The $129.99 Amazon Kindle Kids for 2024 takes the basic Amazon Kindle ($109.99) and removes the lock screen ads while adding a protective case, a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a no-questions-asked two-year replacement warranty—all for less than if you bought everything separately. The screen is a little brighter than the 2022 model, but it costs $10 more and otherwise hasn’t changed. While the Kindle Kids is perfectly fine, the $179.99 Kindle Paperwhite Kids is a better ebook reader for children, as it comes with all the same perks but is faster, waterproof, and has a larger display and longer battery life, making it our Editors’ Choice.
Design: Almost Exactly the Same
Like all Amazon Kids devices, the Kindle Kids is a bundle of existing products and services, not an entirely new product. Like the standard 2024 Kindle, this year’s Kindle Kids is hardly updated, which makes it tough to justify the $10 price increase.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Since this is the Kids edition, it comes with a protective case in one of three options: Ocean Explorer, which features blue and green colors; Space Whale, which emphasizes blues and purples; or Unicorn Valley, with pink and purple hues. All three of these cases are carryovers from the previous Kindle Kids model; there are no new covers for 2024, which is somewhat disappointing. I received the Unicorn Valley model, which is pictured in this review.
The Kindle and its cases are the same size as the previous iteration. It measures 6.3 by 4.5 by 0.53 inches (HWD) and weighs 9.03 ounces with the case on. Without the case, the Kindle (6.2 by 4.3 by 0.32 inches, 5.56 ounces) is slightly smaller but noticeably lighter. By comparison, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids (7.0 by 5.2 by 0.5 inches, 11.6 ounces) is taller, wider, and heavier.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
The front and back covers of each case depict one coherent scene. Unicorn Valley shows the silhouette of a unicorn standing on a cliff under a tree and overlooking a body of water. Two clouds float in the sky, one on the back cover and one on the front. Castles sit on both clouds, while a rainbow connects the clouds from the back cover to the front. It’s colorful and cute.
The top and bottom edges of the Kindle are exposed around the edges, while the front, back, sides, and corners are protected. The case automatically puts the Kindle to sleep when the cover is closed and wakes it when it is opened. The material is smooth and a little slippery, but the case should help it survive an accidental drop. Even if it does break, the warranty allows for unlimited replacements over a period of two years.
The bottom edge has a USB-C charging port and a power button, which makes a pleasant clicking sound when pressed.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Amazon doesn’t reveal the exact resolution but says the display has the same pixel density of 300 pixels per inch (ppi) as found in the previous version. The one thing that has changed is the display brightness. For the first time, the Kindle reaches the same 94 nits of brightness as the Paperwhite. The Kindle lacks the additional warm light found on the Paperwhite but still manages to achieve a perfectly even level of lighting across the screen.
The screen is one of the Kindle’s highlights; I actually find it easier to get a clear, paper-like look than with the Paperwhite. There is no yellow tint like there is on the Paperwhite Kids, and the text is sharp and easy to read. Your child might not notice the difference between the two or might not care, but the high-quality screen is welcome nonetheless.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Unlike the Paperwhite, the regular Kindle lacks an IP rating and is not dust or waterproof. This makes it a tough sell for kids who like to read in the bath or around a pool, as it is less likely to survive splashes, spills, or dunks. If your child likes to read in or near water (or is a little clumsy), the Paperwhite is the better choice.
The box includes a USB-C charging cable in addition to the Kindle and case. You’ll need to provide your own charging adapter.
Performance: Average Speeds and Battery Life
As noted, the hardware remains unchanged, and so does the performance. Amazon doesn’t disclose information about the processor or memory that powers the device. Navigating through the menus, turning pages, and scrolling through documents feels a little slow, but not overly so. I had no problem reading or accessing content. That said, the Kindle Paperwhite is noticeably faster. Amazon says the latest Paperwhite has 20% faster page-turns than the previous model, and I can attest that it makes a difference.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Like the Paperwhite Kids, the Kindle Kids comes with 16GB of non-expandable storage. This should be plenty of room for all of your child’s books, but it might prove limiting if they love audiobooks. If that’s the case, you can always remove individual titles from the device to make more room. They will remain accessible in the cloud, and you can download them again whenever you want.
