Not as expansive as a kid’s tablet and requires some configuration before they can reach the same level
Durability	Built out of rubber / plastic and come in extremely durable rugged designs which can sustain a beating. However, very bulky and harder to carry around	Nimble, and relatively fragile. Built out of more premium materials in most cases and cannot sustain a beating. Third-party cases need to be purchased to get them to the same level of protection
Design	Designed for kids. Has wonky colors and a vibrant design with extra utilities such as stands in some models aimed at kids	Professional design. Monotonous greyed-out tones that are much more minimal and typical
Features	Contains the entire Android operating system with a few kid-oriented cherries on top such as access to subscription services that provide kid-friendly content	Operates as a typical Android tablet. Nothing special.
Price	More expensive than their normal counterpart	Less expensive than a kid’s tablet with similar specs.

Parental Controls

Tablets for kids come loaded with parental control features that help parents define exactly what their children can do with their tablets. If the tablet is GPS equipped, they also let parents track their child’s location.

Moreover – parental controls allow parents to control every nook and cranny of the tablet. For instance, setting up timed restrictions, NSFW restrictions, not allowing them to watch certain types of content, or downright banning some applications.

In essence, kid’s tablets offer a level of control and privacy that simple tablets require a lot of setting up to go through to in order to reach the same level of control. For instance, Amazon’s Fire for Kids lineup has a parental dashboard that lets you identify what your kids are doing and also lets you set up multiple accounts with varying permissions. 

Protective / Durable

Kids’ tablets usually have a more durable / rugged design compared to normal tablets. In essence, those tablets are designed to take a bit of a beating. But, on the contrary, they are bulkier, heavier, and feel larger. Ironically, this may lead to them feeling too hard to handle for kids – the audience they’re designed for.

But, you do get a lot of ruggedness and durability for what it’s worth. For instance, the Amazon Fire HD 10 for kids comes in with a built-in stand and an extremely durable case around the entire device. 

Colorful Design

Kid’s tablets are much more colorful and vibrant to look at. In fact, they almost look like a toy. Compare a kid’s tablet to a normal tablet and you’ll immediately notice the difference. The usage of rubber, protective materials, and vibrant colors instead of muted tones.

In essence, they’re meant to appeal to kids and they do a great job at that. While you may look silly holding a kid’s tablet in your hands at a cafe, they look quite fantastic when a six-year-old holds it.

Kid Specific Features

Almost all children’s tablets come with some sort of subscription service added on to the bundle. For example, Amazon tablets come with a free 1-year subscription to Amazon Freetime Unlimited which has tons of free movies, applications, games, and books meant for kids.

On the other hand, another popular children’s tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids comes with a free 1-year subscription to Samsung Kids which also includes a bunch of kid-friendly games, books, and movies.

Pricing

Kids’ tablets are always more expensive than the original tablets they are based on. This price difference depends on what tablet you are looking at and whether either is on discount. Generally, though, we’ve seen a difference of 20-60$ depending on what brand you are looking at.

This begs the question, does the price difference make sense? Well, yes, in our opinion kid’s tablets are worth the added cost. If you are purchasing them for your child, having the mental peace of knowing the tablet is a bit more durable while also containing tons of parental control options and games / movies specifically catered to them is great.

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