Children love iPads. The simplicity of tapping on the display when they need issues to occur means they’ll be taught to make use of them in seconds, however there’s a lot that Apple’s tablets can do. Whether or not it’s academic video games, leisure apps, utilizing them to create artwork with an Apple Pencil or simply one thing to cease them becoming bored on automobile journeys, iPads generally is a godsend.
Choosing the proper one can really feel a bit daunting. In spite of everything, don’t all of them do the identical issues? What’s the distinction between the traditional iPad and the iPad Air? Nicely, we’re right here to simplify issues so that you will be positive you’re shopping for the precise one.
You can even learn our greatest iPhone and iPad apps for teenagers information to get them off to a superb begin. Plus, now we have a roundup of the greatest iPhones for teenagers if you wish to immerse them absolutely within the Apple world as they develop up.
Ought to I get an iPad for my baby?
There’s been a lot of analysis revealed about how a lot display time our youngsters must be allowed. Some mother and father would possibly argue that children shouldn’t be uncovered to screens at such a younger age, however frankly, in a world the place all the pieces is dominated by expertise we expect that we owe it to our youngsters to verify they’re snug in that atmosphere, therefore the introduction of an iPad is sweet for his or her training.
That stated, simply sticking them in entrance of an iPad moderately than interacting with them in all probability isn’t nice: Disney+ shouldn’t actually be babysitting your youngsters for hours on finish, but when it permits you a couple of minutes of peace to make dinner then truthful sufficient.
With that out of the way in which, there are numerous the reason why try to be assured about getting an iPad in your youngsters to make use of. There are, in any case, many different tablets in the marketplace, most of that are cheaper than the iPad. So, if you’re on the lookout for some reassurance on is whether or not the iPad is the most suitable choice in your baby, listed below are a couple of compelling causes:
- The App Retailer is stuffed with nice apps designed particularly for teenagers.
- Lots of these apps might be perfect for college youngsters of assorted ages, and even toddlers.
- There’s an ecosystem of nice equipment designed to work with the iPad.
- iPadOS is simple to make use of, particularly in case your baby has used your iPhone. The bonus is your iPhone apps might be out there in your iPad too and vice versa.
When you have older youngsters, then check out our information to the greatest iPads for college kids.
What iPads are there to select from?
On the time of writing, Apple affords 4 classes of iPad, that are as follows.
In all honesty, we wouldn’t suggest the iPad Professionals for kids, as you’d simply be paying fairly sizeable quantities for efficiency and compatibility options that they simply gained’t want. The usual iPad and iPad mini vary provide loads of scope and energy for youthful customers, and the iPad Air will fulfill the extra demanding teen. Our recommendation is to stay with these and ignore the Professionals. In relation to older college students although, it’s a probably totally different argument, however the excellent news is you’ll be able to put that off for a couple of years and save up for the costlier iPad within the meantime.
Talking of financial savings, try our round-up of the most effective iPad offers you may get on the entire vary of iPads right here: The perfect iPad offers.
Is 64GB sufficient?
This depends upon the way you wish to use the iPad. For lengthy journeys, you would possibly wish to obtain a lot of motion pictures, TV reveals, or video games to entertain the youngsters within the automobile or on the airplane. In that case, extra storage is healthier. In any other case, any apps you buy can at all times be deleted after which downloaded once more, plus public Wi-Fi can usually be out there as a simple resolution for the little ones streaming a couple of episodes of their favourite reveals.
Our recommendation can be to get greater than 64GB storage should you can. The iPad mini (A17 Professional) that launched in October 2024 begins at 128GB storage now, moderately than 64GB because it did earlier than, and as the usual iPad nonetheless does. For those who evaluate the usual iPad with 64GB for $349/£329 to the 128GB iPad mini which prices $499/£499, it’s nicely value spending $150/£150 extra to get the additional storage and all the pieces else the mini affords. And if you would like much more storage, the iPad mini with 256GB prices $599/£599 in comparison with $499/£479 for the 256GB iPad.
If you’re shopping for a refurbished or used iPad, then we’d strongly advise towards a 32GB or decrease, it merely isn’t sufficient storage and you’ll remorse it.
For extra recommendation concerning shopping for a used or refurbished iPad learn: Why a refurbished iPad might be the most effective pill for you.