Amazon doesn’t specify the size of the Kindle’s battery but does say that it should last up to six weeks on a single charge. This is half the time that’s quoted for the Paperwhite, which can last up to 12 weeks. Individual battery life will vary greatly depending on reading habits. In testing, the battery dropped 10% over the course of a week while reading for at least 45 minutes a night with the light set low. When your Kindle does run out of juice, Amazon says that it takes about two hours to fully recharge using a 9W adapter.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
The Kindle connects to Amazon’s services via dual-band Wi-Fi, which should be more than fast enough to download all of your books. There’s no cellular radio.
The device lacks speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you will need Bluetooth headphones to listen to audio content.
Software: No Ads and (Some) Free Books
Amazon Kids tablets and ebook readers require an adult for setup. With the Kindle, a guardian will need to set a PIN, create a child profile, and make sure they are satisfied with the level of parental control before launching Amazon Kids software. While you’ll need to set the PIN directly on the Kindle, it’s easier to create and manage a kid’s profile on a computer or in the Amazon Kids+ Parent Dashboard app on your phone. There, you will be able to see their progress, set time limits, and manage the content on their device. You can also share content from your own library with them, which is the easiest way to get library books from Libby, the library app from Overdrive, onto the Kindle.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Most Amazon Fire and Kindle devices include ads on the lock screen. Typically, you have to pay $20 to remove the ads. The Kindle Kids lacks ads by default, which is nice.
As noted, the Kindle Kids includes a six-month trial subscription to Amazon Kids+. This service can be used on any Amazon device and, when accessed from a Fire tablet, includes a large selection of apps, books, games, and videos. If you want to continue using it after the trial expires, Prime members will have to pay $48 a year, while non-Prime members will need to shell out $79.
Amazon Kids+ is a better bargain on Fire tablets than it is on Kindles, where kids can only access books and none of the apps and games. Moreover, the book selection is somewhat limited. There is a smattering of books for each age group and reading level, but none of the collections are robust. Some picture books, like “Santa’s Underwear,” are fun and cute, but they can be difficult to read on the small, grayscale screen. Amazon’s Panel Mode allows you to see an overview of a page with pictures before zooming in on each individual panel. Not all picture books work with this, though most comics do. Kids+ does have a large selection of Marvel comics and graphic novels, but similar to picture books, the experience of reading them is suboptimal on the gray screen. If you want color, you’ll have to upgrade to the $279.99 Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, which isn’t available in a kids version.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
The service does include some popular titles, like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and the Harry Potter series, but lacks much else. Very few classics are available, so parents who want to introduce their kids to “Little Women,” “Treasure Island,” or other indelible children’s stories will have to purchase them separately. There’s certainly enough content to get your child started, but budding bookworms will run out of included Kids+ reading material quickly.
Verdict: A Basic Ebook Reader for Kids
The 2024 Amazon Kindle Kids is practically identical to the previous model, down to the included cases. The display is slightly brighter than before and nice to read on, as it lights the page evenly and offers a clear, paper-like experience. We also appreciate the protective case, the two-year replacement warranty, and six months of Amazon Kids+. But while the package costs less than if you bought everything separately, there’s little here to justify the $10 increase over the previous model. Ultimately, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is our Editors’ Choice recommendation thanks to its larger screen, faster performance, longer battery life, and waterproof build.
Amazon Kindle Kids (2024)
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The Bottom Line
The Kindle Kids for 2024 pairs Amazon’s entry-level ebook reader with a colorful case and age-appropriate content, but it hasn’t changed much from the previous model and costs $10 more.
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About Sarah Lord
Analyst, Mobile
