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Original poster

Kids Kindle for Reading Books?

12 replies

LeonoraFlorence · 25/03/2023 08:30

Does anyone have a kids kindle for actually downloading and reading books? Not for using as a tablet.
My older DDs (7&8) are always reading but I’m not sure what the range of books available would be like? Reviews online aren’t great at all.
Any info would be fab!

OP posts:
LegoLady95 · 25/03/2023 08:33

Just get a regular kindle and set up controls on it. My daughter had one for 7th birthday, she is now 10 and uses it daily.

WhatTheCup · 02/05/2023 10:57

We have a kids Kindle. I chose it because I think the paperwhite screen is better for their eyes. However, the Kids+ is rubbish (we have a year's free subscription), neither of my KS2 aged kids found much to read on it. Sometimes they have a series of books (like Scarlet and Ivy) but only have the first book, so I had to buy the rest of the series. Aside from that, there are none of the usual popular books that kids all go for. The public library offer free ebooks but Amazon have blocked them on the paperwhite Kindle. You might be able to use library ebooks on a Kindle Fire, but I didn't want my kids reading on a tablet screen.

You can only get Amazon books on the paperwhite. As I previously said, Kids+ offers a very limited selection. You can also get some books by having Amazon Prime (at £95/year!), but these books are more tailored toward adults and there is little that my kids would read. The only other option is to buy ebooks from Amazon, which quickly adds up.

I really regret buying it. We spent over £100 on an e reader that will cost us loads of money to buy books for. If I could go back in time I would get a Kobo with a pretty cover (the kindle cover is really nice and I think that's half of the appeal for my DD). Kobo comes with Overdrive in it, which is the app that most public libraries use for their ebooks. That way I would have unlimited free books, unlike now where I have no access to free books and no choice of where I buy books from, only expensive Amazon books and a Kindle that nobody uses.

OldGrannyish · 02/05/2023 11:50

Oh that's interesting @WhatTheCup. I'm also thinking about buying a Kindle for DD.
Can you read Amazon books on a Kobo too? Or do Amazon books only work on a Kindle?
How do you deal with email accounts? DD has her own email address, can she buy her own books on her address (that she will keep when she leaves home!) and still read books that I have bought?

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WhatTheCup · 02/05/2023 12:15

No, I think Amazon is a closed system. You either have amazon books or general ebooks (from loads of other sources, but probably not anything to do with Amazon, Apple or other closed systems).

With the kindle, you use the parents Amazon account to log in. I don't have a Kobo, so I don't know how you log in. I know that for the Overdrive app, you use your library card.

I'm sad about the Kindle when I look over at the beautiful pointless device. My DS gets through a book a week. Currently he's on Mr Gum. I'm not paying £5 for him to read it on the Kindle, when the same ebook is free from the library. If I did, it would be costing me £100 every 20 weeks to support his book habit. It would be cheaper to by a e reader that supports library books. If anyone knows a way that I can make better use of the Kindle, let me know!

JellyBellies · 02/05/2023 12:22

My son does have a kids kindle that he uses but yes I do end up buying kindle books for him to read! I'm thinking of getting kindle unlimited so he doesn't bankrupt me with his reading habit!

Other than that pain point it's a brilliant device. I bought all the Harry potter physical books and he stopped halfway through book 4 as he kept losing his place in the book. Once I got it on the kindle he sped through it and the rest of the series.

WhatTheCup · 02/05/2023 12:42

I didn't think of Kindle unlimited. I've just had a look, but no Mr Gum there either! I think Kids+ and Kindle Unlimited work well if you're the kind of person who would happily read a whole range of books without being too specific. My kids aren't like that (and me neither), they find a series they like and want to read all those books. I have rarely found any books they want to read on Kids+. Ive just looked on Kindle Unlimited for books they might read: Scarlet and Ivy, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Horrid Henry, Tom Gates and none of them are available.

CMOTDibbler · 02/05/2023 12:45

My ds has a normal Kindle which I set up as a child account. This means I can buy books and then 'allow' them to be read on his, and as he got older I share more of my books with him

BertieBotts · 02/05/2023 12:52

If they only want to read books and they aren't reading picture books, I'd look at one of the e-ink ones like Paperwhite, not the kids' one which is essentially a tablet.

It's nicer on the eyes and it doesn't have any distracting games, internet browser etc.

BertieBotts · 02/05/2023 12:53

You can borrow library books on kindles using some of the library apps - maybe check with your library if they do that.

BertieBotts · 02/05/2023 12:53

And if you actually want a kids' tablet, a cheap but good brand Android tablet is better than the amazon ones.

JellyBellies · 06/05/2023 21:54

BertieBotts · 02/05/2023 12:52

If they only want to read books and they aren't reading picture books, I'd look at one of the e-ink ones like Paperwhite, not the kids' one which is essentially a tablet.

It's nicer on the eyes and it doesn't have any distracting games, internet browser etc.

The kids kindle isn't a tablet, it's an actual kindle with a kids account. You can also set up a regular kindle with a kids account but the kids kindle comes with a case and years subscription to Kids+

ZillionDayStreak · 06/05/2023 22:05

My kids have had basic kindle e readers from about age 5. I found quite a lot of cheap or free children’s classics on Amazon, and they also ask for Amazon vouchers for birthdays and Christmas and buy series they want that way.

They’re good for travel and for some books, but we do supplement with the library and they do save up for books they really want (often secondhand). Makes birthday presents easy though!

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