The age of the tablet is beginning, which may seem scary for many parents but they offer an opportunity for education and entertainment for your children; the question is what is the best tablet for kids? There are many factors to weigh, from cost to applications and everything in between, but with a little research, finding the best tablet for kids is as easy as the tablets themselves!
The children of today are amazing with technology
The children of today far surpass our generation with how easy it is for them to understand technology, and as a result will most likely be able to figure out any tablet you get them. This is especially true because of kids amazing capacity to learn. The challenge is finding the one that best suits your own child's wants and needs.
Tablets don't have to cost an arm and a leg
For many parents, choosing a tablet for your children first must pass the test of price. Tablet computers can vary from around $80 to as high as $800 for the more desired brands, but purchasing a less expensive tablet does not necessarily mean it is "worse". They all offer a variety of features but almost all of them will have applications available to them that both entertain, and educate your children. There are even tablets available that tend to be on the less expensive end of the spectrum that are specifically made for educational entertainment of children. These often come with preloaded applications, sometimes even with television characters they recognize and relate to. They are very cheap and simple to use, which makes them a prime candidate for the best tablet for kids, and perhaps specifically your own.
Tablets with Wi-Fi
If you feel your child is too mature for that type of tablet, the best tablet for kids may be one that they can grow into. This is when tablets with the internet come into consideration. These tablets are usually over the $150 mark but offer a much broader and longer lasting experience. While the internet can be a scary place to have your children, most tablets come with easy to use parental controls, that can often be switched off for when you would like to use it. Having access to the internet also allows for the downloading of applications. While it is easier to have them come preloaded, there are thousands of entertaining and educational free applications that can be downloaded. In addition, for a more advanced experience, there are paid applications that truly expand the possibilities of your child's tablet. The best part is the applications usually need a password to be downloaded, which gives you full control of which applications your child does, or does not use.
Tablets with cameras and the memory to use them
When searching for the best tablet for kids, a large amount of space may be a good idea. In the $200+ range, tablets start to have hard drives capable of holding lots of media. Things like TV shows, or your child's favourite movie can be loaded on easily and accessed anywhere. This makes that road trip to visit grandma a whole lot easier, and quieter for yourself. This space may also come in handy in the area of pictures and videos. Whether your blossoming little photographer takes them themselves, or you capture that magic home run moment, having a camera on your tablet might just make it the best tablet for kids. Within the $200+ range many of the tablets come with high definition cameras and camcorders built in. Sometimes even with cameras in the front for voice chatting. This is perfect for when dad is away on business but wouldn't miss a birthday for anything.
Tablets for school
If your child is nearing the age that he might want a computer for school, the best tablet for kids might be the one that is for young adults too. This is where the consideration of a word processor may come up. They will have the best notes in class on an easy to read screen that still uses standard QWERTY keyboard layout so they can practice their typing. If they find it uncomfortable to use the on screen keyboard, most tablets offer the feature of being able to plug in a normal keyboard instead, which can be picked up for around $10.
Protect your child's tablet with a case
Whether your kid is a young man or a rambunctious little girl, when looking for the best tablet for kids, durability is something to be considered. While most tablets come with screen protectors, if your tablet isn't specifically designed to be able to take a beating, a case is a good idea. There are cases available for every tablet of varying levels of durability. Some offer simple shock absorbing rubber or silicone for the edges, while others give you a full blown hard cases complete with screen protection and waterproofing with a sleek look to match. These cases vary in cost, but it is better to suck it up and throw down the extra couple bucks then to have to pay for a whole new tablet. With that in mind, parents know their kids better than anyone and the level of durability definitely varies from child to child.
Tablets are fast becoming on of the most useful and educational tools of the new technological world. While it is easy to push the idea of buying a tablet for your child away, studies are showing that many children respond very well to the simple to use touch screen interface. Just as the old days of spelling words with blocks offered an interactive, hands on learning experience, the tablet does the same. The difference is there is probably an application for those very blocks as well as so much more. When it comes down to it, it's impossible to find the best tablet for kids. What you can do is find is the best tablet for your own child. As you watch your child grow and learn with their tablet you will know that you have truly found the best tablet for kids.
