Read Mumsnet users feedback on the Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablets

[EllieMumsnet]

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

• Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We received a yellow Fire 8 tablet.

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

It's quite hard to evaluate the tablet so early as we have only had it for a week, but so far so good! There is a lot to do available and I like the option of using it as a normal 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 it's genius! It is a huge selling point. It makes me feel much more relaxed about the children using it independently. The yellow case is also quite sturdy. We are quite careful generally but as I also have a toddler, accidents happen from time to time. This guarantee makes me much more likely to buy a tablet and to recommend it to other families, and I wouldn't mind paying extra for that peace of mind.

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

I haven't explored everything yet but I like being able to limit what my children do and how long they stay on the tablet. The main reason I never allowed them to use a tablet before is that I don't want them to spend too much time on screens, so this definitely made me feel more relaxed about it.

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

There is just so much content to go through, it is a bit overwhelming. I love that there are so many books though, I can use that to read stories in the evening or when we are traveling.

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

Yes, it is nice to be able to monitor exactly what they are doing and watching, I feel more relaxed knowing that I don't have to check on them at all times because I can review what they have done later, and all content is meant to be child-friendly.

I am quite surprised how practical the tablet is, as I am generally not in support of tablets for young children. I wouldn't let them use it everyday (it's pretty addictive!), but it's great for traveling or for relaxing during the weekend or holidays.

Quick question to those of you who have downloaded apps or enabled movies/programmes previously bought via Amazon... How do you get them to show on the kids profiles?! I have gone in to DD's profile, and 'ticked' them under the add content section, but I can't see them, or find them via search, on her profile! Help please?!

(@vixo, @Beach 11, @babba2014, @regularbutpanickingabit... All of you mentioned downloading apps or watching movies from Amazon etc! Could you help me?)

@vixo, @Beach11, your names didn't format properly! Please could you help with my query in the post above?!

I downloaded them from the kids section but the videos were basically just youtube links that they've directed towards rather than just adding the YouTube app since Amazon and YouTube have issues.

questions:

• Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We tested the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition.

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

We absolutely love it! It’s a huge pro that you can set up different profiles. I did one for each of my children and mine was automatically there. The screen is really bright and easy to navigate and having used an old iPad for so long this really felt tailored to the kids’ needs in that it’s easy to use, bright, no pop ups, and I like that you an personalise the profiles. I couldn’t believe how many apps there is to work through and I got nearly as excited as my kids to see so many fantastic books (well known authors, educational, huge choice) on offer. They have been playing the same 5 or 6 games for the last year on our old tablet and my 5 year olds eyes nearly popped out when she saw the myriad games to choose from!
Downloading the content took quite a while, but perhaps that’s because of the aforementioned excitement and trying to download basically everything at once. Fabulous to have so much choice. This will keep my children entertained and engaged for years as they grow, I really feel it is a piece of technology that will grow with them.

• 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 children are careful but accidents do happen and it’s refreshing to have a product that offers you peace of mind that you’re not going to have to shell out again if it gets broken. It’s very trusting of amazon and certainly has a personal touch; that as a consumer you can really trust this company and it’s product. Having said that, my 2 year old bashed the cat with this tablet; no harm to the tablet with its flexible sturdy case, but the cat was a bit bruised.

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

Yes. I’m a bit of a technophobe and I had to keep retrying to get into the controls. Good job they weren’t controls against my use...however I easily downloaded the app to my phone and it’s really simple to get straight to the dashboard. My children don’t need a timer as they are so young and all activity is done in plain sight of us, but as they get older and squirrel off to their bedrooms this tool will become especially useful. At that point, I would be very interested to see (have a nose) at how much time they spend watching videos vs doing educational stuff.

• 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 delirious as mentioned, at having such a broad choice of books and games. I’m struggling a bit with the videos; they work at home with WiFi but I can’t work out if/how to download them to be watched when we venture out and want to enjoy a glass of wine while the kids are entertained...ho ho.

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

Yes. Whilst I don’t feel it’s applicable to us at this point in our parenting journey it is definitely a pro for years to come. But I don’t currently need to know that my 2 year old son has watched 4 hours of Blaze and the monster machines because I’m there watching the bladdy thing with him.

