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Product tests

Read Mumsnet users feedback on the Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablets

52 replies

EllieMumsnet · 06/11/2018 09:35

This is the feedback thread for the 30 testers with at least one child aged 3-8, who tested one of the following Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablets:

  • Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet
  • Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet
  • Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition tablet


Here’s what Amazon has to say: “Fire Kids Edition tablets are built around three ideas: 1) kids break things, 2) kids want real tablets, not a toy, and 3) parents don’t want to worry about the bill. Each full-featured tablet comes with a kid-friendly case, and a 2-year worry free guarantee—if they break it, we’ll replace it, no questions asked. The device also comes with a year subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited for unlimited access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games, and best-in-class parental controls to manage usage limits, content access and help set educational goals. A great gift this Christmas and a travel essential for kids during the holiday season.”

Testers please answer the following questions:
- Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
- Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?
- What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?
- Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
- Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
- Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

All testers who leave the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where 3 MNers will win a £100 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply
Read Mumsnet users feedback on the Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablets
OP posts:
MimsyBorogroves · 06/11/2018 11:31

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We tested the 7 with a blue case.

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?


Definitely. There were a massive range of apps, videos and books. Battery life was brilliant and it was easily navigatable. He liked the fact that I could make it look "grown up" by changing it to a traditional tablet display rather than the children's one - and I liked the fact that in doing so it didn't affect the parental controls!

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?


Fantastic. My DS is really careful, but accidents happen and it's a real peace of mind, particularly for those with younger children. Money is never wasted.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?


The fact that I could change the ages - DS is 6, but reads books for 10-12 year olds. I could allow him to do this without worrying he could see inappropriate apps or other entertainment.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?


Absolutely - he was delighted. I would like to see more books available on Kids Unlimited though, and he thought some of the entertainment videos were "a bit babyish" for 6 year olds.

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?


Definitely. It was easy to keep tabs on everything and change what could and couldn't be seen. I was also easily able to make a second account for my older son which allowed him a bit more flexibility with apps and shows. I haven't used the Dashboard to its fullest extent as DS only uses it in my company anyway, but it's good to know I can monitor what he's doing.
crumbsinthecutlerydrawer · 06/11/2018 11:32

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
Amazon Fire 10 HD

Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes, she was able to play games, read books and engage with the tablet more than with the old smartphone she had previously been using.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

The case is very robust and easy to hold with good grip, I would have liked to have a screen protector included as it is a kids device, I know these can be bought separately but would expect it included as something designed for children.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Yes, really easy. It was great being able to set a time limit and found that the tablet was handed over without complaint as soon as the time’s up message was displayed. I liked being able to set differing limits for weekdays and weekends when homework would be a priority during the week. We did set goals for reading but this wasn’t really a feature we used much. I liked being able to restrict web content but allow websites the school had asked us to use as it meant dd was able to use the device a bit more freely knowing that nothing inappropriate would come up.

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

She liked the range of apps and characters and was able to play a good variety of games.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes and I liked being able to access it from my amazon account which meant I could access it whilst the tablet was being used.

My own observations were that the tablet had a good solid cover and was also quite nice to hold, the bumps in the back are good for grip but also a nice tactile child friendly material.

Very easy to set up just selected language and country and entered amazon account details.

Set up a profile for dd to get her going, DOB, name, chose one of the stock profile pictures but there is also the option to use the camera to take her own picture.

Liked the option to set up the screen to be more geared towards younger children. Set a time limit as well as an on and off time meaning it would not be available before school or for an hour before bed. After she’d navigated her way through a few apps I went back into the settings and adjusted it to a more specific age range.

I did test this mainly with dd who is nearly 5 but her older brother, nearly 9, has also had a go with this and I was able to set a different age range for him so he can still use age appropriate apps/books/websites etc without feeling like he’s using something babyish.

I do feel like the charger could be improved, the connection to the tablet itself feels a little weak and considering the device is for a child it seems like a sharp pull could easily damage it, it also has quite a short cable.

We have loved having this in the house, it has been a massive hit with both dcs and myself as I have been using my own profile on it in the evenings to test it’s functionality as a tablet and I have to say it has impressed me. I would definitely consider buying a second device.

Thank you Amazon and Mumsnet for allowing us to test out the Amazon Fire HD 10.

vixo · 06/11/2018 11:37

We tested the fire HD10. I have 3 children aged 5, 7 and 10.

