While some parents may balk at giving their 10 year old a $500 iPad 2, those same parents may consider shelling out $200 for Amazon’s latest edition to the tablet lineup, the Kindle Fire, or $99 for Leapfrog’s educational tablet, the LeapPad for a younger child. This was the case in my home when I decided to stop sharing my iPad and opt for cheaper tablet alternatives for my children. We now have an iPad, a Kindle Fire, and a LeapPad in our home, and have observed how the two new devices stack up against the iPad 2 for my kids.
The Kindle Fire The Kindle Fire was purchased for our 10 year old son as a reward for a straight A report card. He was using the iPad primarily to check his email, read blogs and play gaming apps. He still needed to use our computers to play his favorite online video game, because the iPad does not support Adobe Flash.
Pros
The price – at $199 it’s worth the money
Small – the 7″ screen is great for a child’s grip
Amazon Appstore – offers all of his favorite iPad apps and a free paid app every day
Easy email access
Free month of Amazon Prime – free steaming movies and television shows
Never asks to use the iPad anymore – the Kindle Fire gives him what he needs
Cons
The interface – web pages look awkward on the screen, user menus are more difficult to navigate than on the iPad
It feels heavy after a while
No 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi only
Parental controls are sparse – there is only a Wi-Fi restriction, my son can purchase whatever he wants, and there is no way to restrict inappropriate websites without restricting all internet access
Even with a gift card, a user account must be attached to a credit card (a parent’s credit card)
The LeapPad is an educational tablet that boasts a camera and touchscreen. It is durable enough for a 5 year old, and comes with the trusted Leapfrog name and educational software to back it up. Our daughter was using the iPad to watch Barney on Netflix, music videos on VEVO, take photos, and to use the many educational and coloring apps. We gave the LeapPad to our daughter for her 5th birthday.
Pros
The camera is fun – your child can take video and still pictures, then edit them
It’s built for learning – Leapfrog has an App store full of educational apps to teach children math, reading, art, etc…
Familiar characters – the apps use familiar characters from Disney, Nickelodeon, etc…
Cons
The battery life – the battery is not like a regular tablet battery, the LeapPad runs on four AA batteries that drain quickly, you’ll need to purchase the AC plug ($9 on Amazon)
Ease of use- you have to sync it to a computer for your child to get rewards and to download apps
Limited- you can only download LeapPad apps – if your child is used to iPad apps this will be a problem
The Verdict
The Kindle Fire is a hit for my son. He does notice the little differences between his device and the iPad 2, but he loves having his own tablet. As parents, we love the $199 price, but have major concerns about the parental controls. The $199 price tag could end up costing us much more when the gift card runs out, and our son can still purchase items with our credit card. My son still needs to use the computer to play his favorite online game.
The LeapPad, although it is a good device, has not kept the interest of our daughter. For a child who cannot remember life before an iPhone, and has been using an iPad for almost 2 years, the LeapPad is a poor substitute. I still share my iPad with her while her LeapPad sits in a corner. We would have been better off spending the extra $99 for a Kindle Fire, then downloading educational books and apps for her; when Amazon fixes the parental controls, we may do just that. We also hope that Leapfrog will license its software for other devices, not just their own.
In the end, I still have to share my iPad and my computer. The Kindle Fire is a great starter tablet for kids. If your younger child was raised on iDevices, the LeapPad may not be enough for them, but the Kindle Fire should do the trick; our 5 year old has taken a liking to her big brother’s tablet. For me, I am happy there are cheaper tablet options, but I’ll keep the iPad.
