Tablets. It seems like everyone has them these days, even little kids. There are even special tablets parents buy for their kids, and I was able to test one out. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite with Samsung Kids is made especially for children ages 3-8.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite with Samsung Kids — Apps
When I was trying Samsung Kids, at first I was just thinking, “Pssshhhh, kiddie games…” Some of them actually weren’t bad though. Of course some were for preschoolers, others were to teach young children, and some were cute. I keep playing Thinkrolls because it’s so fun and surprisingly challenging! There were also really gross apps like a fingernail eater or helping a monster wipe after using the toilet. My dad pointed out that it didn’t wash its hands!
What surprised me was one app that was more like a movie. It was called Mysteryopolis and I just didn’t get it. If this was for little kids, why would it have crushes, boyfriend/girlfriend, kissing, and spirit things? Then the app would have disappearing people, burning cities, and people who were possessed. I thought those subjects were supposed to only be in young adult fiction or older! Not to mention that one character is very disrespectful to parents. This is not something I would expect on an app for young kids!
There was another app for kids but it was only for toddlers. You could draw, make funny voices, take pictures, and watch videos that the parents gives access to. It did make me giggle and the characters are really cute.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite with Samsung Kids Review — For Parents
Once you put in the parental control pin code, you can get out of the kid app. You can go online (parents can still block sites though) and go on other parent-approved apps. The browser for the Samsung is rather irritating, with it always going to the Samsung site. This could be bad if your child starts buying things from Samsung because that’s what popped up. The chrome browser is fine though, if a little slow.
Then there are the interesting things outside of the tablet, for example, its screen. My mom says that the screen on the tablet is shiny or something is wrong with it, but I don’t really see the difference.
What bugs me is the cover. My mom thinks it’s great so that little kids (or me) won’t break the tablet. The problem is I just LOVE taking the cover off, and then back on. My dad that too and my mom was just like, “Stop that!” The thing is, other kids will probably be playing with the cover too, and then what good would the case be anyway?
I was also frustrated with it being so FAT. I mean, sure, parents buy it for their little kids to play with and kids don’t need anything fancy. But STILL…
Overall, I actually thought it was okay. You can still do the necessary things on it but the parent can be confident that their kid is safe while using it.
Parent Tech — From TerriAnn
Okay, here are the technical details about the device. This tablet is actually a standard Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite with a bright green bumper and with Samsung Kids installed. Samsung Kids is a subscription-based service that offers a safe environment for kids, free of ads and in-app purchases but full of fun and educational content. Book and game apps included are from PBS KIDS, DreamWorks Animation, Highlights for Children, HiT Entertainment, National Geographic, and more. Many of the educational apps align with Common Core Standards and encourage interest in STEM.
Samsung Kids interface opens up right away so your children can dive right in. They can check out new featured content, browse games, find new books to read, or go right to their favorite apps. Parents are able to monitor which apps are being played and for how long. Once their time limit is up, your little ones will have to check in with you if they want to use the tablet longer. The dashboard makes it easy to track progress too. Apps run smoothly but load a little slow at times.
Samsung users will already be used familiar with the Kids Mode parental controls on other Samsung mobile devices. However, Samsung Kids is different from Kids Mode. In addition to providing a safe mobile experience, Samsung Kids provides content that’s pre-approved for young children and there are no costs for any of the listed apps outside of the subscription service. The options are more in-depth and better suited to growing with your child. For example, instead of only setting a daily time limit, parent can allocate that limit to allow more time for reading than playing or visa versa.
The tablet comes with a “starter pack” that includes more than 20 apps (a $75 value, available to download even without a subscription) and a 3-month trial of Samsung Kids, which includes the expert-picked library of hundreds more apps. After that, the service is $4.99 per month when you purchase the Samsung Kids Tab 3 Lite tablet. Otherwise Samsung Kids is $7.99 per month. This is not a bad price when you consider how often your child(ren) will use the service, the fact that the content is always changing, and that you’ll have peace of mind knowing their mobile experience is safe and that you control the duration.
Overall, this is a great tablet with kids. There’s plenty of functionality as they get older but low price point and content is very attractive for parents. Samsung Kids seems like a great service so you can let your children play and learn in a worry-free mobile environment. For more information (and for a limited discount of $70 off!) visit http://www.Samsung.com/SamsungKids.
This product was received for review purposes. All opinions are my own (or my daughter’s).
