Keeping your children occupied can be one of the toughest tasks as a parent, which is why a tablet might be a great idea. You wouldn’t just be throwing a screen in front of them either since there are a variety of tablets available from Walmart that will help teach your children and keep them entertained. One such option is the Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite as it includes a suite of apps for kids, along with protective case for when those accidents happen.
Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite 7″
Samsung offers a tablet for just about everyone, and the same can be said when trying to find a tablet for your children. The Galaxy Tab E Lite is perfect for children with its 7-inch display; it also includes a durable bumper case, expandable storage, and comes from a name you know and trust. Additionally, the Tab E Lite gives users up to nine hours of battery life with its 3,600mAh battery.
If you want to keep your kids off of YouTube and get them learning, the Tab E Lite not only includes Samsung Kids for three months, but also supports STEM Curriculums. For the unaware, Samsung Kids is a subscription which gives your children access to a personalized learning service with games, apps, and videos. As for STEM Curriculums, this is a series of lessons with a focus in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. You can even save videos for offline viewing with the included microSD card slot.
The downside here is in the performance of the Tab E Lite. Samsung only includes 1GB of RAM and 8GB of base storage, which can end up being problematic over time. Although there is a microSD card slot, you are limited to only being able to use a 32GB card, so you may want to get a few to take with you.
Pros:
- Included durable bumper case
- STEM Curriculum support
- Expandable storage
- Samsung Kids included for three months
Cons:
- 1.5GB RAM
- 8GB of base storage
- Expandable storage limited to 32GB
Best Overall
Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite 7″
- $80 from Walmart
Perfect to keep your kids occupied in the right ways.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite is a fantastic tablet for kids thanks to Samsung Kids being included. Just be ready to run out of storage space over time.
Best for Educational Games: PBS KIDS Playtime Pad
The PBS Kids Playtime Pad is great option for the little ones thanks to the educational games and content that are already pre-loaded. This, combined with the 7-inch display, make it easy to load up in your travel bag and have ready for the kids on the car ride.
This tablet also includes a silicone case, so you won’t have to worry about the eventual accidental drops damaging the Playtime Pad. Along with the educational games and content being pre-loaded, the Playtime Pad has parental controls built-in so that you can ensure that your children are focusing on what’s important. This pre-loaded content all comes from PBSD with KIDS games, KIDS videos, and more educational content with characters from PBS KIDS shows.
On the other side, you may be disappointed with the fact that the tablet ships with just 16GB of storage, which can get filled up pretty quickly. Additionally, there is only 1GB of RAM, which may not matter too much, but could end up causing some bottle necking when switching around. The battery life also may be a cause for concern, as it’s only rated for lasting up to 6.5 hours.
Pros:
- Educational games and movies pre-loaded
- Parental controls built-in
- Silicone case included
Cons:
- 1GB of RAM
- Just 16GB of storage
- 6.5 hours of battery life
Best for Educational Games
PBS KIDS Playtime Pad
- $80 from Walmart
Keep the children learning instead of goofing off
The PBS Kids Playtime Pad is a great pick with the included protective case, preloaded apps and content, along with the exhaustive parental controls.
Best for Multiple Children: Kurio Xtreme Next
As is the case with many kids tablets, the Kurio Xtreme Next does not run the version of Android you may be accustomed to seeing. Instead, Kurio has included a modified version, which includes features such as customized time limits and app management.
The Xtreme Next has a leg up on the competition in a rather important facet if you have more than one child — multiple profiles. With the Xtreme Next, you can create up to eight different profiles, which will all have their own apps and files available for use. Kurio also includes its “Genius” system, which provides website filters, along with the ability to customize which apps can be installed and set time limits on the tablet.
Unfortunately, this feature can cause storage issues as you can only expand the storage to 32GB with the microSD card slot. There also may be some performance problems when switching between profiles due to the inclusion of just 1GB of RAM. Finally, you may want to keep a portable charger handy, as the Xtreme Next will only last around five hours before needing some juice.
Pros:
- Advanced parental controls
- Free lifetime subscription to Kurio Genius system
- Create up to eight different user profiles
Cons:
- 1GB of RAM
- Expandable storage limited to 32GB
- MicroUSB charging
- Poor battery life
Best for Multiple Children
Kurio Xtreme Next
- $80 from Walmart
More than just one account
The Kurio Xtreme Next has a slew of features and apps built-in to keep your children occupied, along with the ability to add multiple user accounts.