Straight out of the box I was really impressed with the size of the screen and how light it is. The case looks like heavy plastic but is actually some sort of foamy type stuff which is really pleasant to hold and also very lightweight. I am very impressed with the guarantee which comes with it which says they’ll replace it for two years if it breaks - and since getting ours and talking to people about it I have heard from a couple of friends who’ve had theirs replaced without any problems.

The children were desperately excited about seeing it on as the only other tablet in our house is an iPad mini (which is mine!) which is obviously much smaller. The size and quality of the screen on the HD10 make it brilliant for watching videos or playing some of their apps.

We had a bit of a play with it straight out of the box as it arrived just after they’d finished tea and I made the mistake of opening it then and there, so I set up a quick profile for one of them and we played some games and watched an episode of a prime programme they like. They loved the novelty of this!

After they went to bed I sat down with it and set up a profile for each of them and set all the parental controls. I am really really impressed with how easy it is to set time limits and how mich you can personalise the limits - so they can read as much as they like, but not play apps or watch videos beyond a certain point of you don’t want them to. They actually all really enjoyed some of the non-fiction books on it and my 7 year old begged to take it out with us so she could finish the book she was reading - and read for nearly 2 hours that day.

You can really easily see how long they’ve spent doing things on it and can also set an educational target which they have to complete before they’re allowed to play. I initially set it up so they had to read for 15 mins and do educational apps for 15 minutes before they could play, but with 3 of them clamouring for a turn I’ve had to relax that to the apps only until the novelty wears off a bit!

We haven’t even begun to explore all the content but there’s absolutely loads and I’ve set their ages on each of their profiles so they only see age appropriate things. I’ve also added in the maths apps we were already using so they can keep going with those - with the advantage that they now have to do 15 minutes of maths before they start playing on anything else!

It seems to be great for all my children and is definitely a tablet that would grow with your child if you got it when they were young. There’s still plenty in there to keep my 10 year old interested, and she’s pleased that she can have things which are appropriate for her which the others can’t access. I’m also hoping it will mean that if they get half an hour of tv time I can reduce arguments because someone can use the fire and choose something different! My only slight concern is how much I’ll end up paying once the years free subscription is up, and what it would be like without all that content. However, the subscription is currently £1.99 a month so seems pretty reasonable for the amount available so I’m sure we’ll give it a go and see how we get on.

I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I do! My only problem now is that with 3 children one kindle fire doesn’t seem enough!!

Stoppedat1 · 06/11/2018 12:19

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

The 7 inch yellow one


Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

This is a fantastic device for young children and it fitted my daughter's needs very well. It is very easy to use. We found it a little slow, although we were expecting this due to the amount of content we downloaded and the low price point.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

Excellent. The protective case and worry guarantee make this a no brainer purchase for very young children.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Very. I liked that I could set time limits and see what my daughter had been doing.

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

I was blown away by the amount of free content available with the kids pass. Way more than I expected. My daughter has ASD so is unable to communicate whether or not she felt anything was missing but I would have liked a few more choices of phonics apps.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes. Overall a fantastic product and excellent value for money.

eastmidswarwicknightnanny · 06/11/2018 12:29

-Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

The Amazon fire 10hd

-Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

It was great and amazing to have both children on separate access as 3yrs 11mths and 8yrs 3mths so v different needs

-What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

Love the idea of 2yr guarantee the case is nice but no way of standing it up to watch films

-Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Yes easy to use and the setting time limits was a great feature.

-Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

They were both v impressed especially the 8yr old

-Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes this was v useful to check especially when they say I was only on x game for 20mins.


We were v grateful to test this and will look to purchase a second one for Xmas.

asuwere · 06/11/2018 12:37
  • Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition tablet with blue case. (as an aside, I am curious why the 10 doesn't have a yellow option as I hate blue/pink options on items aimed at kids.)

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes, my children are really enjoying it - plenty of apps to choose from, it has a really bright, clear screen and very easy to navigate. Very easy to set up extra child profiles as well so it can look slightly different for siblings.
I really like that the volume control changes when the tablet is rotated so the top button always turns the volume up - small but clever feature for little kids!

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

The case has a non-slip feel and seems very robust and should protect it well but it's reassuring to know that if anything does happen, it can be replaced. I'm impressed with the 2 years as it's a good length of time for cover too!

