2021’s Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition Is THE Best Tablet for Children

Looking for a new tablet for your kids that looks good, streams HD video, and isn't an iPad?

The latest offering from Amazon geared towards children, the Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is a 10.1-inch slate is an affordable alternative to expensive Apple or Samsung tech that you probably wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with your kids.

But will they thank you for it?

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2021) Specs and Design

Measuring 247 x 166 x 9.2mm (9.72 x 6.54 x 0.36 inches), the 2021 model of the Amazon Fire HD 10 weighs just 465g (1.03lb) and has a 16:10 aspect ratio, with the display covered by Aluminosilicate glass.

Behind the 1080p IPS LCD Full HD display, the Amazon Fire HD 10 uses the Mediatek MT8183 Helio P60T chipset with octa-core (4 x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4 x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53) CPU, Mali-G72 MP3 CPU, and 3GB of RAM. Two versions are available, with 32GB or 64GB (both expandable to 1TB of storage via the microSDXC slot).

A main 5MP camera is complemented by a 2MP front/selfie cam, both with 720p video capability. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids tablet has built-in loudspeakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB Type C with USB On-The-Go (OTG) support.

For wireless connectivity, the tablet has 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE standard. This tablet does not have a SIM slot. The OS supports location services, the tablet features an accelerometer, and ambient light sensors, along with two built-in microphones.

Life from the Li-Ion non-removable battery is up to 12 hours, with a full charge achievable in four hours in standby mode.

Finally, the tablet is available in a choice of Sky Blue, Aquamarine, and Lavender. The tablet ships with a USB Type C cable and adapter, and is already fitted in a protective case.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Tablet Features

Standard mobile operating systems are ideal for everyday tasks. For child use, however, a standard OS needs some oversight. This tablet runs Fire OS 7, based on Android 9.0 (Pie), with built-in parental controls.

Furthermore, it ships with a "Kid-Proof Case" which features a solid kickstand/handle. With the way kids handle hardware in mind, the tablet also has a 2-year worry-free guarantee. So, if it gets broken, Amazon will replace it for free.

The Amazon Kids environment allows you to tailor content to your child's age and understanding, with content filtering and other management features available via the Amazon Parent Dashboard. This is a web-based interface that provides over any child account linked to your main Amazon account.

For children with accessibility requirements, the Fire HD 10 tablet for kids also features the VoiceView screenreader and supports Braille displays. There is also a screen magnifier, and support for Closed Captioning, Color Inversion, and other video and audio requirements.

One Year of Amazon Kids+

By default, an Amazon Fire tablet for kids comes with Amazon Kids, the new name for Amazon FreeTime. This free environment lets children use selected items from your Amazon library, if appropriate and selected, which includes media allowed under Amazon Prime.

But with Amazon Kids+ (normally $1.99 a month) your child gets access to a far wider selection. Thousands of books, videos, songs, audiobooks, apps, and games are all available with Amazon Kids+. When you buy the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids model, you have the option of getting it with one year paid subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Is this worth having? Our test device was placed in the hands of Daisy, who is four years old. Over the course of four weeks, she's barely looked at a TV, asked to buy new games on her tablet, or complained. Having come from a slightly smaller Huawei tablet, that seems like an easy win!

Setting Up the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Tablet

As the tablet comes almost fully charged out of the box, you can get your kids fully set up in just a few minutes.

If you've used an Amazon tablet or Fire TV device in the past you probably know the drill. To recap, simply switch on the tablet, get the device on your network, sign in with your usual Amazon credentials, add a child account if you haven't already, and double-check the age and content requirements.

It can all be done in 15 minutes, tops.

Management and Content Control With Parent Dashboard

Accessed via parents.amazon.com, the easy-to-use parental controls help with the filtering of content. Intended to protect your little ones from unsuitable material, the Parent Dashboard has two main themes, geared toward children of different ages.

There's a Younger Kid Theme for smaller children and non-readers, and an Older Kid Theme for kids over six who are more familiar with mobile devices.

With each theme an age range can be set (ages two to 13 are covered), which is used to set appropriate content. For example, you might set an age range of three to five for a precocious four-year-old. This age filter can be disabled if preferred, however, but doing so will open access to all Amazon Kids+ content, something you might prefer to avoid.

Along with age-appropriate material, the Parent Dashboard lets you set time and activity limits, manage Prime Video access, enable or disable in-app purchasing, and manage web access. There is also the option to specify what content from your Amazon library beyond Amazon Kids+ you want available for your offspring.

So, you might add books, games, or specific apps like Netflix or Disney+. While you cannot limit time on a specific app, you can limit it by activity – for example, using all apps, watching videos, reading, etc.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids vs. Amazon Fire 7 Kids

As father to three children, I've had a few Amazon Fire tablets on my desk, accompanied by various complaints. These typically range from "I've run out of space!" to "my screen has cracked" (usually followed, when quizzed about how, by "I don't know it just happened.")

The standard Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet might seem like an affordable, smart option for kids. After all, it's more suited to their hands and size – why stick a 10-inch tablet in front of a preschooler?

However, the Amazon Fire 7 tablets are also terrible. Aside from okay(ish) battery life, they have almost nothing to recommend them. The Fire 7 doesn't take up too much space in a bag or pocket, but if you put both tablets in front of a child, they choose the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids.

Sure, it's bigger, but it's also just that bit better, and worth the price.

Better still, if your child gets tired of it, you've got a standard Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet that can slip out of the case for you to sign into and use.

Everything Your Kids Need in a Tablet

Having dragged my children through several generations of seven-inch Amazon Fire tablets, I was disinclined to get excited about this tablet's arrival. Even though the recipient of the tablet was upset about the accidental breakage of her previous slate, I really didn't want to get her hopes up with this one.

But I was completely wrong. The 2021 model of the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is worth every single dollar, not least with the Kid-Proof Case and two years of free replacements. Books, audiobooks, curated apps and games, all the favorite TV channels, they're all there, ready to use, with minimal fuss, and Amazon Kids+ enhances that.

The Parental Control tool may be browser-only (even on mobile) but is far easier to use than Google's Family Link. And fortunately, the Amazon App Store boasts a large enough library that key apps such as my daughter's educational tools are available without worrying about installing Google Play.

Ideal for car journeys, playing audiobooks in bed, watching movies in the snug, and games, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for 2021 is currently unmatched when it comes to buying tablets for under 16s.