Best iPad for kids 2025: The iPad you should buy for your child
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Our kids love their 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.
We also 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, the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro.
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 Air (M3) – Best iPad for teens and tweens
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Pros
- Powerful
- Apple Intelligence
- Apple Pencil Pro Support
- Magic Keyboard accessory
Cons
- Not cheap
- Might be overkill for smaller kids
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Why the iPad Air is a good choice: 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 you get that large display. If the 11-inch model is still too small, then Apple also offers an iPad Air with a 13-inch screen. 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 if you have an aspiring YouTube or TikTok star.
Storage options are good, with the base-level 128GB possibly enough for most uses, but if you want to store loads of games, movies and music onboard then we recommend the 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities.
The iPad Air comes in Blue, Space Grey, Purple, and Starlight.
Read our full
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3, 2025) review
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