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

I did find them very easy to use. I did test out the time limits just to see how they worked but I don't think I'd ever need them - even DS1 is only allowed to use his tablet with permission and when I say time's up, then he puts it away. I wouldn't really want to rely on the device timing out. Saying that, it is good and it does have screen notifications warning that time limit is in 10/5mins then when time limit is reached the whole screen locks and needs the adult pin so a child can't 'cheat' it.
The idea of setting educational goals (eg 15 mins reading) which need to be met before allowing access to entertainment content is good though.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

There seems to be a good range of content available and it does vary depending on the age of the child which is good. Occasionally DS3(4) found it difficult to tell the difference between books and games as he was just going by the picture but as soon as it opened, he realised and chose something else.
It's hard to know what would be left once the subscription ends - I'm assuming many of the apps/books would still be available for free even without a subscription but no way to really know how much until it ends.

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

It is easy to use and to see what the DC are doing on the tablet and some of the apps and books do have more information and gives suggested questions to ask your child but they were only using it while I was with them so wasn't a feature that I really needed.

Overall I have been very impressed with the Fire and would consider getting one if I was looking for another tablet.

Thanks for letting me do this test :)
asuwere · 06/11/2018 12:56

Forgot to say, I like that the apps don't all stay open in the background; when the child goes back to home screen, whatever they were on closes properly. So the device doesn't slow down because of 20 open windows!

Also, DS3(4) did comment when he read 'Fire for kids' on the back of the case "but fire isn't for kids!" Grin

BingBongBingBong · 06/11/2018 14:12

Testers please answer the following questions:
- Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
The 8 inch screen 32gb with yellow case

- Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?
Definitely, my children both love it (4yo and 3yo)

- What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?
The case is great and makes it feel like any drops would be fine and not damage the tablet. The guarantee is excellent too!

- Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
Yes I find it very simple and it was easy to set up. I like that you can set time limits if needed although I haven’t used that properly yet as my children know if I take the tablet off them then that’s it done. The pin access to buy things is good too.

- Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
Yes they love it, my eldest likes all the videos and games. I think having the YouTube Kids app would be great but I couldn’t find it in the App Store?

- Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?
Yes it is handy to keep tabs although I don’t feel like I really need to do anything at all now it’s all set up and they have access to so much age appropriate apps and books etc.

MimsyBorogroves · 06/11/2018 19:12

I forgot to put my favourite thing - it came 75% charged so we didn't have to wait for hours to turn it on!

littleme96 · 06/11/2018 20:42
  • Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?


We tested the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet with the blue case.

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?


Yes, it was so much better than I thought it would be! My 7 year old son tested it, although we also set up a profile for my 10 year old too and found that it was easy to set up with age appropriate content for them both. I was worried in advance about it being slow, but generally downloads didn't take long and it was very quick and easy to add content that we had previously purchased through our Amazon account. There was a really good variety of content available through the Fire, which we all found very impressive - how nice not to have to limit purchases due to the cost! As a result of this, my son loved choosing his own games, books and tv shows and I felt happy knowing that everything was age appropriate and included in the cost and it was nice to be able to allow him freedom to add things to his profile.

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?


Really good - the tablet itself feels light yet robust and I didn't worry about it being dropped. The case is nicely tactile and easy to hold with an attractive design on it. The 2 year guarantee is amazing and provides reassurance in itself that if an accident happened, Amazon would fix it, although I think the case probably provides enough protection for small bumps.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?


Yes, the whole parental interface is easy to use and I like that it can be protected with a password or a pin. Having not owned a tablet like this before, I loved the daily goals and time limits section, which are easy to set up without a separate app! I feel confident that the content available has been carefully selected as being appropriate for my child's age group, but equally I like that I can apply additional filters and limits to web browsing to provide extra reassurance.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?


My children were amazed by the content that was included in the package! The books look enticing and aren't old, I was surprised that relatively new books were included. The games were the huge draw for my son - he loved picking ones he liked the look of without having to check with me about the cost! No complaints at all from him - there is so much available within the Kids Unlimited subscription that I think it would take a long time for him to exhaust all of the available options that appealed to him!

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?


