Kids love to play games and tablets are one way to ensure that they play their favorite games like Hearthstone. Furthermore, kids can stream the latest Star Wars Rebels. However, there should be parental control for children using these gadgets because some may end up buying a large number of characters in Crossy Road or access websites that are inappropriate. Some tablets have cases that are durable hence tiny slippery fingers can easily grip.
Nevertheless, before going through the best tablets with Wi-Fi, it is important to look at the factors that parents consider before purchasing the right tablet.
Parental control
They include fingerprint support and PIN that only the parent can set. Others include robust controls that ensure parents limit the type of applications the kids can access and the type of website that they can visit. A parent, therefore, does not have to worry about what the kids are up to while using the tablets.
Wi-Fi connectivity
The term Wi-Fi is short for “wire free” referring to devices that can link or connect wirelessly to a private internet connection. For a successful connection, a wireless router sends a signal that Wi-Fi enabled devices can access and connect.
The use of Wi-Fi was primarily for laptops. However, Smartphones, surveillance cameras and tablets now have Wi-Fi. As long as there is an internet signal, a Wi-Fi enabled device can sign to the network at any time. Most manufacturers that make kids tablets incorporate the tablet with automatic Wi-Fi that assists them in learning, gaming, application downloads and watching movies.
Below are the best 5 kid’s tablets with Wi-Fi:
- Fire Kids Edition Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case
The Fire Edition tablet starts in the Amazon Free time and its design is purposefully for children. The fonts and background color of the device come in a kid-friendly layout. For example, the kid only views those titles that they have permission to see, the home screen shows the history of the recent titles. Furthermore, children can visually navigate basing the content on topics and characters.
Designed for kids profiles: The tablet has a feature that enables parents to create a child profile and choose the content that they want their kids to access. In other words, a parent can personalize the tablet to suit the needs of his child. The child profile restricts access to email, social media, and in-app purchases.
Screen time limits: The tablet offers innovative controls that a parent can use. These checks ensure that the kids learn first before proceeding to play thus managing screen time. The free time enables the parent to choose all the content that the child can see and limit their screen time basing on content type. For instance, the parent can limit videos and games but ensure that there is unlimited reading time. Furthermore, the Free Time blocks in-app payments and stores hence you will not worrying about additional charges or expenses.
Design and Durability: The tablet comes with various connectivity options. The power button is on the top, together with the headphone jack and the microUSB port. The volume control button is on the left side. However, in comparison to other kid’s tablets in the market, the Kids Edition omits the microUSB option supplementing it with internal storage. A parent can further upgrade the Kids Edition from 8GB to 16 GB by relying on Amazon’s cloud storage or during the checkout process.
Performance: The Kids Edition tablet comes with a sharp display of dimensions 1280 by 800. This is ahead than the other competing tablets having a display of 1024 by 600. The onscreen text is sharply visible, and the colors are vibrant when playing games.
Recently, the Kids Edition put up excellent scores in the benchmarking program (PCMark for Android).The Kids Edition set a kindle’s score of 3610 points in the program’s performance test. The score being the highest in among reviewed tablets. The test aims to simulate the daily tablets tasks such as web browsing and document editing. During the program’s battery check, the Kindle put an excellent score of 4 hours and 49 minutes.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: The tablet has a single-antenna Wi-Fi. This supports private and public networks using;
WLAN 802.11b -Lowest cost; signal range is good and not easily obstructed.
WLAN 802.11n – Has fastest maximum speed and best signal range. It’s more resistant to signal interference from outside sources.
It also connects to WLAN 802.11g standards and further supports the WEP, WPA2 and WPA password authentication. The tablet does not support connection to peer-to-peer Wi-Fi (ad-hoc) networks.
- Nabi DreamTab HD8
It is the top choice for kid’s tablet. The tablet’s manufacturing is through a unique partnership with the DreamWorks studios. The DreamTab H8 is one of the most expensive devices around. It comes with extra power that other tablets do not have. The device has an 8-inch H screen with dimensions of 1920 by 1200. The storage is 16 GB but expandable through a MicroSD port. The tablet’s front and rear cameras have higher megapixels than the Fire HD.