Do I would like mobile?
Most likely not. It provides $150/£150 to the value of the iPad and we’d recommend that cash was higher spent on upgrading the storage, or getting a greater mannequin. If you wish to add mobile capabilities to your youngsters’ iPad, we suggest that if you find yourself outdoors the home you hotspot from your individual iPhone moderately than spend cash on a contract in your baby. That stated, most apps will work offline and you’ll obtain motion pictures to the system when heading on a protracted journey.
Finest iPad for teenagers and toddlers
Right here’s our recommendation on which iPad to decide on when shopping for for a kid.
iPad mini (A17 Professional) – Finest for small arms
Professionals
- Light-weight
- Highly effective
- Apple Pencil Professional assist
Cons
- Smaller doesn’t imply cheaper
Value When Reviewed:
£499 (128GB; Wi-Fi solely) | £599 (256GB; Wi-Fi solely) | £799 (512GB; Wi-Fi solely)
Whereas the iPad mini is perhaps the smallest member of the household, don’t let that idiot you, there’s loads of energy and options packed into the diminutive body. The one unfavourable is the value, which is somewhat greater than the larger iPad, so it’s not fairly as a lot of a discount for teenagers.
The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show is attractive. Like all the fashionable iPads, there is no such thing as a Residence button – Apple ditched {that a} technology in the past and as an alternative put a Contact ID sensor within the Energy button on the facet.
Underneath the hood, there’s an A17 Professional driving factors, this processor is the bottom spec required to run Apple Intelligence options. If you’re selecting between the iPad mini and cheaper iPad and are inquisitive about Apple Intelligence, solely the iPad mini, iPad Air and Professional will assist it).
Even when Apple Intelligence doesn’t peek your curiosity, the A17 Professional chip means there may be no lack of energy on this smaller iPad, making certain the most recent video games and apps will completely fly on this system. It additionally has assist for the Apple Pencil (USB C) or the Apple Pencil Professional, that means your baby can use if for doodling, creating artwork or note-taking in school once they get a bit older.
The compact dimensions of 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm at 297g make it small and light-weight, which will be simpler for little ones to carry. There are additionally 4 totally different colours to select from, together with mushy shades of Purple and Blue. Oh, and there are 5G variations if you wish to add a quick information connection for streaming and messaging on the go.
The iPad mini is offered in these configurations:
- iPad mini (A17 Professional) 128GB – $499/£499
- iPad mini (A17 Professional) 256GB – $599/£599
- iPad mini (A17 Professional) 512GB – $799/£799
- iPad mini (A17 Professional, mobile) prices $150/£150 greater than the non-cellular variations.
Verify our information to the greatest iPad mini offers to see if you may get one for a cheaper price.
Learn our full
Apple iPad mini (A17 Professional) assessment
iPad Air (M2) – For larger youngsters
Professionals
- Cheap
- Apple Pencil Assist (1st Gen)
- A13 Bionic Processor, Headphone Jack
Cons
- Decrease high quality display than different fashions
- Older design.
- Now not in manufacturing
Value When Reviewed:
£599 (128GB, Wi-Fi solely)
We stated within the introduction that the iPad Air might be overkill for teenagers, however that does rely a bit on the age of the kid. For some there might be quite a lot of seem within the 11-inch iPad Air (M2), with its 11-inch show, fashionable design, low weight (462g), nice cameras, and vastly highly effective processor, and as we suggest in our spherical up of the Finest iPads for College students – it’s a nice alternative for college kids.
Sadly, it’s a bit on the expensive facet, beginning at $599/£599 (greater training college students get a reduction however not college aged youngsters). That’s nonetheless solely $100/£100 greater than the iPad mini although, and it has much more to supply. Not least the M2 chip than makes it the right mixture of energy, storage and options.
The M2 processor is identical chip that powered the earlier technology of iPad Professional fashions, to not point out a number of Macs. In case your child enjoys gaming on their iPad then the iPad Air will probably meet their wants (for anybody else then there’s at all times the iPad Professional, which has an M4 and the addition of ProMotion for sooner display refreshes, however that actually is overkill for teenagers!)
