Kids iPad/Tablet advice please

[KiplingAngelCake]

Hello - we are thinking of getting a tablet for DCs (almost 10 and 7), but totally unsure what would work best - one to share or one each.

I like the idea of one to share, but not sure if it's workable in practice! One each would mean a more basic tablet, but think the almost 7yr old is a bit young to have his own tablet.

Do you have DCs of similar age and do they have own tablets? Any advice?

Thanks

As of Xmas both DC (2 and 6) will have their own (super cheap) Kindle Fires. They use them for freebie games (internet is off on the one DS1 already has - we turn it back on to download things for him).

We’re more comfortable with him playing games on that than having access to our phones. I think DS1 was4 when we bought it for him. DS2 is younger because he watches his brother and at £30 in the Black Friday sale why not!

But if your DC are old enough that they want internet access then a super cheap tablet may not work. Sharing might work for some siblings but mine would murder each other (or I might lose the will to live).

Watching, my ds (5) wants an Ipad, but tbh I think he is too young for one. However I'm considering a leap frog one or something....

DS 9 has an iPad and I honestly don't think he would be content with anything less..

Just upgraded my DC's 12 and 10 to a Samsung Galaxy which is a Black Friday deal from Currys, they have gphad the fires but seem to have outgrown them now

One each. Kindle Fire's are on sale at the moment, I'd recommend the 8" and a kidproof case.

The Kindles have decent kid-safe settings too, you can just google up how to use them. Other cheap tablets it's a crapshoot what you get in controls.

Definitely one each otherwise there would be arguments it's not like a games console they could play together.

My dds have the Amazon fire tablets they are 10 and 6. Dd1 has had hers since her 6th birthday and still working brilliantly. She can play Minecraft, roblox, watch crappy videos and take photos/videos. Dd2 just plays minion run, fruit ninja and talking tom. We have time limits in place and age restrictions. They can do everything they want to be able to do on them :)

We will probably upgrade dd1s for a more updated or powerful one on her birthday the year she starts secondary school (Nov birthday).

Thanks all. Yep, one each is definitely going to be the way forward. I was a bit naive to contemplate warm and fuzzy scenes of siblings happily sharing .

We have a Kindle Fire HD8 for DD (aged 9). We pay for Kids Unlimited and I'm pretty pleased with it. Took a bit of setting up and two calls to Amazon (I'm only familiar with iPads!) but Amazon were brilliant at talking me through stuff.

Kids Unlimited is subscription based and has lots of kid friendly content. You can use an age slider to show things suitable for that age particularly. It has free books, apps and kids videos. Easy to download other apps and books and I go in and add them to DD's kids account. I can set up time limits and enforce reading on the kindle before non-educational content is unlocked. I can see all her usage so I know if she's been reading or playing on apps (only limit is that it just says minutes played/read not the actual time of day)

The only other limits so far that I've noticed, are that samples of kindle books can't yet be downloaded to the kids profile. Also although you can play audible books, you can't use immersive reading and have them play while also looking at the book (while in the kids profile). This was a bit of a pain as I was hoping it would work and help my reluctant reader expand her book horizons. I also paid £10 to take the adverts off the splash screen. I just rung up Amazon and they did it instantly.

Otherwise I'm delighted with the purchase and got a really great deal on it too. I saved money buying the regular Kindle and then chose a case separately. We have accidental damage on our home insurance and DD is pretty careful so I didn't bother buying the Kids Edition.