The processor has excellent performance but is slow in some areas. For example, the processor is slow on how it handles updates (over-the-air). The time it takes to complete an update is long, and this causes frustrations if the kid wants to enjoy the services right away.
The cover of the tablet is a red silicone sleeve. It has pegs on the front side that help in preventing scratching of the screen when the child places the device faced down on a flat surface.
When in the child-friendly Nabi Mode, a kid can do a lot. The pre-installed DreamWorks-based content ensures that the child is busy for hours. The kid can also engage in creative drawing in DreamPro Studio using the tablet’s stylus pen. The platform also enables the child to practice handwriting. When the kid needs to use the browser, a feature in the Maxthon Kid-Safe Browser can allow the parent to set up unique passwords. The passwords ensure that the kid has access to kid-friendly sites only.
The Nabi Coin System is equally impressive. The user receives a reward for playing games that are educational in nature. The reward is virtual currency that the kid can use to get new entertainment applications and content. Furthermore, it has a synchronization feature that assists the parent in creating a custom chore list for the child. The parent, therefore, decides how the child earns the rewards.
Another excellent feature is the Parent Mode. The mode can enable a full Android tablet. This implies that sharing of the tablet is possible. It also has powerful time controls that allow the parent to limit the time the child spends on a particular application and reviewing the time the kid spends on specific tasks. Furthermore, the feature enables the parent to set a daily time limit. Beyond the limit, the child cannot use the tablet.
The manufacturers put the battery life to a maximum of 8 hours. However, most customers report that the battery life is 4-5 hours with regular use. This battery life is below the expectation, but the educational games and the reward system can keep the kid busy through entertainment and learning, down to 0% of battery life, while the parent still controlling the experience.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: Nabi DreamTab HD8 kids tablet Wi-Fi standards are;
WLAN 802.11a – its maximum speed is fast and the regulated frequencies prevent signal interference from other devices.
WLAN 802.11b – its cost is low and the signal range very good and not easily obstructed.
WLAN 802.11g – Fast maximum speed; signal range is good and not easily obstructed.
WLAN 802.11n – Also known as wireless N, it has the fastest maximum speed and best signal range; it’s also more resistant to signal interference from outside sources.
- LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet
Wi-Fi and an Android 4.4-based OS: This device was the first kid’s design tablet. However, the parent had to buy cartridges to access games or learning materials for the LeapFrog products. The latest version of the tablets eliminates the inconvenience. The cartridges replacement is the Wi-Fi and an Android 4.4-based OS. The ability to download whatever is necessary becomes convenient.
The tablet has built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity standards. This means its speed is faster, has a good range in relation to signal and is not obstructed easily by appliances nearby.
Kid-Safe Web Browser: LeapSearch is a kid-friendly web browser that comes pre-installed in the tablet. The LeapSearch browser lets the child browse the web without accessing adult territory. The child can download Pre-approved applications and make use of their time with lots of safe content. The internal storage of the tablet is 16 GB, but it comes with an expandable SD card port in case more storage becomes a requirement. The LeapSearch browser has parental controls that allow a parent to set time limits for games or tablet use. Furthermore, a parent can unlock access to the web as the kid continues to grow.
The battery life of the tablet is about 6 hours. The Epic comes with a 7-inch screen and weighs 3.6 pounds that enable it to withstand unexpected accidents or drops. There is the green and pink color bumper case available. The case is removable assisting in weight reduction and bulkiness once the kid has become conversant with the tablet. Once the kid is less likely to drop the tablet, the parent can acquire for them a sleeker tablet.
- Dragon Touch 7 inch Quad Core Android Kids Tablet
The tablet runs on the Android KitKat operating software. It comes with HDMI, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. This makes it convenient for both the kids and the parents. The Dragon Touch tablet has consistently favorable reviews with a starting price of $60. The tablet further has internal storage of 8GB that is expandable thanks to the MicroSD port.
A child-friendly application, “zoodles,” comes pre-installed in the tablet. In the application store, the child can access free educational content and games. There is the Parent Play Along mode that gives access to the parent. While still in the mode, parents can download other applications for the kids, which they would otherwise not have access to before. There is also access to online services such as the Netflix for shows that are family friendly.