I really like the Parent Dashboard and seeing the breakdown of how long they have spent on each section. It is useful to know which apps they used most recently and I thought the suggested questions to ask about the apps they have playing on is a nice way to talk about what they have been doing. Some of them are quite thought provoking and my son loved that I was taking an interest in the games he had chosen.
Beach11 · 06/11/2018 20:43

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test? The Fire 7 with blue case

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well? The device is brilliant. There is more content than you could wish for in terms of programs to watch, books and games. We also downloaded a couple of apps. I selected the age range suitable and content was definitely suitable for the required age. My son found it extremely easy to navigate and use.
  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)? This is a brilliant package. The case feels very secure and sturdy around the tablet but doesn’t hinder use. The 2 year warranty is great for peace of mind.
  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features? Loved the parental controls. I set it so my son could only use the Fire for a set amount of time per day and when his allocation was up the Fire went to stand by. I also put on set times it could it used e.g 9am-4pm. I turned off web browsing. The parental controls are very easy to use and change.
  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing? He loved the content available especially for the programs and games. He would have liked films.
  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet? Very useful to see what he was doing and able to set up parameters that I wanted.


Overall we loved the Fire and was perfect for my 4 year old. I felt happy lettimg him play & watch knowing the content was suitable for him. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you for the opportunity 😊
Popcornandbuttons · 06/11/2018 21:35

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We tested the Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?


This tablet is awesome. My 4 year old is ecstatic - she loves games and flipping between different tv shows and the content available is right up her street. Performance is good - game graphics were surprisingly good for such a well priced tablet.

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?


I think the case is good - it's easy for my kids to hold. I like that it doesn't have a stand - with my iPad the end up flipping it over and having the case close on itself and locking themselves out - no such problem with the Fire tablet. The two year warranty is fantastic - I feel more comfortable taking the tablet out of the house (i.e. to restaurant) knowing that it's well enough built to withstand kids hands.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?


Yes I found the parental controls easy to use, and it was easy to flip between the profiles. I liked being able to put a timer on the tablet use, and also being able to override this if needed.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?


I was surprised at the amount of content and the variety - it was much better than expected. The variety of games is especially good.
My daughter found most of her favourite shows on the tablet to watch, although some more films would be good.

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?


It's definitely useful to monitor what your kids are doing. I generally am with my daughter whilst she plays on the tablet, so I haven't needed to use this very much.

In summary, we all think the Fire tablet is fantastic. It saved me from a toddler meltdown at a restaurant on Sunday; so I'm very very grateful for being chosen as a tester.
Popcornandbuttons · 06/11/2018 21:37

I forgot to say we haven't used the Books section yet - but I like that this is here!! My daughter is just starting to learn to read so I'm sure we will be exploring the books section over the next few months.

Miaow1234 · 07/11/2018 14:13

WE tested the 7 with a yellow case.

The tablet had a lot of games she has wanted before but not been able to use because of in app payment and pop ups so she was really happy she could just play them . Appeared slow in loading at times but nothing that really impacted on her use.

The 2 year protection package is a great idea especially as my daughter has smashed 2 iPad screens! It definitely adds peace of mind and the case is great, only change I would make is a stand with it as my daughter has been propping against teacups and bottles to watch cartoons and obviously a downward head posture to watch tablets isn’t good for your neck and spine.

Parental controls straight forward and easy to use. The timer is a good option too.

The kids unlimited had a great choice of cartoons and series’s, the only thing I need to change is the age content as my daughter is 6 but does like some series that are for over 10 so not included in the age range she was given with profile set up.

I looked at the parental dashboard but haven’t really used. As she gets older though it is something I would use for reassurance she’s ok.

Overall a fab tablet at a great price, the kids unlimited is a great idea and the monthly subscription price is something I would pay when the 12 months is up too.

DoodleCat · 07/11/2018 15:05

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
10

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes absolutely. It is being used by a 6 year old and 3 year old. They can both navigate through the different areas and find things of interest to them. 3 year old is finding changing profile trickier but will get it.
  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

Brilliant! The case is light but the foam like material seems strong enough should it be dropped. The 2 year replacement is very reassuring.

My only annoyance is the colours... Why blue and pink?! Why choose colours that are so often used to define whether children are boys or girls?? I'd much rather the yellow option be accompanied by purple or red or a colour less gendered....
  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Very easy. Like setting the age so you know they won't happen upon content for older children.
  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

They both have found lots, 6 year old espy enjoying the variety of games. They haven't said anything is missing.
  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes, I haven't explored it to its fullest extent but so far I like it.