Best Value: RCA Voyager 7″
There are times where you don’t want all of the extra frills and benefits offered by other “kid-centric” tablets. That’s where something like the RCA Voyager comes into play with its 7-inch display for great portability.
Another added benefit is that since there are no extra frills. You’re getting a near-stock Android experience with very little bloatware installed. This can make your life easier as there will be few hiccups, and it makes for a great YouTube device. In the event that there is no Wi-Fi available, the Voyager 7 also sports a microSD card slot so you can load up some videos when you’re on the go.
Sticking with the software, the RCA Voyager is likely to disappoint a bit, as it only ships with Android Marshmallow. This, combined with the included 1GB of RAM, could end up being troublesome if your children get frustrated with something not reacting immediately. Battery life is a bit abysmal, as the Voyager is only rated for up to four hours before you’ll be needing to reach for a charger.
Pros:
- Quad-core processor
- Near-stock Android
- Expandable storage
Cons:
- MicroUSB charging
- Ships with Android Marshmallow
- 1GB of RAM
- 3-4 hours of battery life
Best Value
RCA Voyager 7″
- $40 from Walmart
Great, no frills tablet to take everywhere
The RCA Voyager 7 doesn’t have hardly any extra features, but it does provide a near-stock Android experience in a portable package.
Best for the Apple Home: Apple iPad Mini
Apple makes some of the best tablets on the market, and that rings true for the iPad Mini. This 7.9-inch display is a bit larger than similar models, but it gives users access to some of the best apps via the App Store.
The update to iOS 12 also added Screen Time which will give parents more control over what applications their children use and for how long. On the battery life side of things, the iPad Mini is rated to last up to 10 hours, which will get you through the day and then some. Plus, the stereo speakers will make it easy for your children to hear everything that they are playing on the tablet.
When it comes to a device that is as polished as the iPad Mini, you have to be ready to pay the piper. The good ol’ “Apple Tax” is here, and that may drive some folks away. Plus, you are going to be limited to whatever storage model you get, as there is no way to add more after the fact. We also would recommend snagging a case if your kids will be using this tablet.
Pros:
- Stereo speakers
- 10 hours of battery life
- iOS-enabled parental controls
Cons:
- More expensive
- Not the greatest for small children
- No expandable storage
Best for the Apple Home
Apple iPad Mini
- $390 from Walmart
Perfect for kids in an Apple-centric home
The iPad Mini is an extremely popular tablet due to its portability and easy access to the millions of great apps.
Best for School: Microsoft Surface Go
When you think about tablets for “kids,” you may not think of something that can be used at school, but tablets are becoming more and more popular as technology evolves inside the classroom. That’s where the Microsoft Surface Go comes into play.
With the Surface Go, you get a basic version of Windows with Windows S Mode, which was specifically designed for tablets. This combined with the nine hours of battery life, built-in kickstand, and parental controls make the Surface Go a great tablet for your kids to learn on. Plus, you can always activate standard Windows Home if you need more of a desktop experience. With battery life rated for up to 9 hours, this will be able to last you through most of the day before needing to grab a portable charger.
The Windows S Mode is fantastic for tablets, but is limited as you can only download apps found on Microsoft’s App Store. Plus, if you want to have the Go being used as a true laptop, then you’ll have to shell out extra cash for the Keyboard Cover, Surface Pen, or both.
Pros:
- Up to 9 hours of battery life
- Built-in parental controls
- Windows Home available to be activated
- Built-in kickstand
Cons:
- Windows S Mode is limited
- Keyboard cover and Surface Pen sold separately
Best for School
Microsoft Surface Go
- $360 from Walmart
A great laptop replacement for Windows users
The Microsoft Surface Go is fantastic when it comes to being a portable computer. But you will end up wanting the Keyboard Cover or Surface Pen.
Bottom line
While there are a lot of different tablets available that are directly geared for kids, the best pick in our eyes is the Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite. This tablet includes a suite of educational content, including support for the STEM Curriculum if you want your child to learn about the technology they are using.
In addition to being ultra-portable with its 7-inch display, the Tab E Lite also has a protective case to keep it safe from drops or anything else. Samsung also includes its a variety of parental controls and a microSD card slot for when you aren’t connected to WiFi.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Andrew Myrick is a regular freelancer at Android Central and iMore. He has been a tech enthusiast ever since the original iPhone was released and continues to flip-flop between devices. You might as well hook him up to an IV filled with coffee to get him through the day. If you have any questions, you can find him on Twitter, @andymyrick.
