Ready to buy a tablet for your child? While they can be expensive, Apple's iPads have easily become our top recommendation here at Tom's Guide, as they're among the best tablets for kids. Featuring lightweight, sturdy designs, long-lasting battery life and a wide selection of kid-friendly apps, games and parental controls, an iPad gives your youngster a tool for learning, creativity and entertainment.
The best iPad for kids you can buy is the iPad 11 (2025). Why is that? It's the most affordable, value-friendly tablet in Apple's lineup, delivering the full iPad experience in a sleek, durable design that's easy to carry around and even has longer battery life than its pricier Air and mini siblings, according to our testing. It shows you really don't need to spend a fortune, as it covers everything a kid could need in a tablet.
It's the iPad I'd recommend getting for most kids and families, but there are other options worth considering if you're thinking of spending a little more. That includes the iPad mini 7 for smaller hands, drawing and reading books or comics, or the iPad Air M4 if your kid is growing up and looking for more ways to learn, get creative or, you know, play games. For in-depth reviews and our thoughts on buying the best iPads for kids, this guide is here to help.
Darragh here, and I've reviewed iPads and been using Apple's popular tablets for over six years now. These are easily among the best tablets you can get, and this has been confirmed by my little nephew and niece. Not only are these sturdy and durable pieces of tech, but they come with plenty of kid-friendly apps and settings for learning and, let's be honest, giving parents some well-deserved downtime. You don't need to spend a fortune on one, though, and my team of tablet experts and I have found just the iPads worth buying.
The best iPads for kids you can buy in 2026
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Once you make a decision, make sure to check out our guide on how to set up parental controls on an iPad. It's also worth checking out an AppleCare+ plan to take care of any big drops or damage!
The best iPad for kids overall
The iPad 11 is the all-purpose iPad most kids and parents should start with, and honestly, it's the best tablet to get for the price.
Its 11-inch display makes everything from homework to cartoons look crisp and colorful, and our lab results show it lasts 11 hours and 25 minutes. That kind of battery life means it can survive a full school day, a long car ride or even a weekend trip without hunting for a charger, and that's a key priority for families looking for a dependable, stress-free device.
In my review, I found the performance gains from the A16 chip are the true highlight here, especially if you’re coming from an older iPad. I noticed a massive difference compared to my aging iPad Air with an A14 chip, which already started to slow down, while the iPad 11 kept up with everything I threw at it. Even demanding games from Apple Arcade and beyond ran smoothly, and it’s more than capable for anything your kid is likely to throw at it, and should stay speedy for years.
At just over 1 pound and being extremely thin, kids will have no problems handling and tapping away at its well-sized 11-inch display. Plus, compared to the more expensive iPad Air M4, the iPad 11 actually outlasted it in our battery test (11 hours and 25 minutes versus 9 hours and 44 minutes). The Air M4 is a better fit for older kids who need the absolute fastest chip and want to use Apple’s latest Pencil and keyboard accessories, but for most families, the iPad 11’s combination of battery life and price is hard to beat.
It's a shame about Apple's price hikes, as it's now $100/£100 more than it was when it launched. Still, I've found this tablet back down to $350 during a sale, so it's well worth waiting for a deal to come around. For parents anxious about breakage or loss, the iPad 11 hits a sweet spot — it’s not so pricey that replacing or repairing it is a crisis, and you can often find deals or refurbished units. Unless your child needs cutting-edge stylus support or the power-user features of the Air, the iPad 11 is the best tablet your kid will love.
- Read our full iPad 11 review
The best iPad for kids for creativity
The iPad mini 7 is everything we love about the standard iPad, except in a more practical, hands-on size for smaller hands. This little device weighs just 0.6 pounds, but it can offer all the functionality of its full-sized siblings and can run every iPad app on the App Store. In fact, even better than the iPad 11 thanks to the speedy A17 Pro chip inside.
With its 8.3-inch (2266 x 1488) display showing off crisp and colorful details, that smaller yet sturdy design makes it great for reading comics or books and watching YouTube or shows. It’s so small and light that you might forget you’re carrying it, which makes it a top pick for travel or handing off to a younger child. In our hands-on use, the mini never felt awkward or too heavy, and it’s simply less tiring to hold for reading or watching shows than any of Apple’s larger tablets.
It's also a fantastic tablet for creativity, acting like a pint-sized canvas for drawing and jotting down notes. Whether it be for homework, doodling or drawing a masterpiece, kids will have a blast unleashing their artistic talents on this iPad thanks to its size. Now, the mini 7 doesn’t support the Apple Pencil 2, so you'll have to go for the basic Apple Pencil USB-C or Apple Pencil Pro to make the most of it.
Still, for parents who want a sturdy, truly portable tablet that won’t overwhelm small hands, the iPad mini 7 is hard to beat. Storage starts at a generous 128GB (up to 512GB), and the aluminum chassis feels reassuringly solid. Just weigh the higher cost, which now starts at $599 (you'll find it for less during a sale), and consider a rugged case if your child is especially rough on gadgets.
- Read our full Apple iPad mini 7 review
The best iPad for older kids
If your kid isn't so little anymore and needs more performance for demanding apps, like learning to edit videos, create music, work on art, and simply play more grown-up games, the iPad Air M4 is our top recommendation. It's more expensive than ever with Apple's price hikes, so this is purely a pick for older kids.
Under the hood, the M4 chip is a real step up for families ready to upgrade. In our testing, the Air’s Geekbench score nearly doubled the previous M1 model, and the base storage starts at a generous 128GB (configurable up to 1TB), so it’s a tablet you can count on to stay responsive as your child grows into more demanding apps and multitasking. It's built to last for years to come.
