It can be difficult to choose the best tablet for a child as young as three. Kids need something entertaining and educational at this age because they are inquisitive and ready to learn. Introducing them to new games, stories, and activities that aid in the development of critical skills can be accomplished with the help of a tablet.
Still, not every tablet is appropriate for small children. Age-appropriate content, parental controls, and durability are all crucial factors to take into account. Your child can use a tablet as a fun and safe learning tool if you make the right decision.
Feature | Description |
Age Appropriateness | Designed for children aged 3 and up. |
Durability | Built to withstand drops and spills, often with a rugged case. |
Screen Size | Typically around 7 to 10 inches for easy handling. |
Parental Controls | Includes features to control app access and screen time. |
Educational Apps | Pre-loaded with apps for learning and development. |
Battery Life | Generally lasts 6 to 10 hours on a single charge. |
Price Range | Usually affordable, with various options available. |
- Is it worth buying a tablet at this age: pros and cons
- Features and functions
- Popular models and reviews about them
- "Masha and the Bear"
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids
- Turbokids
- Design
- What skills should be worked on at this age?
- What games will help in development?
- How to block access to some resources?
- Video on the topic
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- The best children"s tablets in 2025
- Children"s tablets. Why are they needed?
- FINALLY A WORTHY CHILDREN"S tablet – Digma CITI Kids review
- TOP 5: Best Tablets for Children 💙 Rating of Children"s Tablets in 2025
Is it worth buying a tablet at this age: pros and cons
- a child is unlikely to be able to understand the gadget and fully use it;
- any such device, one way or another, harms even adults, not to mention children;
- it is no secret that modern gadgets cause addiction in many, and a small child will certainly not be able to resist it, and it will be unrealistic to wean him off;
- three-year-old children still do not understand the value of things, they can simply break a gift, and this does not always happen by accident.
All of the arguments made against purchasing electronics for such young children initially seem perfectly reasonable. The designers of specialized equipment, however, maintain that they have considered every contentious issue and that their devices are not just meant for amusement but also for very useful purposes. Their stance can be expressed as follows when presented as theses:
- if we are talking about a special children"s model, then its software was developed specifically for kids, absolutely everything there is reduced to an intuitive level, and also ideally optimized;
- any such device allows learning during the game – being carried away by the game process, the tiny owner gradually acquires useful (even for an adult) skills that otherwise would have to be hammered into his consciousness by force, against his will;
- the screens of many children"s tablets are created using the latest technologies, allowing to reduce the amount of harmful radiation to zero;
- the case is designed to withstand falls from a significant height and other attempts at damage;
- many educational programs are designed in such a way that the kid himself understands, that it is time to stop, and parents do not look like people depriving him of his favorite toy.
While it is ultimately up to the parents to decide whether or not to purchase a tablet for their child at this time, it is indisputable that three-year-olds can benefit from using specially made children’s tablets.
Features and functions
The fact that special children’s tablets are far more varied than adult devices bearing the same name could be considered their primary characteristic. A fascinating educational toy that looks more like Tetris than a tablet—it has a small screen and a large, classic keyboard—can be purchased under the guise of a children’s tablet. Tetris and this kind of product are comparable in terms of functionality, but this product has more games and a stronger educational element.
At the same time, there are also models with a classic tablet design and functions. Moreover, they provide the ability to exit the special children"s mode into the "normal" one, that is, the familiar and familiar Android environment. In "adult" mode, it can be successfully used by a person of any age, it has absolutely all the amenities, including a camera, 3G and the ability to fully work on the Internet. As for the children"s mode, it is maximally adapted to the needs of the child, there is nothing superfluous that would not contribute to learning, plus there are functions for parental control of content and setting a sleep timer so that the child does not get carried away with the device beyond measure.
Popular models and reviews about them
If we speak abstractly and do not identify the children’s tablet models by name, a general description might not capture their essence. Ultimately, product descriptions will assist you in comprehending what manufacturers have to offer and will prompt you to consider exactly what you want to receive. The following brands’ devices have seen the greatest demand in our nation over the past few years.
"Masha and the Bear"
Indeed, that is the precise name given to this toy; however, it cannot be referred to as a tablet in the traditional sense of the word. This gadget is only meant for kids. Although you are unable to interact with the interface in any way, approximately 80 programs that teach writing and counting, foster the development of logical and musical skills, and encourage the development of logic are already installed. The device has a basic black-and-white display, but it can talk, turn off on its own when parents give a signal, and even teach a baby some basic English. On the Internet, "Masha and the Bear" has essentially no negative reviews.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids
Without second thought, the South Korean behemoth unveiled a kid-focused version of its incredible creation. This is where the tablet can be changed to a "adult" one; in the children’s mode, five sizable educational programs with vivid graphics and a far more nuanced and engaging storyline are pre-installed. These kinds of programs are available for download from the Internet if needed. The system has "training programs" in addition to cartoon viewing programs, which the infant will not object to. Additionally, buyers think this model is very sensible.
Turbokids
Another fully functional tablet, though its context mentions switching to "adult" mode far less frequently. Although it shares many features with the previous version, users prefer it because of the abundance of kid-friendly pre-installed content. In addition to the vast majority of glowing recommendations, you can also come across reviews of blatantly flawed models; it seems that the Middle Kingdom’s assembly and the reasonably low price have an impact.
In terms of features, all other children’s tablets are similar to one of these three, though new features are constantly being added. Your child will be happy if you handle the decision carefully.
