Image: Apple
Kids love iPads. The simplicity of tapping on the screen when they want things to happen means they can learn to use them in seconds, but there’s plenty that Apple’s tablets can do. Whether it’s educational games, entertainment apps, using them to create art with an Apple Pencil or just something to stop them getting bored on car journeys, iPads can be a godsend.
Choosing the right one can feel a bit daunting. After all, don’t they all do the same things? What’s the difference between the normal iPad and the iPad Air? Is an iPad mini too small or just perfect? Well, we’re here to simplify things so you can be sure you’re buying the right one.
In this article, we reveal our top choices of iPads for kids, and share advice on whether you should buy an iPad for a child, if you need cellular, and how much storage you should get. Read on for more information.
You can also read our best iPhone and iPad apps for kids guide to get them off to a good start. Plus, we have a roundup of the best iPhones for kids if you want to immerse them fully in the Apple world as they grow up.
Best iPad for kids and toddlers
At the time of writing, Apple offers four categories of iPad, which are as follows.
We wouldn’t recommend the iPad Pro for children, as you’d just be paying quite sizeable amounts for performance and compatibility features that they just won’t need. The standard iPad and iPad mini range offer plenty of scope and power for younger users, and the iPad Air will satisfy the more demanding teen. Our advice is to stick with those and ignore the Pros. When it comes to older students though, it’s a potentially different argument, but the good news is you can put that off for a few years and save up for the more expensive iPad in the meantime.
Speaking of savings, check out our round-up of the best iPad deals you can get on the whole range of iPads here: The best iPad deals.
Here’s our advice on which iPad to choose when buying for a child.
iPad mini (A17 Pro) – Best for small hands
Pros
- Lightweight
- Powerful
- Apple Pencil Pro support
Cons
- Smaller doesn’t mean cheaper
While the iPad mini might be the smallest member of the family, don’t let that fool you, there’s plenty of power and features packed into the diminutive frame. The only negative is the price, which is a little higher than the bigger iPad, so it’s not quite as much of a bargain for kids.
The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display is gorgeous. Like all the modern iPads, there is no Home button – Apple ditched that a generation ago and instead put a Touch ID sensor in the Power button on the side.
Under the hood, there’s an A17 Pro driving things, this processor is the lowest spec required to run Apple Intelligence features. If you are choosing between the iPad mini and cheaper iPad and are curious about Apple Intelligence, only the iPad mini, iPad Air and Pro will support it.
Even if Apple Intelligence doesn’t peek your interest, the A17 Pro chip means there is no lack of power in this smaller iPad, ensuring the latest games and apps will absolutely fly on this device. It also has support for the Apple Pencil (USB C) or the Apple Pencil Pro, meaning your child can use if for doodling, creating art or note-taking at school when they get a bit older.
The compact dimensions of 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm at 297g make it small and lightweight, which can be easier for little ones to hold. There are also four different colors to choose from, including soft shades of Purple and Blue.
The iPad mini is available in these configurations:
- iPad mini (A17 Pro) 128GB – $499/£499
- iPad mini (A17 Pro) 256GB – $599/£599
- iPad mini (A17 Pro) 512GB – $799/£799
- iPad mini (A17 Pro, cellular) costs $150/£150 more than the non-cellular versions.
Check our guide to the best iPad mini deals to see if you can get one for a lower price.
Read our full
Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) review
iPad Air (M3) – Best for bigger kids
Pros
- Powerful
- Apple Intelligence
- Apple Pencil Pro Support
- Magic Keyboard accessory
Cons
- Not cheap
- Might be overkill for smaller kids
For most children, the Air is probably a bit above what they need, but if your child is growing up and looking for something to help them with schoolwork (as well as playing the latest games) then the Air is a great package.
Powered by the M3 chip that has also featured in recent versions of the MacBook Air, iMac and MacBook Pro, the iPad Air (which comes in 11-inch and 13-inch varieties) is a fast and very capable device. The M3 chip also means that the iPad Air can use Apple Intelligence (the company’s suite of AI-tools) which offers help with writing, looking up information about anything you put in front of the cameras, plus a range of other helpful features.
You won’t have any problems running the latest apps on the iPad Air, and with up to 10 hours battery life for watching video on a single charge, long trips should be a bit more peaceful.
At 460g/1.01lbs it’s a bit heavier than the iPad mini, but of course you get that larger display. If the 11-inch model is still too small, then Apple also offers the iPad Air 13-inch variant. Both support the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro, making them great for note taking and artistic endeavours (see: Apple Pencils compared: Which Apple Pencil works with your iPad?), plus there’s also the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Air which can turn the device into a makeshift laptop – great if your kids are getting to the stage where they need to work on projects or essays.
The cameras are solid (a 12Mp wide on the rear and 12Mp Centre Stage camera on the front) and can record up 4K at 60fps for YouTube videos or other content platforms on which your kid might want to build a platform.
Storage options are good, with the base-level 128GB probably being enough for most uses, but if you want to store loads of games, movies and music onboard then there are also 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities available.
The iPad Air 11-inch is available in the following configurations:
- 128GB – $599/£599
- 256GB – $699/£699
- 512GB – $899/£899
- 1TB – $1,099/£1,099
If you want the larger iPad Air 13-inch, then these are the models available:
- 128GB – $799/£799
- 256GB – $899/£899
- 512GB – $1,099/£1,099
- 1TB – $1,299/£1,299
Both sizes share the same choice of colors, which are Blue, Space Grey, Purple, and Starlight.