So pleased with the tablet, we will renew our subscription after the year ends!
BigBadBarryatemyboat · 07/11/2018 19:57

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
Fire Kids Edition 10 (Pink)

Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?
Yes, there is such an array of apps, videos and books. I have a 4 year old and almost 7 year old, so they are both a different stages of learning. I think the tablet does take a while to fully charge again, not sure if others have found this.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?
I think this is great. The durable casing looks like it will stand up to a lot of rough child's play. I especially love the 2 year worry-free guarantee, this will give many parents peace of mind and more parents may invest in the tablet knowing that if it is damaged then they can have it replaced easily.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
The parental controls were really clear and easy to use. We set up two profiles, one for each child and were able to set different aims, time limits and choose age appropriate content. This feature certainly allows you more control over screen time. It is great being able to see the different things your child is doing, view the history and set educational targets for books etc. I also like the fact that I can control settings through the parent dashboard, very good idea.

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
My children like watching videos on YouTube, so they quickly noticed that this was not available. However their needs were easily met with the other available options. They enjoy playing a lot of the games.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?
I haven't fully utilised the parent dashboard, but in general it is a good additional feature. It really does show you how much time kids can waste on screens if not monitored. But the time limit feature will help with this.

I also felt the packaging was very sleek and stylish. Amazon are certainly doing some things right.

Coffeecoffeebuzzbuzzbuzz · 07/11/2018 20:36

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids edition in blue

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes, absolutely. My ds who is now 5 enjoyed the kindle aspect with the books and the age appropriate apps and games; particularly the cbeebies app and the blaze game. It performed very well with an easy and straightforward set up process and had an intuitive interface that my ds was confident in using within a day.

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

The case is fantastic and very durable. It is reassuring to have the 2 year worry free period.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Yes these were a very good feature particularly with regards to safeguarding and monitoring usage. They were easy to set up and worked well to limit screen time and ensure educational activity was completed before recreational.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

My ds was very pleased and didn't ask for anything else.
  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes, as mentioned above it was really useful to be able to monitor (even though he was always with us when he used it it gives peace of mind for when he is older.)

Thank you for allowing us to test this product!
Thisoneorthatone · 07/11/2018 20:56

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet in blue

Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?
Yes! So much, it's amazing, it's completely full of available books, films, TV shows, apps and games which I wasn't really expecting. My 5 year old only watches Cbeebies and Disney films so it was like Christmas for her, it's absolutely amazing. The train obsessed 3 year old was very pleased to see Chuggington and all the Thomas things. It takes a while to download the apps which is annoying for an impatient 3 year old but I'm not sure it's avoidable.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?
The case is great, soft rubber but not brittle and with good grip. It feels really secure and it's reassuring having the replacement guarantee as well, plus it means Amazon really has faith in their case and a vested interest in the case working effectively.

There's definitely scope for more case colours & patterns, the three children in my house old enough to specify have purple, orange and green as favourite colours, none of which are case options! A loop on the case might be useful too to fix it to something so a child can't drop it on a car journey and be unable to get it back.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
We got our tablet a bit late so I haven't had time to investigate all the parental stuff yet, though even with only two children using it so far I like the timer! The age appropriate content on each profile is reassuring too. It seems easy to use and well thought out.

I also agree with a previous reviewer that one of my favourite things so far is that it came 75% charged so we could unpack it and get started! It only needed my Amazon log in and our WiFi password, so I set it up in less than 5 minutes before the baby woke up, to keep my 3 year old busy before the school run.

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
They're both more than happy with the content! I need to find some more educational apps, the sort of school recommended learning ones, but my children are very happy. I can see it would be hard to lose the subscription when the year is up! Exploring the parent section has also made me want the Kindle book subscription so it's definitely sold me on subscription content.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?
Mine are still the age where we'll watch what they're doing anyway but I love that this is there as an overview, it's brilliant. It's accessible from any device to log into and I like the control and oversight it gives you as a parent without hovering and from a distance, like Amazon's website it's easy to use, well laid out and really self explanatory. It would be good if you could send cheeky little messages too like a scrolling feed along their tablet from another room, but it might make it a more invasive system.

Thank you so much for sending me this Amazon and Mumsnet, it's absolutely brilliant, I'm so impressed. Now I have to hope we don't get too used to it, with four small children this could be an expensive trial!

babba2014 · 07/11/2018 21:25

Hi,
I've used different kids tablets before as well as the general tablets for everyone so I will make reference to these as well to help explain my answers.

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

I tested the Fire HD 10. Mine came with a pink case. It is easy on the eyes.


  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?


I have a lot of experience with technology and people tend to come to me to find the right tablet/phone/laptop for them. I tend to play around and see what's new and what's good or not so I can have a very abrupt view on certain tech as I don't have time to waste (we're parents!).

