Best iPad for kids, tried and tested by parents

Tested by Mumsnet: iPad Mini review

Thanks to its compact, lightweight size, the iPad Mini makes a great first tablet for children who’ve just started school. While you essentially pay a premium for the convenience, the ‘mini’ 8.3-inch screen is easy to navigate even for small hands, whether that’s reading their favourite books, using educational apps or - keeping it real here - watching clips from their favourite TV shows on YouTube Kids. 

This model comes with 64GB of storage, which although one of the smaller iPad capacities, is more than enough for everyday use - plenty for storing photos and videos captured using the front and rear cameras. As well as being great for homework, the iPad Mini is also compatible with the Apple Pencil, a writing and drawing accessory that helps kids bring out their creative side.

While we love the True Tone display and the portability of this model, we recommend you buy a case to protect it from bumps and breakages. It’s a great all-rounder overall, but your child may want a higher spec or an iPad with a larger screen as they grow up. If screen size and budget are key, the more affordable Apple iPad 2021 below is also worth considering.

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Despite having a larger screen, the standard iPad 2021 model is actually cheaper than the iPad Mini, making it a popular choice for parents who are more concerned about budget than portability. A great choice for homework, it pairs well with the Apple Pencil (1st generation only) and Smart Keyboard for those seeking a ‘laptop-like’ experience.

The last of Apple’s iPads to use a lightning bolt connector for charging, the iPad 2021 comes with an impressive ten-hour battery life, making it a popular choice for older children using it for writing, drawing, surfing the net, and watching videos. With a powerful A13 bionic chip processor, it copes well navigating between multiple apps simultaneously.

Children will love the large 10.2-inch True Tone screen which produces bold graphics and vivid colours, while the ultra-wide front and back cameras can produce impressive photos and high-quality video.

The downside? The Apple iPad 2021 has now been superseded by the 2022 (10th generation) so it's not the latest model. While it's still entirely functional in 2024, it may be unable to support newer apps and accessories as time goes on - including the Apple Pencil 2. For just a small amount extra, you can pick up the newest 10th generation 2022 iPad, which uses the now more readily available USB-C charging cable.

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If you’re happy to pay a little more, the iPad 2022 model is the latest edition of Apple’s ‘standard’ iPad. As well as a more powerful processor, there are some subtle differences to enhance the 2021 model. 

First, the TouchID button has gone, resulting in a slightly larger screen, with thinner bezels at the top and bottom - handy if your child likes to draw or make notes using their Apple Pencil (1st generation). 

Just like the 2021 edition, all-day battery life is maintained, so it’ll provide up to 10 hours for watching videos, playing games or downloading apps. The enhanced rearview camera also produces higher-resolution photos than the 2021 edition - ideal for those who want to embrace their creativity.  

Still compact enough to pack in their school bags, the iPad 2022 weighs less than 500g (which is considerably less than lugging a laptop to and from school). For homework and study at home, however, you may wish to purchase the stylish Magic Keyboard Folio which can not only protect their iPad but includes a comfortable keyboard, trackpad and adjustable stand. 

We love the convenience of USB-C charging  (and chances are you already have other USB-C chargers in your home), but the standard storage capacity is low compared to the iPad Air and Pro models. If you want more storage on this model, you’ll need to pay a significant £150 extra for the iPad 2022 256GB edition - making it quite a hefty increase from the iPad 2021. 

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Whether it's being used for work, rest or play, the iPad Air makes a great tablet for teens, providing the ideal balance of portability, processing power and productivity. 

Compact and marginally lighter than the standard iPads, the iPad Air comes with an improved P3 wide colour screen and anti-reflective coating. Its vivid colours perform better in bright or outdoor conditions, which is handy if you’re trying to lure your teen out of the confines of their bedroom. 

With a powerful M2 chip (which Apple claims is up to 50% more responsive than the original iPad Air), it’s perfect for creative tasks and offers fast reactions that won’t lag, even if your teen’s regularly switching between their favourite social media channels and open apps like Gmail and YouTube.

If your teen likes to play games with friends or video call their mates, they’ll love the landscape front camera, which provides a more traditional webcam-like experience. It makes a great alternative to even the best laptop when teamed up with the Magic Keyboard, however, this certainly doesn’t come cheap. 

Storage capacity starts at a more generous 128GB, allowing your teen freedom to download all the apps that they need, including data-heavy apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat.

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For college students who have an iPhone or iWatch, investing in an iPad can allow them to seamlessly sync their calendars, appointments, apps and documents between devices, helping improve their overall organisation and time management skills. 

 Offering all the benefits of the smaller iPad Air, this 13” model has one of the biggest screens in the iPad range - providing a larger interface for writing, drawing or simply researching on the web. When combined with the Magic Keyboard, it’s as close as they’re going to get to a Macbook, without the additional bulk or weight.

With 128GB of storage space as standard, there’s plenty of space to save their assignments and coursework, whether they use Google Docs, Apple sheets or purchase Windows 365. Thanks to the M2 processor, the iPad Air is super responsive too, allowing them to juggle their deadlines while simultaneously catching up with their favourite shows on Netflix. 

One minor point - despite what the name suggests, the iPad Air is no longer the lightest iPad in the range, with the new iPad Pros being just a touch more featherlight for connectivity on the go. Also due to its size, it's a little less comfortable to use as a handheld tablet over long periods, so you may want to get a case with a built-in stand. 

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While you can pick up drawing tablets such as the HUION Kamvas 13 New Graphics Drawing Monitor at a fraction of the cost, there is nothing quite like the combination of an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil 2 if they’re starting to take their artwork more seriously.

With a stunning Liquid Retina display with True Tone, PS wide colour and ultra-low reflection, it makes the perfect canvas for photo editing. While older iPads only support the Apple Pencil 1st Generation, the iPad Pro supports the newer Apple Pencil 2nd Generation. Gliding across the screen with no latency, allowing your child to vary the pressure and shade just as naturally as they would with a real-life pencil, it magnetically attaches to the side when not in use.

While there are two storage sizes available, we recommend you go for the larger 256GB capacity, ensuring they have ample space to store their creations and run drawing apps like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator. If they want even more screens to fill with their artistic flair, you could also consider the larger (more expensive) iPad Pro 13”.

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There is much debate in the Mumsnet forums about the best kit when the kids head off to university. At this stage, it's a real toss-up between investing in the best Macbook or laptop or the portable yet powerful iPad Pro - largely coming down to personal preference and the type of degree they’re studying for.

The largest and most powerful iPad in the range, the iPad Pro 13 inch certainly doesn’t come cheap, but weighing less than 600 grams, it's far more portable than carrying a laptop into uni each day. It’s also super responsive and speedy, so when the pressures on for meeting deadlines, it won’t slow them down with lagging or syncing delay.

Students love the flexibility of creating handwritten digital notes using their Apple Pencil, before turning their handwriting into text. With the option to accessorise with a Magic Keyboard, it’s also easy to create a more traditional workstation for writing coursework assignments or dissertations back in the comfort of their halls. 

There’s no doubt this is a long-term investment, but this highly responsive piece of kit is great for productivity. It’s also great for relaxation and downtime thanks to the Ultra Retina XDR display and four speakers for immersive films and streaming capabilities.

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