Overall, a wonderful innovative and exciting product to test and it has and will get so much use. I can’t see that they will get bored of this for a very long time. Probably until all the kids start using hollographic tablets.

Thanks so much for allowing us to try this out. It’s made our day/week/year

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

We tested the blue Fire 8 tablet - DS(5) and DS(8).

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

They have really enjoyed it so far. There are loads of programmes, games and books ready and waiting. I have let them both explore the available content, and I have also added a few extra bits for them. It isn’t always easy for them to find what they are looking for though, and it would probably be easier for them to navigate if the content was sorted into categories, for example. They can search for things, but that only helps if they already know what they are looking for.

The tablet size is good for them, the graphics are great, and my 8-year-old loves the feel of the case! They both also love the feeling that it is theirs, and as I’m able to let them use it independently, it really is theirs.

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 loved it! My children are lively (yes, I know what they are really), and it really gave me peace of mind. They have actually been quite sensible with it, but I feel so much more relaxed about them using it, and it’s lovely not to have to be hovering over them when they are using it. DH is struggling to get past the ‘be careful, BE CAREFUL!’ mindset, but I think even he is starting to realise that it’s actually pretty sturdy.

The case looks good and feels nice to hold. It’s lightweight, but seems like it would withstand a lot.

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

I did find them useful and easy to set up. I liked that I could restrict certain shows, but did wish I could restrict individual (curated) web videos in the same way, rather than it being all or nothing. There was nothing age-inappropriate, but I would have liked a way to weed out some of the more inane ‘watching strangers playing video games’ content. It was simple to add content though, and it’s quick to add a favourite website or video.

My favourite feature by a mile was the ability to set time limits. Not only was I able to specify a set amount of educational time before ‘fun’ screen time, but I also no longer had any ‘just let me finish this...’ arguments. After all, it’s not me telling them it’s time to stop - it’s the tablet 👍🏻

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

They are very happy, although they have barely scratched the surface. There is so much for them to explore, but I don’t think they have the patience to keep scrolling. They are enjoying the games, books, etc. that they find, but it can take them a while to find and choose it.

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

I haven’t used it beyond looking to see what information it stores, but I can see how it might be useful in the future.

Thank you so much for the chance to test the tablet. I would recommend it to families with younger children 😊

@MonaChopsis
I downloaded a couple of maths apps on to my profile (which I paid for) and then added them to the children’s profile but I’m pretty sure I did it exactly as you describe so I’m not sure I can help! The apps appeared on the children’s profiles and they were able to access them. I haven’t downloaded any specific videos. They have accessed the programme they wanted from amazon on their profiles. Sorry not to be more help.

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

The 8 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?

Yes, I loved the case, robust and lightweight. Felt drop proof. I didn't find the device too slow or laggy. I wasn't expecting too much given some of the reviews on Amazon but I was pleasantly surprised

• 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)?

As above regarding the case and the 2yr guarantee gives great peace of mind. Most similar items have a guarantee of 1 yr so I was pleased.

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

I like the interface and the fact that I can limit the time that it is used. Much to my 6 yr olds dismay! I liked that I could see what they were spending their time doing, and gently direct them to the more educational content on occasion

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

Yep she was happy, although was going through different apps at quite a fast rate. I imagine she will return again and again to he ones she liked. The only glaring error is that You tube is not on the app store.

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

Yes, especially the books. I liked to choose them with her, and she loves to show me what she was up to.

A huge thanks for the opportunity, My children and I were so pleased to be able to test it.

@MonaChopsis
Hi,
Download the app in your profile the switch to the child’s profile. Pull down from the top and click the clog picture next to child’s profile pic. Then where it says ‘manage child’s content’ click on ‘add content’, then ‘share content’. Click the app you want to add then click done. Go back to the child’s profile and use the search bar to type in name of the app you’ve added and it should appear under ‘added for you’ click the app pic and it will download to the profile.

Hope this helps x

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

fire 7 yellow

• 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’s fantastic, much faster than other tablets we have used and there is more than enough content in there for my child with games and books etc.