My answer to this question is yes and no. Please see my other answers too to see my own view but as a parent, and seeing my children use the tablet, the kids setting felt a bit messy but usable. It looks kid friendly. The theme suits the kids. However the home screen feels a bit messy. My kids are on the younger side of under 10s and what I found is that there are plenty of books to download and read together but if they want to use the tablet themselves without my help, there is no easy way to press the back button. We have used the Leapfrog tablet in the past and the overlook on screen look and controls of it are very child friendly. It is easy to use. This is the one thing that the Fire HD for kids lacks. If there was a nice big animated back button it would be perfect.

They found the library of books available amazing, as did I but it is all a bit jumbled. There was a lot of endless scrolling to find books they liked so it was time consuming. I think a more organised library would be much better where it is divided into categories with an obvious picture (eg ABC, Vehicles, Mr Men etc etc) I did end up finding books for them and saving them to read later with them. However it's all part of the kids experience of using an actual tablet and finding books to suit them so it's definitely something Amazon could revamp and I'd be more than happy to show what it could potentially look like.

Kids aren't fussy though so they enjoyed all aspects of the tablet (the books, the games etc) and I'd be sitting with them every time they'd use it. Their only suggestion is making it more organised. The great thing about the book library is that we got to read books we wouldn't have otherwise found before with great illustrations. On the other hand there are several books which are very strange! And they just stay in that endless scrolling library. I wish there was a way to remove them so we don't have to waste time seeing them. It may gives parents a laugh... Or not.

The tablet itself is smooth, fast and easy to use. Certainly one of the best.


  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?


It's excellent. The case has an amazing grip at the back. It won't be easy to drop the tablet. It has a design on the back to aid the grip on the tablet. It is also chunky but lightweight. We chose pink randomly and it's easy on the eyes.
The guarantee is excellent as it tablets can easily go downhill within 2 years so it reassures us as parents that should something happen to it, another couple of hundred pounds won't need to be forked out.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?


Yes. I really like the interface. It's clean and simple so it's straightforward to use. You can set daily goals and time limits. This is split into weekdays and weekends.
The bedtime setting is great so, this feature especially for older kids is great as if the tablet is in their room there is no chance they will sneakily go on the tablet in the night.

There is a section called Educational Goals (Apps, Books, Audible and Videos). You can set a minimum time for each so eg for videos you can set it as No Goal whereas for books you can set it for eg 30 minutes. You can then tick a box where kids can't play games etc (entertainment) until the goals have been met (so they must read for 30 minutes before the tablet allows them to play a game).

You can also set screen time limits so 1 hour a day etc.
You can also time them by activity type. So eg they can read books and listen to audible for an unlimited amount of time however they have a one hour limit for watching videos and browsing the web. This is the best feature by far. It really helps and allows the parent to know that kids won't be endlessly playing games or watching videos and will be using their time more widely, set by the parent! Without having to nag.

You can turn the above features off with one click and can have a profile for each child.

There is another setting where you can filter the content available by age. This is really helpful as at first we found lots of older kids books jumbled up amongst younger kids in the book library and it made it difficult finding suitable books quickly. With this setting it clears all the unwanted stuff and leaves age appropriate books etc.

There is a feature called Add Content which is really useful. This is where the tablet is amazing. You have the normal parents side of the tablet which is a normal tablet and you can use it as normal, download your favourite games and apps etc. You can also download ones which your kids may like and on the Add Content section on the settings, you can make these very apps etc available for your kids to use.

There is also the very important enabling/disabling of in-app purchasing! You can also enable/disable the age-appropriate web browser for your kids. This has further settings where you can select which websites your kids can go on and also view their web history.

All of these features make it much more satisfying for a parent to hand over a tablet to their kids. However as time goes by we will be able to see if any dodgy or unusual things pop up on the kids accounts like the horror stories you hear about kids videos on the YouTube kids app (which this tnskrt doesn't have but the videos on there basically take you YouTube.com).

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?


Yes they were happy. They got access to a number of books which they may not have read before. However there is something lacking in that we searched for Dear Zoo (example) and the book didn't come up so we'd want to know more about this.

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?


Yes very. Although we limit the kids screen time anyway, the parent dashboard gives great insight into what the kids use and allows the parent to reflect and perhaps change settings if needed to divert the kids attention to more useful things or, if the kids are more into educational apps, allow the parent to cater their lifestyle towards the interests they show whilst on the tablet. Or just get a really good idea into what kids like to do when they have access to a kid friendly tablet!

