Buying your child an iPad isn’t as simple as just picking up the latest model. The best iPads for kids are those that balance your family’s needs with your budget. From the super lightweight iPad Air to the powerful iPad Pro, small details like screen size and storage space can end up making a big difference depending on how your child uses the tablet. Our best overall pick, the Apple iPad 11-inch (11th generation), hits all the marks for the vast majority of families: Powerful enough to learn, game or stream and lightweight enough to tote just about anywhere.

No matter which iPad you end up purchasing, having a conversation that establishes boundaries and guidelines around screentime should always be the first step. Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families make safe digital choices, says: “What’s really going to be important in the end is whether your child is using it in moderation and in balance with other things in their lives—that it’s not displacing other important activities.”

It’s hard for families to go wrong with the latest iteration of the iPad. While the differences between the 11th and 10th generation aren’t massive, if it’s your first time buying an iPad (or it’s been a really long time since you’ve last upgraded), you may as well go for the newest release, which uses a faster A16 bionic chip meaning apps launch more quickly and smoothly—and should last your family a fair number of years. Starting at just $50 more than the base model of the previous generation, this workhorse of a tablet has a vibrant Liquid Retina display, comes in four fun colors and is powerful enough to support everything from basic streaming to more processor-heavy gaming, interactive learning apps and light content creating.

The 11th generation also comes with more storage in its base model (128GB) than its predecessor (64GB), so you’re likely not going to have to deal with deleting apps or videos to keep it running efficiently. Older kids can pair it with an Apple Pencil (1st generation or USB-C) to use it as a note-taking device or the Magic Keyboard Folio to use it as a laptop alternative for writing papers and doing online schoolwork.

I’ve personally found the parental controls available on the new iPads surprisingly robust, allowing you to set not only screentime limits, but also disable specific apps like web browsers, and anything else you don’t want them to have access to. You can restrict content (or curate it based on their age) and filter music from Apple Music, so they don’t accidentally stumble upon anything explicit.

You should know it doesn’t come with a traditional headphone jack, so kids must use Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C adapter.

The latest version (referred to as the seventh generation or A17) of the iPad Mini is very lightweight. With an 8-inch display, it’s a great size for smaller kids, and the compact design makes it extremely portable. A smaller model like this is ideal for younger kids or even teens looking for something more portable. The Mini uses Apple’s Liquid Retina display, which offers sharp visuals and true-to-life colors. This is ideal for kids who are primarily using their iPad for streaming and playing on apps.

Many iPad users—including Forbes Vetted editorial director Brinda Ayer—like to use the Mini as an e-reader. For elementary-aged kids who are learning to read, having an e-reader on hand makes it so easy to fuel their love for reading with thousands of books available via Kindle Unlimited, Apple Books or Libby.

This is a great iPad option for travel and play, but if kids need something to complete schoolwork on, consider an option with a larger screen.

As kids grow older, their interests change and often get more focused, so their needs for a tablet may go beyond simply wanting to stream shows and play Minecraft. The latest iteration of the iPad Air sits firmly between the base model iPad and the iPad Pro, both in terms of price and specs. While the iPad Pro is a significant leap in price and performance, the iPad Air is a nice middle ground for those going beyond basic streaming and gaming who need a bit more power and space.

If your older child has started shooting and editing their own footage or using drawing and graphic design apps that require a significant amount of processing power and storage space to save their work, the iPad Air is the way to go. “The iPad Air has plenty of computing power for just about any activity the average kid will do, and it comes in both 11-inch and 13-inch screen sizes, both of which are big enough for drawing, games and good viewing experience," says Steven John, a former Forbes Vetted tech writer and dad of two. “The smaller iPad Air is the better choice for younger (and smaller) kids, while an older kid, like a tween or teen, may want the larger 13-inch option.”

“My own 11-year-old uses our family iPad Air with an Apple Pencil for her Procreate designs while my 13-year-old often uses it to type up assignments for school with the Magic Keyboard attachment,” says co-author Esther Carlstone. “It’s versatile, powerful, and multifunctional if you’re okay with the higher price (and trust your older kid to keep it safe) and far easier to tote around than an actual laptop.” Unlike the entry-level iPad, the Air comes with Apple Intelligence capabilities. It’s available in four muted colors like an aesthetic pale lavender and light blue that tweens and teens are sure to appreciate.

For kids who are using their iPad for only basic needs like playing on apps or watching shows, this option may be more powerful (and pricier) than what they need.

If you have an older kid who is serious about content creating, graphic design or other processor-heavy activities, it doesn’t get more powerful than the latest iPad Pro. It’s also a great option for older teens who are into going into a tech-heavy or artistic field—they can transition into college or the workforce with this powerful iPad.

With a M5 chip, it’s notably faster than the other iPad models, which comes in handy for editing content, playing games or completing school assignments that require multiple tabs and applications.

This version has the front-facing camera location to the landscape side of the tablet, making it more intuitive for FaceTimes, Zoom and self-recording. Speaking of cameras, it comes with a Pro camera capable of shooting 4K ProRes videos. The super crisp high-resolution Ultra Retina XDR display uses OLED technology to give them the sharpest viewing experience available.

