When Apple launched its first iPad in 2010, the thought of handing a GBP429 device over to a child seemed like crazy talk. Yet that’s exactly what happened with that and subsequent tablets.
Fast forward to May 2015, when the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom reported that 71% of British 5-15 year-olds had access to a tablet at home, including 34% who had their own one.
In many cases, the latter have been passed down by parents after upgrading to a newer model, but several manufacturers have launched dedicated tablets for children too.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, LeapFrog’s LeapPad range and the Kurio were three examples, while Tesco’s Hudl tablets were in theory aimed at families, but in practice were often bought by parents for their children. Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets fell into that pattern too, but now Amazon is launching a specifically-for-children device: the Fire HD Kids Edition. As the name makes clear, it’s a rebranded version of the company’s existing Fire HD device. It comes with a rubberised case for extra protection against being dropped or flung across the room by an angry child, with a two-year guarantee to replace the device if it does break.
Amazon’s existing parental controls help you set limits on your children’s screen time on the tablet, while a built-in subscription plan gives them unlimited access to a catalogue of child-friendly apps, games, ebooks and videos. The pitch: here is a tablet you can set up for your child, then leave in their hands safe in the knowledge that they won’t be spending money on in-app purchases, seeing inappropriate ads or accessing social networks.
Good performance for the price
The Fire HD Kids Edition has a six-inch display, and comes in one of two models: one with 8GB of storage and another with 16GB. The case comes in a choice of blue or pink - yes, a bit stereotypical - with Amazon selling additional accessories including a screen protector, set of children’s headphones and a Fire for Kids rucksack.
At 360g with the case, the tablet feels reassuringly solid, and bounces without damage when dropped from a table or bunk-bed. Its 1280x800-resolution display and quad-core processor represent good value for its price too.
The device charges via a micro-USB port, with a 3.5mm headphones port also built in, and two cameras: VGA-quality on the front and two-megapixel resolution on the back. Fine for the kind of casual snaps most children will want to take and show off.
The setup process is quick and simple, especially if you bought the tablet for yourself rather than received it as a gift - in the former case, Amazon will preload your account details on the device. You then create individual profiles for your children.
For children, the user interface is simple and clear: a central carousel of their recently-accessed content, and buttons to browse the wider catalogue of books, videos and apps, along with a search button to quickly find specific things.
At any point, swiping down from the top of the screen brings up controls to return to the homescreen. As the parent account, you have more options, including email, web browsing and shopping from Amazon.
There’s also a dedicated app to set limits on your children’s usage, including a “bedtime” period that locks the device between (for example) 8pm and 8am. You can also set daily screen time, but with nuanced controls based on Amazon’s classification of apps, videos and ebooks as either educational or entertainment.
If you want, you can specify how much time each child has to spend on educational content a day before the entertainment is unlocked. Plus, you can fine-tune screen-time: for example letting a child read ebooks as much as they like, but setting a one-hour limit on apps. From Disney to Toca Boca There is certainly plenty of content for kids to explore using the Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription plan, which is available for all Amazon’s tablets, although the Fire HD Kids Edition comes with a year’s subscription bundled into its price. For that, you get a good selection of apps from children’s developers like Toca Boca, StoryToys, Dr Panda and Sago Sago, as well as well-known brands like Disney, Sesame Street, Dr Seuss and Thomas & Friends. Your children may gravitate towards the famous names at first, but there’s an impressive long-tail of independent apps to try as time goes on.
The advantage of not having to pay for apps individually may encourage kids to explore the catalogue. The books section is a similar mix of brands (SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, plenty of movie tie-ins) with quirkier fare. The videos catalogue likewise mixes shows like Adventure Time, Peppa Pig and Shaun the Sheep through to videos from brands like Lego Friends.
What if your children want an app that isn’t part of the subscription? The first two apps my sons asked me to install were Minecraft and Crossy Road, which aren’t part of Fire for Kids Unlimited. This is where you switch to your profile, get them from Amazon’s Appstore, and then use the Fire for Kids app to “add” them to your children’s libraries.
This means you can let your children play “freemium” games (like Crossy Road) although the tablet will block them from buying in-app purchases. I also added the BBC’s iPlayer app, which meant I could download some TV shows for offline viewing - an option missing from Amazon’s own video catalogue.
Verdict
As a robust, affordable tablet, the Fire HD Kids Edition makes an ideal first tablet for children, with a good balance between kids taking control over their download choices, and parents being able to set limits on how they use it.
The built-in subscription has plenty of good, educational and/or entertaining content to explore, but the flexibility to install other apps and games is welcome - especially if your children are reaching peak Minecraft age.
It would be nice to be able to store some of Amazon’s video catalogue for offline viewing ahead of a long trip or holiday, and I wonder if there is scope to add music streaming or downloads in to the subscription in the future. Still, as things stand this is one of the best children’s tablets yet.
Guardian News & Media Ltd, 2015