• 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)?

kid friendly case is lovely and bright and easy to hold,
The 2 year guarantee is a brilliant plus with this product. Kids can be clumsy. Hopefully it will never break with the case on though!

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

they take some getting used to but are very useful for separating suitable content and the internet browser. I can change pins to stop my child accessing things I don’t want him to.

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

very happy! He didn’t know so many games and apps existed and hasn’t even had a chance to look through the half of it yet! I think an easier simple search function for apps and books and games would be easier to use than scrolling through.

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

yes it gives me insight into what my child is using and enjoying the most

Thank you so much for the opportunity! This is such a good product that has made my child so happy. We will discover more great features as time goes on I think aswell!

Testers please answer the following questions:

• Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

Blue 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. We were very surprised by how user friendly and easy it was tbh. My husband has an older (much older) kindle and the difference is incredible.

• 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 fantastic: my kids love the feel of the case, it’s easy to hold; doesn’t slip off and I like the fact that if comes installed. The worry free guarantee sounds great, I hope the reality is as good should we need to use it.

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

We have not had time to explore these fully but so far, yes. I like that each member of the family has their own profile.

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

So happy! My kids are thrilled with the game apps, so many great suggestions that we would not have know about otherwise.

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

I have yet to discover this. Oops. Must find out more.

@babba2014, @vixo, @Beach11
Thanks for your help. Beach11, what you described was exactly what I did, but it didn't work. I ended up deleting the whole profile, and setting it up again... The second time they were visible on DD's new profile. No idea why it didn't work the first time, but all's well that ends well!!

My 5 year old now refers to our tablet as ‘the kindle on fire’!

Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

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

My children loved the range of apps and videos that were available, there wasn't anything they wanted that couldn't be found. However we found that it sometimes struggled performance-wise; we had quite a few screen freezes, and at times the response time was very slow.

• 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 is brilliant, the best I've come across! It's really tough, the kids can't get it off and they love the colour. The guarantee is great as it gives peace of mind that you won't have spent out and then be without a tablet if it's damaged.

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

Yes they were great, I liked being able to set a time for switching on and off, and a time limit for different activities. I liked the idea of a learning target to be able to get play/video time, although I haven't used it yet.

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

They loved it - all the games they love on Android and iPad were available, plus one in particular that they've wanted for ages but hasn't been available on iPad in the UK!

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

Yes, it was good to see their activity, something that would be handy on all devices!

On the whole, we liked it. The content is brilliant (I don't know how that will reduce after the subscription ends though) and its a very kid friendly tablet. However, I didn't feel that it performed as well as an iPad - there is lots of lag in response times and the screen froze in several occasions.

- Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?
Fire HD 8 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 they were extremely happy with it and didn't find it babyish, there was nothing that they wanted to do and couldn't, it was also quick at loading etc so they didn't get frustrated.
- 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 guarantee would make me more likely to purchase this over another kids tablet, especially as my DC take after me for being clumsy! (I wish they offered the same on adult ones, but it would cost them a fortune for me alone ) the case was really good as it gave them something to grip on to, which actually means they are less likely to drop it, and is chunky enough to protect from minor drops, while also being comfortable and easier to use the tablet because of the case
- Did you find the parental controls useful and easy to use? If so, what were your favourite features?
Yes they were quite self-explanatory, my favourite is the time limits and ability to set timed educational tasks to be completed before they could play about on it. I think this is an excellent feature, not something I would have thought possible (something I'd have said myself but then had to police each time and deal with the moaning, which doesn't happen as it's just accepted that this is how the tablet works) before testing this, I think it gives a great balance and they really have thought about it from a parents point of view
- Was your child happy with the content available through the 1 year Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription? Anything they felt was missing?
They were, there hasn't been anything yet but the law of averages tells me that there will be at some point but with everything else available I don't see that it would be an issue to find something else instead, I need to look in to what to do after the year and relevant costs because this is something that they would like to continue
- Did you find the Parent Dashboard useful for engaging with what your kids were doing on the tablet?
It was good to be able to show them that it may feel like they hadn't been on it for long but look you were on it for X amount of time, to give me reassurance that I didn't have to watch every second they were on it (although this is mainly due to the parental control) As I could quickly check what they were, and had been, doing while I was in the kitchen sorting tea out. It also meant that I could talk to them about what they had been doing, which meant conversation developed from their time on the tablet rather than it making them solitary screen zombies, and also made them aware that I knew what they were doing at all times (and may have helped with them believing that I have eyes in the back of my head )

Huge thankyou to MN and Amazon for selecting us to test this, it far exceeded my expectations and I can't recommend it enough!