One of the most notable qualities of this iPad Pro is that it’s extremely slim, making it ideal to stow in a backpack or even a purse. This model integrates Apple Intelligence, can be unlocked with FaceID and is compatible with Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro and both the Apple Pencil and Pencil Pro, making it a true laptop replacement option, which makes sense given the high price.

Like the iPad Air, this option might be more than the average teen needs. If the kid you’re shopping for is notorious for not taking very good care of their belongings, consider a less expensive option.

Often on sale for less than $100 during Amazon Prime Days, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is a steal for families who are looking for a basic kid-friendly tablet they can stream their favorite shows on or to take on vacation without worrying too much about keeping close tabs on it. Available in kid-friendly colors, it comes with a nicely padded case with a kickstand. You also get a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which has thousands of kid-friendly e-books they can read via the Kindle app. Amazon also states that if your kids breaks it within the first two years, they’ll replace it, which should be music to any parent’s ears.

As soon as you turn it on, you find it’s pre-loaded games and kid-friendly apps and the web browser comes with kid-safe filters already built-in. "I bought this model specifically for a weeks-long road trip and was pleasantly surprised," says Carlstone. “While the Fire is slower than our iPad, my three kids watched shows, read tons of e-books and played games, navigating the interface easily without assistance. Parental controls were pretty easy to set up through the Parent Dashboard and can be used to set time limits, see what (and how long) your child is spending time using and make them read e-books and learning apps for a certain amount of time before they can even access any entertainment.”

Both the rear and front-facing cameras are 5MP—which isn’t iPad quality, but good enough for little ones just having fun—and can record high-def 1080p videos. Recommended for ages 3 to 7, this is an ideal and affordable first tablet for young kids who don’t need all the powerful features of an iPad or other more technologically advanced Android tablet.

While this tablet is serviceable, co-author Alicia Betz and her kids don’t find the user interface to be very intuitive.

We considered the specs of each model, prices and any additional features that make one model better suited for a certain age group of kids than others.

• Model comparison: We compared the details of the various latest models of each iPad along with older generations of iPads that are still widely available to purchase. The battery life was pretty much the same across all the iPad models, so we weighed other factors like processing speed, price and storage to narrow down our top picks on this list. We also considered iPad alternatives that would work well for many families, especially those who wanted an inexpensive secondary tablet.
• Parent and caregiver experience: We spoke with other parents and caregivers to see which iPad models (or alternatives) they were using for their kids, what appeared to be any pros and cons with what their kids were primarily using them for, and also took our personal experiences as parents into account.
• Online reviews: We combed through online reviews of various iPad models, and honed in on reviews specifically from parents.
• Expert insight: We relied on the advice of our expert to see which specs really mattered for older kids versus younger kids and also reviewed our consumer tech team’s iPad reviews and guidance on selecting the right tablet, such as comparing the Apple iPad Air Vs. the iPad Pro.

At a glance many of the iPad models seem similar, but there are some key details to look out for if you’re shopping for a child.

If you have a kid who’s a big gamer or one who likes to take millions of photos and videos, upgrade to a model with more storage space. Likewise, if you do a lot of long-haul travel and want to download several movies for the plane ride, you need more space.

Speed doesn’t matter for most families with young kids, but again, if you have a kid that uses interactive apps or games that require lots of processing (think Minecraft and Roblox, for example, or video editing programs for teens), the faster iPad may be a better fit to prevent lag and general frustration.

Apple iPads come in various screen size options, with the iPad Mini starting at a little over 8 inches and the iPad Air and Pro available in 11- and 13-inch versions. If the primary use of the iPad is to stream shows and movies or to play graphic-rich games, a larger screen size may make the most sense. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more portable one that can easily be carried in a purse, a smaller screen may be ideal.

The current iPads vary widely in price depending on the model and storage space, with older generations starting in the $250 range to well over $1,000 for a 13-inch iPad Pro. Unless you’re looking for a complete laptop replacement, chances are most parents will be satisfied with an entry-level or midrange model.

If you’re purchasing an iPad for a tween or teen who uses it for more technical or creative projects than a 7-year-old would, consider an upgrade in storage and specs especially since it’s likely they’ll be using it for years to come. You also may not trust a younger child with a pricier version.

At Forbes Vetted, we’re committed to thoroughly researching, testing and applying expert feedback in order to find the best products for kids and babies including tech gear.

• The author of this article, Esther Carlstone, is a longtime parenting editor who has extensively tested various kid tech products. She is a parent of three kids ranging in age from little kid to teen who have all used iPads at home and school.
• The co-author of this article, Alicia Betz, is the baby and kids gear writer. She’s a mom to three and a former teacher who has used iPads and other tablets with kids of various ages. She also recently reviewed the Skylight Buddy.
• The article was reviewed by Margaret Badore, Forbes Vetted’s senior baby and kids gear editor. She has 18 years of experience as a reporter and editor.
• We regularly test and report on tech products for kids. Our coverage includes the best smartwatches for kids, a review of the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, the best screen-free tech toys and a guide to AI toy safety.
• We regularly update our articles to maintain accuracy and ensure that our recommendations are still relevant. This story was most recently updated by Betz in August 2026.

• Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit dedicated to making media and technology safer and healthier for kids