If those prices seem a bit high, then it’s worth noting that higher education students get a discount, but not school aged children. You can see more about that and our current recommendations in our Best iPads for Students roundup as well as best iPad Air deals to see if you can find a bargain.
iPad (A16, 11th Gen) – A good budget option
Pros
- Modern design
- 11-inch Liquid Retina Display
- USB-C for charging
- Vibrant colors
Cons
- Display isn’t as good as on other models
- A16 processor doesn’t work with Apple Intelligence
Apple revamped its standard iPad back in 2022 and the design remains the same for the 2025 version, in fact very little has changed aside from the updated A16 chip at its heart.
Like with the other models on this list there is a Touch ID sensor embedded in the power button on the top edge. This means there’s plenty of space for the 11-inch Liquid Retina Display. As with the previous standard iPad models, the display isn’t laminated, meaning there is a slight air gap between the glass and the display beneath. This is a minor thing and probably won’t even be something you notice, unless you use an Apple Pencil often, in which case you’ll probably experience a very slight lag as you write. It’s all good though, and after no time at all, you’ll be able to incorporate that into your technique and scribble away with the best of them. This model supports the 1st generation Apple Pencil (which is pressure sensitive) or the Apple Pencil USB C (which isn’t pressure sensitive).
Apple fits the 11th-gen iPad with an A16 processor, which is the same tech that powered the iPhone 14 Pro models as well as the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. While it’s a capable bit of silicon, it doesn’t meet the requirements to support Apple Intelligence. So if Apple’s new AI-tools are something you really want — or think you may want in the future — then this isn’t the model for you.
That being said, the A16 chip will still provide decent performance for playing games, streaming video content, and running educational apps. As with all new Apple devices (thanks to EU law) the charging port is USB-C port rather than Lightning. This opens up a world of peripherals that you can use with the iPad, and you can even connect it to a compatible monitor if your child needs a desktop-style experience. There’s also the option of using the iPad with Apple’s Magic Keyboard Folio case to turn it into an iPad flavoured laptop. Of course, you can pair it with a third-party Bluetooth keyboard and mouse if you don’t fancy Apple’s premium pricing. Check out our roundup of the Best iPad Keyboards for some excellent options.
The iPad comes in four bright, bold colors (Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Silver), so your child can pick one that reflects their personality or just the one with the hues they like the most.
One of the best features of the iPad (A16) is its low price. You can pick them up for the following prices:
- iPad (A16, 11th gen) 128GB – $349/£329
- iPad (A16, 11th gen) 256GB – $449/£429
- iPad (A16, 11th gen) 512GB – $649/£629
Check our guide to the best iPad A16 deals to see if you can get one for a lower price.
Should I get an iPad for my child?
There’s been lots of research published about how much screen time our kids should be allowed. Some parents might argue that kids shouldn’t be exposed to screens at such a young age, but frankly, in a world where everything is dominated by technology we think that we owe it to our kids to make sure they are comfortable in that environment, hence the introduction of an iPad is good for their education.
That said, just sticking them in front of an iPad rather than interacting with them probably isn’t great: Disney+ shouldn’t really be babysitting your kids for hours on end, but if it allows you a few minutes of peace to make dinner then fair enough.
With that out of the way, there are many reasons why you should be confident about getting an iPad for your kids to use. There are, after all, many other tablets on the market, most of which are cheaper than the iPad. So, if you are looking for some reassurance on is whether the iPad is the best option for your child, here are a few compelling reasons:
- The App Store is full of great apps designed specifically for kids.
- Many of those apps will be ideal for school children of various ages, or even toddlers.
- There is an ecosystem of great accessories designed to work with the iPad.
- iPadOS is easy to use, especially if your child has used your iPhone. The bonus is your iPhone apps will be available on your iPad too and vice versa.
Do I need cellular?
Probably not. It adds $150/£150 to the price of the iPad and we’d suggest that money was better spent on upgrading the storage, or getting a better model. If you want to add cellular capabilities to your kids’ iPad, we recommend that when you are outside the house you hotspot from your own iPhone rather than spend money on a contract for your child. That said, most apps will work offline and you can download movies to the device when heading on a long trip.
Is 64GB enough?
Until the launch of the 2025 iPad Apple still sold a 64GB model, which we felt wasn’t an adequate amount of storage so our advice was to get an iPad with more storage. The good news is that when Apple updated the iPad in 2025 It removed the 64GB model from the line up and now all all of the iPads mentioned above offer a 128GB SSD or more.
Our advice still remains the same. If you are considering a used iPad, or a refurbished model, or you see one of the older models still on sale do not be tempted by a 64GB model. For long trips, you might want to download lots of movies, TV shows, or games to entertain the kids in the car or on the plane. If you do this the storage will quickly fill up, so more storage is better.
Our advice is get as much storage as you can, 128GB may be sufficient if you also pay monthly for the iCloud family plan (2TB a month can be shared between the family for $9.99/£8.99 a month). See iCloud prices.
Should I buy a refurbished iPad?
If you don’t mind dipping into the second-hand or refurbished market, then you can get some great deals on older models. Apple has it’s own refurbished store on which you can find recent models available for around 15% off their retail price. These all come with the same 1-year warranty as brand-new items, but without the hefty cost. Over the years we’ve bought several refurbished models from Apple and all have been as good as new.
You can also look to third-party vendors, most of which have the same warranties and money-back guarantees so you don’t feel like you’re taking a risk on a pre-owned device. For more information regarding buying a used or refurbished iPad read: Why a refurbished iPad could be the best tablet for you.
A refurbished model could be a great and cost-effective way to start your little ones out on their technological adventures.
If you have older children, then take a look at our guide to the best iPads for students.
Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor, Macworld
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.
