Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition review

The main attraction of this particular device is that it comes as a package: included with the tablet is a colourful kid-proof case with built-in stand (which can be removed), access to thousands of apps, games and books, as well as a parental control feature that offers total peace of mind as your child can only access age-appropriate content. The icing on the cake is a two-year worry-free warranty: if it breaks, Amazon will replace the tablet without question.

First impressions?

Packaged in a sleek box, the arrival and opening of the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition was met with great excitement by both of my young children and myself! With only a few items to be found in the box, and as the tablet comes with its case already fitted, setting up the tablet was simple. Overall, a very good first impression.

How is the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition different to previous versions?

The ninth generation Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition is slightly bigger than its predecessor and also slightly heavier, but very marginally so.

The tablet’s most obvious new feature is its adjustable stand, which is built into the tablet’s robust case and comes as part of the £99 package. The case now also comes in purple as well as blue and pink.

Most of the other changes aren’t as immediately visible as the noticeably different case: battery life has been reduced by one hour, but the tablet now charges in only four hours as opposed to the previous six. Amazon claims the tablet has an improved processor, but don’t expect miracles – the power is underwhelming, but we found it fit for purpose for a kid’s tablet. Apps downloaded quickly and easily and worked without any hold-ups, though I can imagine that the more content you add, the slower it will run…

The new tablet also has an improved front-facing camera, but as an adult who is used to using a much higher res smartphone camera, it was immediately obvious to me that this is still quite basic.

What is included in the Fire 7 Kids Edition that you don’t get with the regular version of the Fire Kindle?

The kid-proof case is the most obvious feature that’s included with the Kids Edition of the Fire, as well as unlimited access to thousands of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps and games. There are also parental controls with which you can tailor this content, and a two-year worry-free warranty, all of which are features specific to the Kids Edition.

How easy is it to set up?

It took me about 30 minutes to set up the tablet from start to finish, and I found the process straightforward. You can create up to four child profiles, which is great if the device is intended to be shared, as each child’s content and preferences will be saved and remembered in their own profile.

How easy is it for kids to use the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition?

Both of my kids found the tablet quite easy to use, and both are at the younger end of the recommended age range, so older children would find it user friendly. The display turns on by clicking a button at the bottom of the tablet, which is where the only two other buttons can also be found: the volume controls. The tablet is otherwise operated using a touchscreen.

Games are easy to play – even my two-year-old was able to figure them out largely on her own, asking questions when she got stuck or couldn’t get out of an app, for example, though she was able to very quickly learn what to do for next time. Some games require the child to hold the device, shake it or rotate it, which is great for hand-eye co-ordination.

When connected to Wi-Fi, a menu for apps and games, books, movies and TV, websites, web videos, and audible can be found along the top of the device, and your child can simply click on one of these icons to search for content.

Another great thing about this tablet is that there are no adverts, which further reinforces its branding as a kid-friendly device. I was able to let them play on the tablet without any concerns about age-inappropriate adverts appearing, which happens frequently when I let my kids use my phone for entertainment.

What is their favourite feature?

My daughter in particular liked using the tablet on its stand. Even when there’s no surface to stand it up on properly, it gives extra support.

My kids absolutely loved the content on this tablet, while a lot of the games have educational aspects without the child even realising it. They also enjoyed scrolling through the e-books, and listening to the stories on the audible section.

How easy is it for parents to use?

I found the Fire 7 Kids Edition very easy to us and the parental controls simple to navigate and set, as well as changing them when they needed to be tweaked. It’s also simple to set a bedtime, at which point the tablet locks itself and the child cannot use it anymore. This is a great feature for enforcing bedtime.

What do you think of the storage capacity?

The tablet comes with 16GB internal storage, which can be extended up to 512 MB with a microSD card, albeit at an extra cost. I can imagine this will be necessary over time as 16GB isn’t a huge amount of space and it’s so easy for kids to download app after app. My kids managed to install quite a few apps that they then didn’t really use, which can of course be removed, but having to log in to a child profile to free up space because of unwanted content is likely to become annoying after a while. A microSD card would resolve this issue, but at a price, and I would imagine that the more content downloaded, the slower the tablet would run, which could also be frustrating.