The digicam is a 12MP Large lens (additionally like on the iPad Professional) and the front-facing digicam is a 12MP Extremely-Large that’s positioned on the longer facet of the chassis to permit panorama views throughout FaceTime calls.
There are some good colours to select from together with pale Purple and Blue shades (which are much like these on the iPad mini). There’s additionally the usual Starlight and House Gray.
You should utilize the Apple Pencil Professional ($129/£129) and Apple Pencil USB-C ($79/£79) with the iPad Air. See: Apple Pencils in contrast: Which Apple Pencil works together with your iPad?
The iPad Air (M2) is offered in these configurations:
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2) 128GB – $599/£599
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2) 256GB – $699/£699
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2) 512GB – $899/£899
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2) 1TB – $1,099/£1,099
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2), mobile) prices $150/£150 greater than the non-cellular variations.
If they need a bigger show, there may be additionally the 13-inch iPad Air (M2) that comes with all the identical specs and options. It begins at $799/£799.
Learn iPad Air (M2) vs iPad Professional (M4) to learn how the iPad Air compares to the iPad Professional.
Learn our roundup of the greatest iPad Air offers.
Learn our full
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2, 2024) assessment
Tenth-gen iPad (2022) – Price range choice
Professionals
- Trendy design
- 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Show
- USB-C for charging
- Vibrant colours
Cons
- 64GB SSD
- A14 Bionic processor doesn’t work with Apple Intelligence
Value When Reviewed:
From £329 (64GB) | £479 (256GB) (was £449 and £679)
In 2022, Apple gave its customary iPad a makeover when it launched this Tenth-generation mannequin, changing the basic Residence button design with the mini/Air method of gesture-based controls. There’s nonetheless Contact ID out there, however now you’ll discover the sensor embedded within the energy button on the highest edge. This implies there’s extra space for the show, which will increase from the ten.2-inch panel within the ninth technology iPad to 10.9-inch on this Tenth technology mannequin.
As with the earlier customary iPad fashions, the show isn’t laminated, that means there’s a slight air hole between the glass and the show beneath. This can be a minor factor and doubtless gained’t even be one thing you discover, until you employ an Apple Pencil usually, wherein case you’ll in all probability expertise a slight lag as you write. It’s all good although, and after no time in any respect, you’ll have the ability to incorporate that into your approach and scribble away with the most effective of them. This mannequin helps the first technology Apple Pencil or the Apple Pencil (USB C).
Apple suits the Tenth-gen iPad with an A14 Bionic processor, which is identical tech that powered the iPhone 12 vary (together with the Professionals). That processor is somewhat on the previous facet now, and doesn’t assist Apple Intelligence, of which Apple is making an enormous deal proper now. Apple Intelligence has some options that may attraction to college students, so it might be a profit, then once more it’d lead your baby to cheat on their homework…
That stated, the A14 chip will nonetheless present satisfactory efficiency for taking part in primary video games, streaming content material, and working academic apps. One other notable characteristic is the inclusion of a USB-C port moderately than Lightning. This opens up a world of peripherals that you should use with the iPad, and you’ll even join it to a suitable monitor in case your baby wants a desktop-style expertise.
After all, you’ll be able to at all times pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to create the right, compact laptop computer for homework and any artistic endeavors your baby needs to strive. The iPad is available in 4 vibrant, daring colours (Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Silver), so your baby can choose one which displays their character or simply the one with the hues they like probably the most.
The most effective options of the Tenth technology iPad is its low value. You possibly can choose them up for the next costs:
- iPad (Tenth gen) 64GB – $349/£329
- iPad (Tenth gen) 256GB – $499/£479
- iPad (Tenth gen, mobile) prices $150/£150 greater than the non-cellular variations.
We suggest choosing the 256GB storage variant, as 64GB can replenish fairly shortly should you’re downloading video games, giant apps, or TV/film content material. At this level you is perhaps higher served by the iPad mini (A17 Professional) 128GB at $499/£499 although, which is why this iPad isn’t our best choice proper now, however which will change when Apple will get round to updating it in 2025. Learn: New iPad eleventh technology rumours.
Verify our information to the greatest iPad Tenth-gen offers to see if you may get one for a cheaper price.
Learn our full
Apple iPad (Tenth gen, A14, 2022) assessment