Editors' Note: This is still the most recent version of the Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition. The review has been updated for 2021.
Amazon's least expensive tablets, the Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids Edition ($99.99), are now two years old. While both feature hands-free Alexa access, the Kids Edition comes with a protective case with a built-in stand, making it good for Amazon Kids+ streaming sessions (which is also included for one year with your purchase). We like it more than the standard Fire 7, but the Fire HD 8 Kids ($139.99) offers a sharper display and zippier performance, and the big screen of the 2021 Fire HD 10 Kids ($199.99) is terrific for videos and picture books. Either of those is a better buy than the Fire 7 Kids.
The Fire 7 Kids Edition consists of a Fire 7 tablet ($49) with no lock screen ads ($15), a big case (maybe $15), a 2-year warranty ($11), and a one-year family subscription to the Kids+ content service ($69). That adds up to $159 of stuff for $99, so there's definite savings involved here.
Design, Durability, and Performance
In terms of design, the Fire 7 Kids Edition is the exact same tablet as the Fire 7,with the exception of the included protective case. Most of the case is made out of a foam-like plastic that's available in blue, pink, or purple, while the stand is made out of hard plastic that folds down from the back. There are no small parts or the possibility of accidentally being pinched.
Amazon also sells a Kids Pro version of the Fire 7 that is the exact same tablet with the same software but a different case. The Kids Pro case is slimmer and made of a harder material, designed to appeal more to older kids.
The case can handle everyday drops without a problem. We dropped the tablet from four feet more than half a dozen times with no damage. It doesn't offer any sort of protection against water, but Amazon's two-year warranty covers water damage. Simply contact Amazon and it will arrange a replacement. The warranty also covers screen cracks and pretty much any other forms of damage you can manage.
The Kids Edition also has the same hardware as the Fire 7, and performance really depends on how you use it. If you're using the tablet primarily to watch Kids+ content, it feels sluggish but manageable. Switch to an adult profile however, and it is almost unusably slow. In testing, Kids+ apps opened in about three seconds on average, while the regular Fire OS can take up to 18 seconds. For all the details on performance, battery life, and display, check out our Fire 7 review.
Amazon Kids+
Amazon Kids+ (formerly known as FreeTime) is, hands-down, the main selling feature of Amazon's Kids Edition tablets. It's a subscription-based service that offers thousands of apps, audiobooks, games, movies, and television shows for children 4 to 12. Its simple interface makes it easy for kids of any age to find and play exactly what they want, especially because you can split it into two different age categories: 3 through 8, and 9 through 12. Finally, there are extensive parental controls available on the tablet and via the FreeTime phone app that allow you to add additional content, restrict items, approve purchases, and manage how much time kids spend on the tablet.
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A one-year subscription to FreeTime Unlimited is included with the tablet. Once the subscription expires, you can renew it for a single child starting at $2.99 per month (with a Prime membership) or 6.99 per month/$69 per year for a family plan with up to four children's profiles.
Conclusions
The Fire 7 Kids Edition offers an excellent warranty, a terrific library of kid-friendly content, and is easy to use for children of any age. That said, our 2021 Editor's Choice for kids' tablets is the bigger Fire HD 10 Kids tablet, which is actually fast enough to play Roblox without choking. If you're looking for something that isn't so reliant on Amazon's ecosystem, check out our list of the best tablets for kids.
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