Our lab results show the 11-inch Air’s battery lasts 9 hours and 44 minutes in mixed use— enough to get most kids through a full school day, although not as long as the iPad 11 or iPad mini 7.
Watching movies, TV shows and YouTube clips on the Air’s display is a delight. The screen is bright, crisp and colorful, which is exactly what you want if your child is into art apps, reading or media. It’s a noticeable upgrade from the basic models and makes the most of that extra screen space.
However, there are trade-offs to consider. The Air’s M4 chip absolutely outpaces the A16 in the entry-level iPad, but the added performance (and bigger screen) makes this model heavier and pricier. That extra weight and cost mean it’s less ideal for younger children or if you worry about accidents and replacements.
If you’re ready to invest in a tablet your child won’t outgrow quickly, the iPad Air M4 is the clear upgrade pick. Just make sure your child is ready for a bigger investment and responsibility.
- Read our full iPad Air M4 review
Battery life test results compared
The longer the battery life of an iPad lasts, the more time your kid can stay entertained. The good news is that all of Apple's latest tablets have reliable batteries that will get your youngster through a majority of the day, especially when their screen time on the device is limited by parents.
Interestingly, the most affordable iPad 11 is the tablet that boasts the longest battery life in this guide, with a reliable 11+ hours of juice.
It's important to note that we test a tablet's battery life in specific conditions, with the display at 150 nits of brightness while browsing the web. These numbers may not reflect your day-to-day performance, as kids may hop on to play games or watch movies with sound at full volume, or simply use it for reading. However, our tests will give you a good idea of how long each iPad can last throughout a day without needing a charge.
Best iPad For Kids Battery Life Results
In our battery test, we set the tablet's display to 150 nits of brightness and have it endlessly browse the web via Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.
Battery life (hh:mm:ss)
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Apple iPad 11 (2025) | 11.416666666666666 |
| Apple iPad mini 7 (2024) | 10.566666666666666 |
| Apple iPad Air M4 (2026) | 9.733333333333333 |
iPad accessories for kids
While Apple's iPads are fantastic tablets for kids, let's be real: these are expensive products. They come with durable, well-built designs, but they aren't immune to constant drops or spills.
So, we highly recommend you invest in a decent case before you give an iPad to a child. The best iPad cases are designed to protect your pricey investment from accidents, and some even have handy features like a built-in stand or keyboard.
Speaking of, if you're looking to give the iPad more laptop capabilities for kids to type on for schoolwork, one of the best iPad keyboards will do the trick. The Apple Magic Keyboard is a great option for the iPad Air, but there are plenty of more affordable third-party options worth considering. These add even more ways to use an iPad.
Finally, it's well worth getting a compatible Apple Pencil for your iPad to allow kids to get creative. Fingers can only go so far if they're drawing or painting, and Apple's stylus is a fantastic way to express their artistic nature! And if that's too expensive, check out one of the best Apple Pencil alternatives.
How to choose the best iPad for kids
Still unsure which iPad is right for your child? Here are some important things to consider.
- Screen size: Apple sells iPads in a variety of screen sizes ranging from 8 to 13 inches. If you expect your kid to be watching a lot of videos or playing games mostly at home, you'll want one of the larger models like the iPad 11 or the iPad Air M4. But if the kid in question will be carrying the iPad around a lot, or has smaller hands, consider the iPad mini — it has a screen that's just as good as its bigger siblings, but it's a bit smaller and easier to hold, especially for drawing on.
- Budget: You can spend anywhere between $350/£350 and $949/£949 on an iPad for kids, and even more if you splurge on extras like an Apple Pencil or Magic Keyboard. If you can afford the higher end of that spectrum, the $749 iPad Air or the $949 iPad Air 13-inch are excellent tablets that will serve an older child well for years. If you have a smaller budget or don't want to trust a younger kid with such an expensive tablet, the base iPad ($449/£449, or $429/£409 with an educator's discount) is a better choice because it offers all the capabilities of an iPad without the higher price tag of its siblings. However, since Apple's price hike, I also recommend waiting for a discount if you can, as prices can go back down to original pricing, taking off a handy $100/£100.
- Age: How old is the kid you're buying this iPad for? Obviously, if it's for you and your family, buy whatever you like, but if you're getting a tablet for a specific child, we recommend you don't shell out for the high-end options unless the lucky kid you're giving it to can be trusted not to break or lose the iPad. The entry-level iPad is plenty good enough for kids ages 5 to 14, though if you want something smaller, the iPad mini is also quite good, despite being pricier. If this is for an older kid who can be trusted with an expensive device, the iPad Air should serve them well for years.
How we test the best iPads for kids
When testing tablets for kids, we look for the most important aspects: performance, battery life and everyday usability. This includes real-world testing, such as using an iPad as anyone would, including youngsters, to see how it performs in general use.
To check performance and see how one iPad compares to another, we run a Geekbench benchmark to find out how powerful each tablet is. Put simply, the higher the number, the more powerful the device. However, we also put these to the test ourselves, seeing how many apps and Chrome tabs a tablet can juggle at once, along with how well it performs when playing games or using demanding apps.
We also use professional-grade colorimeters to measure how colorful and bright these tablets’ screens can get, checking if Apple's claims are accurate. That applies to our in-house battery life test, too, surfing the web with brightness at 150 nits and seeing how long an iPad lasts before powering off.
Along with this, we do the same things you or your kids do — browse the web, watch YouTube, play games, write messages — and more. We try to write some (or all) of our tablet reviews on the tablets we're testing, and we try to test out an attachable keyboard if possible.
For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.
