I have many memories of summer road trips as a kid. Now that I have kids of my own, I wonder how on earth my parents did it without a tablet to keep us busy.
When Apple (AAPL) released the first iPad in 2010, many people became instant fans of the tablet form factor. But perhaps nowhere was the tablet more appreciated than with parents, especially once app stores took off.
Tablets were practically designed to occupy kids during long hours of driving. I mean, they’re portable, hold a day-long charge (with no batteries to lose), stream movies through Netflix (NFLX) and are perfect for storing a massive collection of digital comic books and video games. Not to mention, they’re equipped with headphone jacks for your sanity.
In 2010, the iPad was pretty much the only tablet (at least in its current form) around, but parents today have many choices, with options of varying size and price. Here are our five picks as the best tablets to keep kids amused on your summer road trip.
Best Tablets for Kids: Apple iPad Mini 2
If parents are already invested in the Apple ecosystem — iTunes, the App Store, iMessage, etc. — then it makes sense for them to bring their kids into the same Apple world they’re already grounded in.
Depending on the age of your children, even the lightweight iPad Air may land on the heavier side; and starting at $499, it’s definitely on the pricey side.
The iPad Mini 2 may not offer quite the power of the iPad Air 2, but it’s still no slouch, and with the same 2048 x 1536 resolution packed in a smaller 7.9-inch display, the iPad Mini 2’s screen is actually a little crisper.
It also has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with panorama and time-lapse capability, perfect for vacation photos.
The size is right (it weighs 0.73 pounds) and the only real difference between the $299 iPad Mini 2 and the $399 iPad Mini 3 is the lack of a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. That makes the $299 iPad Mini 2 a bargain in the Apple world.
Best Tablets for Kids: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition
Amazon (AMZN) has built its Kindle Fire tablets into a serious contender to the iPad and legions of devices powered by the Android operating system from Google (GOOG, GOOGL).
Amazon seems more interested in content sales than hardware profits, and the Kindle Fire reflects this by delivering excellent specs for a very low price.
The $149 Fire HD is one of the best tablets for kids thanks to the Gorilla Glass display, easy-grip case and Amazon’s “no questions asked” policy if your children can somehow crack its durable screen within two years of purchase.
It also comes with one year of kid-friendly Amazon FreeTime Unlimited content.
Best Tablets for Kids: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids
If you like the look of Amazon’s Fire HD for kids, but aren’t fond of the idea of being locked into Amazon’s ecosystem, you can pick up a similar device from Samsung (SSNLF).
The Galaxy Tab 3 for Kids is based on one of the best tablets for budget-minded consumers from 2013.
The aforementioned vintage tablet is given away by somewhat lackluster specs, like a 1024 x 600 pixel display and 1.2GHz dual-core CPU. Unlike other tablets designed for kids, however, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 Kids tablet runs the Android “Jelly Bean” OS, so you can download and run content from Google’s Play Store.
There’s also a Kids’ mode that requires parents to approve content, and the tablet itself is equipped with a colorful bumper case and at $200 the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is fairly affordable.
Samsung has officially discontinued this tablet, but it’s still sold by many stores including Toys R Us.
Best Tablets for Kids: Dell Venue 8 Pro 3000 Series
When you think of kid-friendly tablets, Dell probably doesn’t immediately come to mind.
But Dell offers a decent 8-inch budget tablet running Microsoft (MSFT) Windows, if you’re repelled by iOS or Android.
The Dell Venue 8 Pro 3000 has a high-definition (WXGA) display, quad-core CPU and a generous 32 gigabytes of internal storage. That’s more than most entry-level tablets and enough storage for several dozen standard definition movies — which is more than enough time to drive from Toronto to Orlando.
This tablet also includes a 5MP camera and comes in a choice of black or white. Currently selling for $129 through Dell, it’s a bargain as a multimedia device, even if you don’t care much for Windows.
Best Tablets for Kids: Google Nexus 9
Finally, a high-quality Android tablet for older kids — the Google Nexus 9.
It’s still small enough for younger hands to hold, but the Nexus 9 offers one of the best Android experiences on a tablet.
It has an 8.9-inch IPS LCD display, powerful quad-core CPU and runs the latest version of Android (Lollipop).
At $399, this is the most expensive tablet on the list, but if it helps, think of it as an iPad equivalent on the Android-end of the spectrum.
It was one of the best tablets from 2014. The high-resolution display is optimized for video, the GPU runs the most graphically-intensive games and when the summer road trip is over, you can snap the Nexus 9 into a keyboard case — saving you the hassle of having to buy a laptop for back-to-school.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
