There are many gadgets and doodads to keep your kids entertained these days, but one of the best and most affordable ways to do so is with an Amazon Fire tablet. Amazon’s Kids Edition tablets are essentially the same as the “regular” version with some notable kid accessories and extra services. We think the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the perfect size for reading, playing games, or watching videos. But there are some other great options as well. Let’s take a look at what all is available for your little ones.
Best Overall: Fire HD 8 Kids Edition (2020)
The 8 in the name here reflects the size of the device’s HD screen, which shows off its vibrant colors when watching videos. It has 32GB storage, with the option to expand the memory storage through a microSD card up to 1TB. On top of that, you get unlimited cloud storage for any digitally purchased content from Amazon.
Battery life is up to 12 hours, depending on whether you are reading, browsing the web, watching videos, or listening to music. The speakers on the unit are dual stereo speakers, giving you better sound when watching videos, listening to music or audiobooks.
Kids Edition Fire devices come with a kid-proof case to protect the tablet from knocks, drops, dust, and any other kid-related catastrophes. The latest edition even comes with a built-in stand. The cases are available in three colors — blue, pink, and yellow. If you feel that the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition might not hold up to certain kid activities, don’t fret as Amazon includes a 2-year worry-free guarantee. If the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition breaks, then you send it back to Amazon, and they will send you out a new one.
Other features of the device include WiFi connectivity, 2GB of RAM, 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p video recording, a built-in microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. You also get one year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which gives you access to 20,000 apps, books, videos, games, audiobooks, as well as educational content from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney, and more.
Fire Kids Edition devices also have Parental Controls, allowing you to decide what your kids can do on their device. By default, FreeTime does not allow access to social media or Alexa, and any app purchases require parental approval. Parental Control also allows you to create up to four child accounts to manage. It lets you limit screen time, set curfews, and even set educational goals.
The size of this Fire HD 8 Kids Edition makes it portable and easy to carry. It’s the perfect size for reading, watching videos, and playing games.
Pros:
- HD display
- Dual stereo speakers
- Expandable storage
- USB-C charging port
- 2-year warranty
Cons:
- Significantly more expensive than “regular” Fire HD 8 Tablet
- Limited internal storage
Best Overall
Fire HD 8 Kids Edition (2020)
- $140 at Amazon
- $140 at Best Buy
A tablet with a vibrant HD display and 32GB of internal storage
This device is the perfect size for watching videos, playing games, and reading. Its screen is large enough for a couple of kids to sit and watch together.
Best Value: Fire 7 Kids Edition (2019)
As with the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, the 7 in the name here signifies the screen size. This version comes with 16GB of storage, which is enough to save a handful of movies for kids to watch on the go, but there is also the option to expand storage up to 512GB with a microSD card. Just like with the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, you also get unlimited cloud storage for any Amazon purchased digital content.
To protect the Fire 7 Kids Edition from knocks and drops, it comes with a kid-proof case, complete with a kickstand allowing you to prop it up on a table or the floor. This is great for when watching movies or playing particular games. The cases are available in three colors — blue, pink, and purple. For added peace of mind, you also get a 2-year worry-free guarantee. If your Fire 7 Kids Edition breaks for whatever reason Amazon will replace it, no questions asked.
Other features included on the Fire 7 Kids Edition include 1GB RAM, up to seven hours of battery life, a mono speaker, 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p video recording, a built-in microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Just like with the Fire 8 HD Kids Edition, you get one year of FreeTime Unlimited. It gives you access to 20,000 apps, videos, music, books audiobooks, and educational content. Parental control is also available here, allowing you to manage the way your child uses the tablet. You can set screen time limits, curfews, and more.
The Fire 7 Kids Edition is the smallest of the bunch and perhaps best suited for smaller kids. It’s an excellent little tablet to get you started.
Pros:
- Kid-proof case with built-in stand
- Expandable storage
- 2-year warranty
Cons:
- Mono speaker
- Low battery life relative to larger tablets
Best Value
Fire 7 Kids Edition (2019)
- $100 at Amazon
- $100 at Best Buy
Built-in stand allowing you to go hands-free when you need to
This is the cheapest Kids Edition, great for getting started. Its small size makes it suitable for smaller hands, and the included stand is a nice bonus.