I have to say that although the tablet looks like a kids only tablet with parental control due to the bright and chunky case, it is an awesome adults tablet too. It is so smooth and easy to use and beats a lot of tablets I've used in the past but gives the extra features of having full parental control and a whole separate section for kids. It's easy to switch between accounts.

I would recommend this tablet to any family.
MonaChopsis · 07/11/2018 22:03

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
We were lucky enough to get the 8 inch HD tablet with a yellow case.

Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?
I was impressed straight out of the box how easy the tablet was to set up and personalise to the age and needs of the child. I liked how easy it was to amend, too... DD (8) defaulted to a 2-8 age range, but after playing with the tablet we quickly realised that showed too many apps/books etc for younger kids, so switched her to a 6-10 age range, which she was much happier with.

It's the first HD tablet we've had, and I was really impressed by the graphics and the speed. I thought it was miles ahead of the other tablets I have used.

The only things we found frustrating was the layout of the books/apps etc - we would both have preferred to have a search or check box type function so options could be narrowed down quickly rather than always having to scroll! Eg in books if you could narrow it down to fiction or non-fiction, and then if non fiction were clicked choose from a range of options such as animals/space/making stuff etc.

I also found it difficult to access third party apps via the children's profiles... For instance I downloaded Roblox but can't seem to get it showing on DD's profile despite 'ticking' it on her profile options page.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?
I think it's great. When I first saw the case I was worried that it was too clunky for little hands, but actually it is so light and easy to grip, I really enjoy it too!! I would have loved it to have had some sort of fold out stand/handle option though. I think the 2 year guarantee is excellent and means I'm really happy for the tablet to come out and about with us, too.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
I liked being able to access them from my phone, and easily being able to check up on what DD had been doing/viewing without hovering over her! I found them really easy to use from the tablet, but hard to find - I would have appreciated a direct link called something really obvious like 'profile settings' on the main screen!!

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
She was delighted with the easy access to the books and Amazon Prime content. As before, the only thing she has been frustrated by is the lack of ability to access third party apps such as Roblox, and she has found it hard to choose... A easy to use search function would be great.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?
Yes, I've really been enjoying having a sneaky peek into what she is really viewing and doing Grin She definitely spends far more time on apps than she admits to, she thinks she reads more than she does!

The only other comment to make is that I would really like to have some kind of parental code override to the timing controls. For instance, if I wanted to have a go at trying to get Roblox on DD's profile again, it's a real faff to check whether it's there, because of the time limits (no access after 6.30pm). If I could use my code to access any profile at any time, then it would be much easier to see what she could see.

I hope this feedback is useful, we have really enjoyed being able to test the tablet, and are really grateful for the opportunity. Thanks Amazon, and Mumsnet!

DaisyDando · 07/11/2018 22:19

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test? Fire 7

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well? Definitely. It was a great size for my 3.5 year old and it performed very well. Loads of content and easy to use. My son found his way round it easily.
  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)? The kid friendly case (ours was yellow) is actually very attractive and extremely robust. Much more so than my “tough” Ipad one. The 2 year worry guarantee is great and actually the reason why my sister bought my niece one.
  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features? They were easy to use and I liked the peace of mind they offered. I thought I would be constantly putting pin codes in or granting access but it wasn’t like that.
  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing? Yes, there is absolutely loads available which is age appropriate. My son likes to watch nonsense on YouTube. So he missed that, but I was happy not having it.
  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet? Yes, although in time I think I will find it more so.

This was a great product to test. Thank you.
MonaChopsis · 07/11/2018 22:39

Actually, quick addition... It doesn't seem that Alexa is available on the kids profile, and I can't understand why not?? Am I doing something wrong? Have just spent another 30 mins trying to figure out how to get Roblox on DD's profile and it is a bit frustrating! Still no idea why it's not working.

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sewonandsewon · 08/11/2018 11:55

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
Fire 10.

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes absolutely - we were all really impressed.

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

The case was great - it felt really secure and had a nice grippable design too. The guarantee is a really useful bonus too.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

It took a few days before I realised they were there, but really liked them and found them straight forward to set up. I think the time limit feature and being able to put 'educational features' first were my favourite aspects. (To my kids annoyance 😂)

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

They were both thrilled - especially having access to all the Toca games, which they love. I'm hoping we can explore the videos more, in time.
  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

I've not used that lots, as we generally have 1 eye on what they are doing anyway, but I can see the advantage, especially for older kids.