• Which Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet did you test?

The fire 7 kids edition in yellow

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

It did.The battery life was good which meant he could take it out and about with him and it loaded very quickly too. He used it in the car on a couple of very long journeys and it didn't run out of battery and he also did a mini research project for school so he could take it out and photograph/label things as he went along. He also needed minimal assistance with doing this so it very much felt like it was his project.

• 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 actually one of my favourite features. It was nice to allow him to take the tablet out into the woods and take photographs knowing that I didn't have to hover/helicopter over the top of him because I was worried about it getting damaged. I think I started out the trial thinking that a tablet and a child of 7 wasn't going to be compatible and largely because I worried about the cost of replacement, but knowing that it was protected both physically and by its guarantee meant that I could let him explore the tablet and its capabilities without constantly worrying. He also found it much easier to hold with the protective case. He took it off once through curiosity and couldn't hold onto the tablet well at all. I also LOVED the bright yellow colour. It was easy to find it on the sofa and it couldn't slip down the side and disappear like every other precious thing we need with 8 seconds left until we MUST leave the house.

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

Absolutely. I have to say that I was a little startled at the speed at which it became his most favourite thing to do so the ability to curtail the use of it was fabulous. I very much liked that I could set up a limited time for both weekdays and weekends recognising that we have different commitments at different times and also, that there was a way of making sure that he was using it to read/learn first before being able to access some of the other content. This is a real selling point and a reason I would recommend it to other parents who are worried about unlimited time or non-educational time taking over.

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

He certainly seemed content. He hasn't quite had enough time to explore everything actually but that's a positive. There's still so much more to discover and there's very little chance of him becoming easily bored.

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

Once I had got to grips with it (and I did find the Amazon tutorial very good for this), it proved extremely useful. There's a fine balance between allowing children to explore the tablet and keeping an eye on their activities. I think this is something the vast majority of parents will admit and so what proved to be a very straightforward way of monitoring their activity and gave peace of mind. It also meant that I could talk to him about his use of the tablet afterwards and we could discuss his use of it rather than it be something that he does in isolation. Particularly when he felt that it was unfair that I was limiting his time on there, it was extremely useful to be able to show him how long he had been on there.

(many, many apologies for not getting this done sooner, not Ellie's fault in any way, she was very good at reminding me, I was not very good at checking my emails whilst away on a trip)!

Thank you Ellie and Amazon. It was a really interesting trial and as I said, I don't think we've even used it to its full potential yet. He is currently reading a book on the loo. You see what you've created @EllieMumsnet. Do you?

We have a Kindle Fire Kids Edition and had the free subscription for a year. It rolls over to a paid subscription after that but there is no indication when you check through the settings on the Kindle that you are paying a sub. I thought it had stopped until I checked my bank statement. I did raise this with Amazon because you could easily forget that you were paying this sub. I hope they've rectified this so that the sub shows up on the device.

If anybody has been watching this or, like me, tested and wants to buy more, Amazon have them reduced now for black Friday

@FestiveForestieraNoel thankyou for that information, really useful

Ll

@FestiveForestieraNoel thanks, just bought two!

George Ezra just on the radio. His voice sends me.
Does anyone else think his voice doesn’t suit him as gorgeous as it is, before I actually saw him I thought the voice belonged to a rather more mature black man, so sexy , husky, and deep.
Is it just me?
Also whose voice does it for you?

Sorry wrong thread🤦🏼‍♀️

Congratulations to Lyn29, littleme96 and 1wokeuplikethis for winning £100 voucher (each)