Best for Multimedia: Fire HD 10 Kids Edition (2019)
The Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is the largest of Amazon’s children tablets. It has a 10.1-inch screen with a Full HD display, giving you clear, crisp viewing when watching video playback. It has 32GB storage, with the ability to add a further 512GB through a microSD card. There’s also unlimited cloud storage for any digital content you purchase from Amazon.
Just like with the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, you’ll get up to 12-hours battery life with this device. Battery life will vary depending on whether you’re watching videos, listening to music, playing games. The bottom line is that you can rest assured that it will hold up during those long car journeys.
Just like the other Kids Edition tablets, the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition comes with a kid-proof case. A built-in stand would probably be very handy with the size of this Fire tablet, but unfortunately, this case does not have one. The cases are available in three colors — blue, pink, and yellow. Since this is a Kids Edition Fire, you’ll still get a 2-year worry-free guarantee for those unfortunate mishaps. And — you’ve guessed it — 1 year of FreeTime Unlimited, where you can browse through 20,000 apps, videos, games, music, audiobooks, and more.
Other features include 2GB of RAM, dual stereo speakers, a built-in microphone, VGA front-facing camera and 2 MP rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The front-facing camera is not the best. Given the device’s larger size, it might not be a device often used for taking photos, so we’ll let that slide. This screen is a perfect size for sharing movies or playing with drawing and sketching apps.
Pros:
- Full HD display
- Expandable storage
- Dual stereo speakers
- USB-C charging port
- 2-year warranty
Cons:
- No built-in stand on the case
- Most expensive kids tablet
- Size may be unwieldy for small children
Best for Multimedia
Fire HD 10 Kids Edition (2019)
- $200 at Amazon
- $200 at Best Buy
Great size for media consumption
This tablet is more expensive than the other choices on this list, but it is an excellent device for sharing videos and games with multiple children.
Best Alternative: Fire 7 Tablet (2019)
Perhaps you want to get a tablet for yourself that you will occasionally share with your children. Or maybe you want an inexpensive tablet that you don’t have to worry about. Enter the Fire 7 Tablet. The Fire 7 is a great pick up for just about anyone who wants a cheap tablet. One that they can watch their favorite shows on, play games on, and maybe occasionally surf the web or check Facebook.
As with other Fire tablet devices, you can get all of your favorite content and apps, except for Google Play apps. And you can still add Amazon’s great parental controls and even FreeTime Unlimited to this device. It comes in MUCH cheaper than the kid’s editions, and with that savings, you can also get a protective case that is perhaps a bit more, adult-looking.
This device is not a spec powerhouse, as it is sub-HD, only has a mono speaker, and only comes with 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage. However, the battery life matches the Fire 7 Kids Edition, and you can also add storage via the SD card slot (up to 512GB!). The other big bonus to this device over the kid’s editions is that it comes with hands-free Alexa access out of the box.
Pros:
- Low cost of entry into Fire ecosystem
- Expandable micro SD storage
- Hands-free Alexa
Cons:
- Not HD resolution
- Lower-quality mono speaker
- No protective case included
Best Alternative
Fire 7 Tablet (2019)
- From $50 at Amazon
- From $50 at Best Buy
The most affordable Fire tablet
With hands-free Alexa, multiple fun colors, and access to tons of great content, the Fire 7 Tablet is a fun gadget to have around for all ages.
Bottom line
Amazon’s Fire tablets have always been great for multi-person and family use. They are durable, inexpensive, and feature-packed. As far as tablets go, they’re arguably the only legitimate competition to the iPad. There are great options in the regular Fire tablet line. However, the added features available in the Fire Kids Edition tablets provide families with a great deal of flexibility when it comes to making the right entertainment choice for them.
We feel that the Fire 8 HD Kids Edition is the best choice for families in the Fire tablet lineup. It sits in the Goldilocks zone — not too big and not too small. It’s a great size for reading, watching movies and playing games. It’s small enough to take out and about on road trips or to use around the house. We’d say that it is the perfect family tablet!
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Jeramy Johnson is proud to help to Keep Austin Weird and loves running through the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he’s not outdoors, he’s tinkering with his various Apple and Amazon devices. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw
DJ Reyes is a former Android Central contributor and loves to share her tech knowledge online. Follow her on Twitter @djr3yes
