Amazon’s Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet Is As Sleek As an iPad and User-Friendly, Too

Value: 18/20
Functionality: 17/20
Ease of Use: 18/20
Aesthetics: 18/20
Range of Kid Content: 19/20
TOTAL: 90/100

It was me and a three-hour drive to Maine solo…except for my chatty toddler in the backseat who isn’t exactly a car enthusiast. (Let’s just say on our five-minute drive to the local playground, he’s the type that repeatedly asks, “Are we there yet?”) But I was stocked with snacks, books, Melissa & Doug water pens and the ace up my sleeve—Amazon’s brand-new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet. Here’s my honest review.

This wasn’t my first rodeo with an Amazon Fire. I’d tried Amazon’s Fire 8 Kids Edition tablet before, but the screen size—a whopping 10 inches—and enhanced brightness of the newer version made it feel like a whole new device. Plus, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro comes souped up with the same range of content and then some. (A free year of Amazon Kids+, which grants unlimited access to over 20,000 books, movies, TV shows and apps for kids, but also the option to make video calls and relax content restrictions with parent approval—something that, in my case, would extend the lifespan of the device, which is always a plus.)

I was quite impressed with the quality and durability of the device. Truly, this Amazon tablet felt actually iPad-esque, aesthetically speaking. The richness of the display alone makes it hard to believe the cost is just $200 when it feels so luxe. And while the Pro no longer comes with the signature bumper-like case that’s signature to the standard version, it does include a protective kickstand case as well as a two-year warranty. Not bad at that price point.

Downloading content for offline use was a breeze. Some of the apps I added included Disney+ and the PBS Kids app, but I especially loved how seamless it was to toggle between kid and parent profiles on this device. For example, I loaded content like Dinosaur Train while logged in as me, but then switched to his profile for use on the drive, limiting his access to other not as kid-friendly apps and content. The book selection is also vast. In fact, my son preferred the range of picture books I downloaded ahead of the drive (many of which were long-time favorites) that he could easily swipe between sans supervision. A win.

About our three-hour car trip… We survived. I only had to pull into a rest stop once when he somehow locked himself out of the device and I had to re-enter the password. He didn’t use it for the entire length of the drive (we had those Melissa & Doug water pens, remember?), but it really saved me for the last 80 minutes. And by the time the “Are we there yets?” returned, we actually were almost there. Phew.