How is the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition powered, how long does it take, and what do you think of the battery life?

Fully charging the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition for the first time took 4 hours. While Amazon claims the tablet boasts up to seven hours of reading, surfing the web, watching videos and listening to music, it also adds the disclaimer that battery life will vary based on device settings, usage and other factors may reduce battery life. This is not wrong! The number of times my daughter left the tablet with a power intensive app running, then came back to find the device’s battery thoroughly run down, was a little bit frustrating, as it then had to be charged for a few hours – and young children have zero patience!

Do you feel confident your children can only access safe and age appropriate content on this device?

Thanks to the Parent Dashboard, I felt very confident that my kids could only access safe and age appropriate content on the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition. My adult profile was pin code protected, so I was also certain that my kids wouldn’t be able to switch profiles and somehow manage to watch something they shouldn’t.

How big is the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition?

Measuring 220 x 160 x 26 mm, this tablet is the perfect size for my kids. Any bigger, and it might be trickier to carry around when on the go, but we easily fit it in our backpack. I found the tablet quite lightweight to carry, and the kid-proof case means it’s already enclosed and safe from damage in any bag.

What did you think of the kid-proof case?

I really liked the case, and so did the kids. It comes in three bright colours – pink, blue and purple.My son accidentally spilt milk on it and it wiped off just fine. The built-in stand we find useful, too, however, it is slightly bulkier and therefore trickier for little hands to hold when the stand isn’t needed.

Does the tablet feel childproof and durable? How useful is Amazon’s two-year guarantee in your opinion?

The tablet is definitely childproof when in its case. I feared the worst on hearing it come into contact with our wooden floor, having been carelessly flung from the sofa. But having the safety net of a two-year no-questions guarantee is a real advantage here.

Is it easy to clean?

As the case acts like a bumper around the device, the screen does get pretty dirty, as it is not covered. My kids would often eat something then use it – or even eat while using it so it did get quite covered in fingerprints. It’s quite easy to clean, though. If you need to get into the edges, which I did when my son spilt a drink on it, the case easily pops off for more thorough cleaning.

Who would the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition be most useful for?

One of the nice things about the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition is that it can be used over quite a wide age range, from toddler to teen (taking off the case makes this a much more grown-up looking device). Parents can also use it like a regular Fire in their own parent profile, without the restriction of any parental controls, but don’t expect it to run as quickly as an iPad or Android tablet.

Are there any design elements you find particularly successful/useful?

The parental controls are a really stand-out feature of this tablet and set it apart from other kid-friendly tablets. Being able to add educational goals, such as reading targets, or setting time limits on the amount of entertainment content your child views, gives that bit of peace of mind that your child isn’t just playing on Sonic the Hedgehog for three hours in a row.

Is the tablet value for money?

Given everything the Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition package includes, I personally think this tablet is almost unbeatable on price at £99.

Can you buy any additional extras?

You may wish to purchase some headphones. And if you want more capacity you’ll need to buy a MicroSD card, and prices vary hugely depending on size. The device comes with 16GB as standard but this can be extended to 512 MB with additional storage.

Another optional extra suggested by Amazon at the checkout is a pack of screen protectors for £9.99. This might be a good idea if you want to be extra careful, as the screen itself is not otherwise protected.

Is the monthly subscription after the first year good value?

After the first year, access to the same unlimited content will set you back from £1.99/month (single child) if you’re subscribed to Prime, and from £3.99/month (single child) if you’re not, with family package options available. Personally, I think this is great value for money, as your kid will have access to thousands of books, videos and games, and a monthly fee for this kind of volume of content is much more attractive than pay-per-download.

What’s in the box?

• 1 Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet
• 1 kid-proof case (already fitted to the tablet)
• 1 charger
• Instructions

Where can I buy the Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet?

It's available from Amazon.

MadeForMums verdict:

All things considered, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this kid-friendly, robust tablet that grows with your child and is as straightforward for parents to set up as it is for both kids and parents to use. The parental control feature and two-year worry-free guarantee make this £99 package great value for money, and I really felt like we were getting so much more than just a tablet.

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