Looking for a tablet for kids? My family uses it (with free screen repair)

What makes a good tablet? It’s easy to create criteria of features to look for: a fast processor, a user-friendly platform, portability, and battery life, to name a few. What is a good tablet for kids? It appears Amazon is in a race to figure it out, and they’re on their way to perfecting the formula.

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I’ve been testing the new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet since its launch. This is the latest generation of the Fire HD 10 Pro, which is a children’s tablet for children aged six to 12 years. Fire HD 10 Kids Pro The tablet promises 25% faster performance than the Fire HD 10 Kids, longer battery life, and a higher quality front-facing camera, up from 2 MP to 5 MP.

Why choose a Fire tablet? Many parents get their kids an older generation iPad, such as 9th generation ipadAs their first tablet. If you have a small child and you’re afraid the iPad won’t hold up to their handling, consider the Amazon Fire tablet.

Since the oldest of my three is in second grade, I’ve tried several Amazon Fire HD 8 kids tablets. iPads are great, and my husband and I each have one. But ever since my iPad’s screen broke due to a cheap case a few years ago, I’ve been less enthusiastic about giving such a delicate tablet to an eight-year-old.

This is why I prefer the Amazon Fire Kids tablet for my little ones. Plus, Amazon replaces them if they break within two years. They’re also eligible for trade-in when you want to upgrade to a new device you’re purchasing on Amazon.

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At the ripe age of eight, my child is craving “big kid” devices. I’m not one to get my kid a smartphone yet, but we did consider getting him a larger tablet in the form of an iPad this Christmas.

I thought the problem was the other two: a kindergartner and a child who lacked a sense of personal property or space. It seemed like the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet was made for just this reason, but after about a year of testing, my oldest tablet’s screen cracked.

My kid’s bad habit of leaving his tablet on the floor finally kicked in when I accidentally tripped over it and cracked the screen of the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet. After controlling the tears, I contacted Amazon customer service to see what could be done. A representative instructed me to send the tablet in to assess whether the screen could be replaced or whether a new tablet was necessary. In the end, Amazon sent us a new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet to replace the broken tablet, with the whole process taking less than two weeks.

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This larger, ‘Pro’ level tablet is the perfect upgrade from the smaller Fire 8-inch model, which is encased in a heavy protective case. In addition to the large 10-inch display, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is protected by a slim case that’s more kid-friendly than kid-proof, as stated in the Amazon listing.

Like other Fire Kids tablets, the Fire HD 10 Pro Kids tablet also includes an Amazon Kids+ subscription. It can be renewed after one year, but the timer resets whenever you buy a new Fire Kids tablet or another device that includes a subscription.

The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro proved to be faster than both generations of our Fire HD 8 Kids tablets. Since the old one was given to a five-year-old and a three-year-old, there were no problems, but the eight-year-old who owns the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro definitely noticed the difference.

Although my firstborn is growing in age and looking for more adult technology, she is still eight years old. In almost a year of use, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro has been dropped countless times and turned over at least a dozen times. Like older models, it has been completely unaffected except for the above mentioned incident (which was resolved promptly by Amazon).

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I appreciate that Amazon’s kids tablets have strong parental controls. I can easily control what my kids watch, approve their app and purchase requests, and set time limits all from the app on my phone. When it’s bedtime, and my kids are sitting on their tablets, I can immediately access the apps on my phone and block them, resulting in less awkward groaning if I decide to take them away.

In addition to access to thousands of apps and games, Amazon also has collaborative games that kids can play with others. My kids and I often play Sketch ‘n Guess, which is a virtual word-guessing game in which one person draws something and the other tries to guess it. I play with my phone, and the kids play with their tablets.

Like Sketch ‘n Guess, Amazon Kids+ also includes “play together” games like Memory Match, Jigsaw, Chess, Checkers, Dessert Decorator, Chain Reaction, and more. Even my five-year-old can play because through the game he can read out loud things that other children can’t read.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

If you’re trying to choose between an iPad or the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet, a lot will depend on your child’s age and how they’ll use it. Amazon has refined the Amazon Kids platform into a kid-friendly user experience that doesn’t feel childish to older kids but that younger children can still navigate.

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This tablet can handle multiple profiles including younger kids, older kids, and adults, so it can grow with the kids. However, it is still limited by its 3GB of RAM and a slower processor than the A13 Bionic chip.

An iPad has more high-end features like a better processor and camera, and it’s a bigger platform that’s perfect for older kids who like to do more complex games, like editing photos, and even into the Apple ecosystem. Even though we’re an Apple family, I’d keep getting my kids a Fire Kids tablet until they appreciate the value of a device you can’t walk on.