Design
When selecting a tablet for a child, parents frequently concentrate on the device’s design because, at three years old, this aspect of the present holds particular significance. It should be mentioned that tablets that closely resemble the previously mentioned "Masha and the Bear" brand typically have a children’s design built right in. The case typically looks fairly typical for adult devices when it comes to a classic device that is appropriate for both small and adult users.
Furthermore, given how casually children of this age regard the possibility of breaking this or that, a children’s model without a case is no longer a children’s model. This is where options are already available!
Regardless, pick cases with both vibrant and delicate colors; pink is always appropriate for girls and any color is appropriate for boys, but not pink. A case featuring your child’s favorite cartoon characters would be the best choice; here, you should start with their preferences. If he hasn’t said them already, concentrate on the overarching idea that princesses are role models for girls and superheroes are role models for boys. Regardless of the child’s gender, neutral characters like Winnie the Pooh can be appropriate.
What skills should be worked on at this age?
Children’s equipment developers maintain that a three-year-old can even begin to learn the alphabet gradually. While some children may not be prepared for these kinds of tests, this statement is not totally unfair. Focus, for instance, on helping your child acquire the following practical skills if you don’t think it’s necessary to rush and overwhelm them with too complicated tasks at this point in their education:
- Attentiveness. An extremely useful trait that will allow you to better absorb educational material in the future, and will simply come in handy in life. For this task, both finding the differences between two pictures and many other applications and games with an eye on observation are suitable.
- Logic. Another very useful quality that promotes independent conclusions, and, as a result, self-study. There are thousands of programs for developing logic, including incredibly complex ones, but for a three-year-old child, their level of complexity should somewhere correspond to games like "Three in a Row". Don"t be surprised – even such primitive entertainment is very useful in childhood.
- Expanding vocabulary. There are children who at three years old still do not really know how to talk, but even those who do it best do not know many words yet. Educational programs with pictures will help you learn faster, for example, the names of animals, fruits, and so on, or even teach basic rules of politeness. In addition to adding new words, such exercises also develop memory well, and also help improve pronunciation.
Don’t step in if you notice that your child is more interested in other kinds of educational programs, like those that teach reading or creativity. Instead, pique the child’s curiosity and allow him to experiment a little bit with everything; do not coerce him.
What games will help in development?
Certain games appear to serve no educational value at all, but they can actually help a three-year-old catch up to a four-year-old more quickly. Actually, most games these days help to speed up development in some way, but it’s important to recognize the ones that are completely safe:
- Coloring. Programs of this type are very good at developing the imagination, that is, they help to see what the child has no idea about yet, and also to come up with something completely new. It is no secret that children love to draw, but no three-year-old child could color a paper coloring book neatly – and the application provides such an opportunity! A beautiful result stimulates additional interest, and it is possible that over time the child will become interested in fine art, and it will become a part of his life.
- Puzzles. This simple entertainment develops attentiveness, perseverance and the ability to assemble a whole from parts. Again, when buying a real set for a 3-year-old child, there is a huge risk that many parts will simply get lost, and in the worst case, the child will also pull them into his mouth. With the electronic version, this will definitely not happen, and the choice of ready-made pictures there is truly gorgeous.
- Angry Birds and other similar games. You think this is a joke? Not at all – games of this type only kill time for adults, but for children they help develop fine motor skills of the hands. You have noticed that it is difficult for children to perform complex tasks with their fingers? The reason is the insufficiently developed interaction of the brain and finger muscles, in particular, for this reason children often drop various objects from their hands. Want to get through this stage faster? Let your child play – he will just get trained!
When downloading games from the Internet, make sure to read the age rating; if the game is meant for young children, it will most likely state so.
For children ages three and up, a children’s tablet should be easy to use, secure, and educational, with features made with small hands and minds in mind. It provides parental controls to ensure safe usage while assisting children in exploring learning through entertaining games, apps, and videos. To encourage your child’s growth and creativity, look for long-lasting designs, content that is age-appropriate, and devices with long battery lives.
How to block access to some resources?
Even with the Internet on all the time at three years old, the child is not likely to specifically search for something that is too young for him to know. He might, nevertheless, inadvertently stumble upon a website by clicking on an advertisement. There, if he is not the only one using the device, he may unintentionally spend parental funds in addition to coming across undesirable content, such as pictures of violence. Usually, tablets come with a parental control feature pre-installed to help prevent situations like this, but if not, don’t worry—you can download the necessary app.
Although each of these apps operates according to a different set of rules, they are all designed to partially filter the content that is available and frequently to gather data about the activities of the child. You can block the programs you use, especially the ones you don’t want to delete, and you can set passwords for websites you think are inappropriate.
In the most extreme version, you can usually block access to all websites save a few carefully chosen ones. You can fully trust the developers of this software because it is meant for much more skilled hackers than three-year-olds.
For kids as young as three, selecting a tablet can be an exciting but crucial choice. At this point, a tablet can be a great educational and recreational tool because it provides age-appropriate content that fosters the growth of a variety of skills.
When selecting a tablet, take into account features like parental controls and educational apps that improve both safety and usability. Select a gadget with a sturdy build and an easy-to-use interface for young children, as they may still be prone to unintentional drops due to their developing motor skills.
In the end, a suitable tablet can encourage your child’s creativity and learning while keeping them interested. You can make sure that the tablet is a useful and pleasurable tool in their everyday life by choosing a model that is appropriate for their age and needs.