Tablets are all the rage these days, and there’s no reason for adults to have all the fun. While your teenagers may be frequently “borrowing” your iPad, for your younger offspring there many more child-friendly options available, many running Android-based software. Here’s a look at some child-friendly tablet offerings you may want to put under the tree this Christmas.

1. Six tablets for the kids this
Christmas
Tablets are all the rage these days, and
there’s no reason for adults to have all
the fun.
While your teenagers may be frequently
“borrowing” your iPad, for your younger
offspring there are many more child-
friendly options available, many running
Android-based software.
Here’s a look at some child-friendly tablet
offerings you may want to put under the
tree this Christmas.
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
By Jeff Jedras

2. Intel StudyBook
Intel Corp.
This 7” Android Honeycomb tablet
is the tablet answer to Intel’s
Learning Series Classmate PCs, and
it’s designed with education in
mind (just don’t tell the kids).
Powered by an Atom Z650 chip, the
StudyBook is rugged to stand up to
the rigours of student life (including
water resistance) and offers access
to a range of educational apps from
Intel’s Learning Series Ecosystem partners.
Just don’t let the kids know they’re learning as they’re playing.

3. OLPC XO-3
One Laptop Per Child
Never mind one laptop for every
child; how about one tablet
instead? The XO-3 boasts a durable
plastic screen, a display with both
transmissive and reflective options
for use both indoors and
outdoors, as well as a back-facing
camera.
run Android or Linux and is powered by a Marvell Armada PXA618 processor can
The 8” tablet, priced at $100,
with 4GB of storage and 512MB RAM.
You can charge it using a solar panel or a hand crank, ensuring your kids will
need to either exercise or spend time outside.

4. MEEP
Oregon Scientific
Unlike our first two entries, the MEEP is
marketed and aimed directly at children
and leads with gaming and fun, rather than
education.
For $150, it’s a 7” Android 4.0 tablet
powered by a 1.0GHz Cortex A8 processor
with 512MB RAM. Built rugged with silicon
grips, it’s pre-loaded with kid-friendly
apps, games and e-books with the option
to download more.
There’s also a parental management option
to control what the kids can play, and for
how long.

5. iXL 6-in-1 Learning System
Fisher Price
For kid-friendly products, it’s hard to go
wrong with Fisher Price. Be warned,
though: the iXL is definitely aimed more
at toddlers than tweens with ages three
to five recommended.
If you believe it’s never too early to get
them started though, this (pre) kindergarten tablet offers interactive stories,
games, a music player and drawing application.
For $79.99, you can prepare your young one for a gadget-filled future.

6. iPad Mini
Apple Inc.
If you’d rather not limit your children to a child-
centric tablet, or you want them to indoctrinate
them into the Apple crowd early, the smaller size
(and price) of Apple’s new iPad Mini may be the
way to go.
And with Apple’s apps store, there are hundreds
of child-friendly apps to choose from.
It doesn’t offer the rugged features of purpose-
built devices though, so watch out for jam hands
(and invest in a good case).

7. Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Corp.
If you’re not on Team Apple, why
not try to enlist your child early on
the opposite side: Team Microsoft?
(You can tell them it’s the grown-up
version of Team Edward vs. Team
Jacob).
The app store is more of a work in
progress than Apple’s, but what
better way to steer your child into
an IT career (or maybe encourage them to consider another path) than a Microsoft
tablet?
Although, if they have no prior Windows experience, the touch-friendly Windows 8
may be a revelation.