The Dragon Touch has a silicone case making it bump proof and easy for small hands gripping. The bumper is available in both blue and red colors. The tablet weighs 9.8 ounces. The maximum battery life of the tablet is 3.5 hours. This can be of advantage to the parent if they want to limit usage.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: Dragon Touch 7 inch Quad Core Android Kids tablets supports Wi-Fi (has inbuilt 802.11b/g/n. The tablet also supports 3G. This means its signal strength is good and speed faster.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab E-Lite Kids
The introduction of the first E line Samsung Galaxy was in 2015. The first release came in 8-inch and 9.7-inch models. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab E-Lite (model number SM-T113) introduction came in March 2016. The E-Lite series is a replacement for the Tab 3 Lite. However, they both have similar specs and look alike.
The Samsung tablet is a better choice because of some reasons. The most important one is that the other used editions are available alongside the current ones. Even though it is less likely that the child will continue using it as they grow up, the exciting features it has are a point to note. For example, the Android 4.4 KitKat-based operating software and the 7-inch display screen. The Samsung tablet receives consistently favorable reviews. The presence of the used ones is clear indication of the quality and durability of the Samsung tablets. The design is colorful and bright creating an appealing look to youngsters who are learning on how to use the tablet.
The Galaxy Tab E-Lite is loaded; it comes with apps, games, and a 3-month subscription to the “Samsung Kids.” The Samsung Kids has a variety of applications that the kids can safely download without content concerns. It further comes with parental controls that allow the parents to set limits and restrict access to any of the downloaded apps. The tablet comes with an internal storage of 8GB that is expandable. However, it is usually not necessary.
The tablet’s display is bright with a good amount of color. Nevertheless, comparing it with better displays, the viewing angle of the screen seems poor and the colors appear washed out. The color orange has particularly poor viewing angles, shifting at various angles. Still, comparing the screen with the average budget tablets, the Tab E Lite’s display is better. However, when acquiring a tablet, consider the screen and invest in a tablet having better display properties.
The Tab E-Lite has two sensors for back and recent apps and the physical home button. This is typical for most Samsung smart devices. They also have the long press for secondary functions. Freeing up the buttons makes room for additional screen area. Free up buttons adds ¼ inches to 31/ inches of display space without having a menu bar to use in navigation.
The tablet comes with a soft bumper case (neon and bright) making it an easy spot when one is in a hurry. It is also easy for small hands to hold, weighing 15.2 ounces. The tablet has a maximum life battery of 5 hours providing enough entertainment and education time at any place.
The tablet has some additional features to the software, the ultra power saver mode, and the multi-window mode. The ultra power saver mode saves the battery time once the person activates it. The tablet proceeds to function with the primary applications. The multi-window allows the person to access or open two applications in the same window. Despite this, there is no option for dragging text and images between Windows like the case of Galaxy Tab 4 and Galaxy Tab A. With the tablet, the parent can customize the quick settings layout.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: Samsung Galaxy Tab E-Lite Kids has built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. This ensures that the internet’s speed is faster and the signal strength is not interfered with by other sources.
Regular Tablet vs. Tablet for Kids
Tablets have become important devices because of their computing power, portability, and ease of use. Kid’s tablets have similar features to regular tablets, but the design optimized for the particular needs of the kids and parents. Kid’s tablets have a broad variety of child-friendly features, with bright cases and exteriors, which protects against damage from falling. The software in the kid’s tablets can control applications use and monitor browsing. The above features distinguish a kid’s tablets from the regular ones.
What Else Is Important in Selecting a Kids Tablet?
Price and specifications are necessary. A parent should further focus on the following to ensure the tablet is the best.
Downloading Third-Party Applications and Content
The tablet should be able to access games and educational applications that are not necessarily pre-installed. For example, the support of the Google Play app store.
Storage options
Most tablets come with an internal memory of 8GB. However, tablets with SD slots make the storage expandable thus supplementing storage limitations. In most cases, tablets can expand to storage capacities of up to 64 GB.