We loved testing this out, and my kids have really enjoyed using it. It's now a firm favourite in our house, although we may have to buy another to stop the squabbles!
My 7 year old wanted to point out ahe would like to see the case available in all the rainbow colours too! (A customisable/swap option for the case would be good, as would a small stand so they don't have to continuously hold it/lay it flat)
I did struggle to find information about the subscription cost after the first year too.

Thanks again Amazon and Mumsnet!
regularbutpanickingabit · 08/11/2018 12:09

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
We had the 7 with the blue case. A great size for a 3/4 year old in the house but also a very portable size which makes it even more useful for us as a family.

  • Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

Yes, mostly. He is almost 4 and has played on his siblings' tablets so had an idea of what to do to tap something to play etc. but no idea how to actually find content. Once I had set up the age range for him it was fab. He could easily get content working and I didn't have to worry about him accessing content that was inappropriate - or would cost me money. I just found it hard to see some things that I am used to like adding items to watchlist and then finding a watchlist or favourite.

  • What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

I absolutely love the case. It is chunky, colourful and definitely protects the device better than any of the cases I have for other devices in the house. I thought it might be too chunky for him when I first took it out of the box but it was actually the perfect size for him to hold it securely. The 2 year warranty is reassuring. Hopefully we won't need to use it but it is great to have as a bonus.

  • Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

Yes. Some of the most useful features will come in to play as he gets older - I don't feel I need to set an educational goal before he watches programmes, for example, because I am still more hands on with his timing and activities. I am familiar with Amazon as a site and have normal Prime so was initially confused as to where content was stored and how to bookmark it.

  • Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

Yes. One of the reasons I was so keen to try this is because we have a fire stick for our TV and have discovered some great original Prime content for adults. It was and will carry on being interesting and fun to see the original content for kids is like. There were some popular shows that he couldn't easily access that he might watch via TV but that's fine. Also much prefer the lack of access to YouTube videos that suddenly switch to some random content in the middle of a film!

  • Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes, it could get a bit addictive, too! It was here that I could organise adding previously bought Amazon content to appear instantly on the tablet. That was helpful.

Thank you for the opportunity to test this. It is fantastic.
Lyn29 · 08/11/2018 15:17

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We tested the Amazon 7 Fire 7 tablet which was with a blue case but an additional pink case was sent which fit on perfect.

Did you find that the Fire Kids Edition tablet held up to all your child’s needs and that the device performed well?

I thought that the device was amazing, I was pleasantly really surprised at all the content on it,how easy it was to navigate, ease of setting up, and my daughter learnt how to use the tablet quickly and absolutely loved it. It was such an improvement on her old tablet by ease, apps, content, quality, battery life and appearance. I thought that the device performed really well and we are only really starting on learning everything that it can do.

What did you think about the protection package that is included with the device (i.e. the kid-friendly case and 2-year worry free guarantee)?

I thought this was amazing as our old tablet broke and I had no idea how to fix it or if it could even be repaired so this defiantly gives you a sense of protection and less worry, even though Ive told my daughter to look after this one and be more responsible for her belongings. I think its a great guarantee as alot of guarantees are only for a year but with the additional year its such a bonus.

Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?

I loved the parental controls as it gave me a sense of security and control of what she could access, what time, for how long and I loved that you can adapt it age appropriate as this would be perfect if you had multiple children or children that maybe need a younger/older content. My favourite feature was being able to put a limit on how long she could use the tablet and also being able to give her unlimited access to books but limited access to apps.

Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?

Very happy with the content, feel like we havent really explored, played, watched, read even a quarter of what is on the tablet so my daughter is really excited to see what fun apps she can play with books to read and fun programmes to watch. I actually can not think of one thing that is missing, I found that the tablet is jam packed with so much that and Im surprised by the cost of the tablet and actually think that its worth much more than it is.

Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?

Yes very much so, it was nice to see that my daughter hadnt had any internet use, had read quite a few books, some of which I think she would of never thought of picking up at the library so thats was an added bonus, and it did make me see that she had been playing the games on the apps ALOT so that made me aware of her screen time so after that I put the time usage control on as sometimes its hard to remember how long they have been actually using the tablet.

Thank you so much for a wonderful product test!!
My daughter and I are over the moon with the tablet and I cant compliment it enough!!!!!!

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