Autism, also known as an autism spectrum disorder, includes developmental disabilities. An autistic child has difficulties in social interaction and communication. But in this advanced world, every problem has a solution, and children with special needs are not left out. Due to technological advancement, it has become easy for autistic children to learn educational and communication skills and improve their social interaction. An appropriate gadget can help them learn, empower, and evolve faster, and this is where the best tablet for an autistic child comes into the scene.
For any special children, tablets can be beneficial as they add motivation to learn and make social interaction easy. It is a beneficial tool to improve their cognitive learning skills. Further, as a parent or guardian of an autistic child, you need a tablet that offers speech-based applications and some other apps that improve their social skills and provide them with an interactive educational experience. However, it is not that simple to find the perfect tablet for your child.
The best tablets for kids with autism must have a fast-processing speed to avoid lagging. These tablets must be lightweight, portable, and durable. In addition, the large storage, excellent cameras, powerful speakers, and long-lasting battery are some of the other crucial features necessary for interactive and uninterrupted learning. Some tablets also use child-friendly images as icons that make learning easier and more enjoyable.
So, if you have an autistic child under your care and intend to get the best tablet for him but are confused about how to get the right one, this article is for you. We have reviewed some of the amazing models specially designed for autistic children. Each tablet has exceptional functionality, usefulness, and kid-special features. Also, we have mentioned the detailed buyer’s guide for your help.
Top-rated tablets for the autistic child
Sometimes it becomes hard to find the best tablet with all the required features from tons of options. Therefore, to make this difficult task easy for you, I have compiled the list of six best-suited tablets for autistic kids. These tablets have been handpicked from the extensive collection after considering the specialized requirements and taking experts’ recommendations. So, read on till the end and pick the perfect one for your child.
- Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet
- Apple iPad Pro
- Sunany LCD Writing Tablet
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
- Apple iPad Mini
- LeapFrog LeapPad Academy Kids’ Learning Tablet
- 2022 Release Fire 7 Kids Tablet 16 GB
Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet
Specifications
- CPU: Quad-core 2.0 GHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage: 32 GB (expandable up to 1 TB)
- Screen size: 8-inch HD display
- Screen resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels
- Weight: 19.2 ounces
- Battery life: up to 12 hours
- Port: USB-C (2.0)
About
Fire HD 8 has a special quad-core processor with a 2.0 GHz base frequency. It provides high processing power for browsing the web, watching videos, and playing games, while the 2 GB RAM ensures excellent performance. Moreover, the tablet has 32 GB of internal storage and 1 TB of expandable storage, so it will never run out of space for games and apps.
The 8 inches high-definition touchscreen with IPS technology delivers quality content. The high resolution provides better image and video quality and helps to learn things with clearer details. It is extremely thin and lightweight so that the child can carry it comfortably and can take this portable device anywhere they want.
Furthermore, it features 12 hours of battery life which make it worth buying for uninterrupted usage. Now your kids can do reading, watch videos, listen to music, and browse the web for long hours without any hassle. In addition, the fast charging feature saves time. The slim Kid Friendly Case is also included with the tablet to protect against drops and bumps.
The Fire HD 8 is equipped with 2MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording. Now the kids can capture amazing selfies and can improve their photography skills. The USB port 2.0 is also there to facilitate sharing of captured images and videos with friends and loved ones. For ultra-fast connectivity, dual-band Wi-Fi is also present.
Besides that, the web browser comes with a built-in parental control feature that allows the parents to add or block specific websites at any time. It helps to filter out inappropriate sites. The VoiceView screen reader allows access to the majority of features added for visually impaired children. So, this device is a must-have for parents having autistic child.
Features
- Dual camera
- Best for ages 6-12 years
- Digital store with parental controls
- Customizable home screen theme
- 2-year worry-free warranty
Apple iPad Pro
Specifications
- Chip: A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine
- Storage: 128GB
- Display: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display
- Weight: 1.42 pounds
- Camera: 12MP
- Operating system: IPadOS
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Port: USB-C
About
The Apple iPad Pro is equipped with an A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine, which allows you to play games and design projects without making any compromise on speed. It provides fast processing and helps kids with their studies and creative tasks. Along with it, the 128GB storage provides enough space to store your work, and you can download multiple apps according to your child’s needs.
This best tablet for an autistic child has 12.9 inches edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display with 600nits brightness. The True Tone technology and P3 wide color provide excellent visuals and high-quality colors. While ProMotion ensures a fast refresh rate and excellent response times. The Face ID is present for secure authentication, while with Apple Pay support, you can securely buy things online.
You can take ultra-wide shots with the 12MP Wide camera, 10MP Ultra-wide camera, and LiDAR scanner. The 7MP TrueDepth front camera also provides high-quality images. By using these cameras, autistic children can develop or polish their photography skills. In addition, the 5 studio-quality microphones and 4 audio speakers deliver high quality and clearer sound, which helps the child learn things with more concentration.
The 10 hours of battery life allow the kids to enjoy their games without interruption, and this portable device is easy to carry anywhere. The USB-C port is the only port present on the right for charging and plugging in accessories. The Apple iPad pro provides high-level performance and automatically adjusts the screen layout based on the apps you are using.
Further, it provides support for the trackpad and Magic keyboard, which ensure an excellent typing experience. You can download multiple apps to enhance the creativity of the child. Thus, this device has everything you need to make learning easy and enjoyable for the autistic child.
Features
- Face ID for authentication
- 4K video recording
- LiDAR scanner for enhanced AR
- New and improved cursor control
- Brilliant display
Sunany LCD Writing Tablet
Specifications
- Display: 8.5 inches LCD
- Battery: Replaceable button battery
- Weight: 3.95 ounces
- One-key lock screen
About
Sunany features an LCD writing tablet having 8.5 inches drawing board that children can carry anywhere. They can freely express their creativity on the drawing board, write or draw whatever they want, and count numbers or spell words at any time at any place. With this portable device in hand, they will no longer create a mess on walls, and you can also save the money you spend on papers.
The surface of the writing tablet creates lines of different thicknesses based on how hard you push and feels like writing with a pen on paper. It is made of environment-friendly and non-toxic material, so it is safe for children and can be used in cars, houses, or schools. This best tablet for an autistic child has a replaceable built-in sealed button battery, so the kids will never have to stop charging it and can work for long hours without any interruption.
Further, the anti-glare LCD screen does not emit any radiation. The children can work or play on it for long hours as it does not cause harm to the eyes. Therefore, this tablet is a safe choice for your autistic child. In addition, the slim and lightweight design makes it suitable for school and home use. The one-click erase button allows tens of thousands of rough swipes.
You can lock the device with the help of a screen lock key present on the back. The magnet included in the package allows you to attach this multi-purpose device to the metal surfaces easily. Now with this tablet, autistic children can unleash their creativity to new heights. They can freely express their inner artist and learn new things easily without creating any mess.
Features
- Anti-glare screen
- Sealed button battery
- One-click erase
- Multi-purpose tablet
- Ultra-lightweight
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Specifications
- Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 662
- RAM: 3GB
- Storage: 32GB expandable up to 1TB
- Operating system: Android 10
- Graphics: Adreno 610
- Screen size: 10.4 inches
- Display resolution: 2000 x 1200 pixels
- Weight: 1.04 lbs
About
The Octa-core Snapdragon 662 chipset is present in Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. The 2.4GHz clock speed provides high processing power. The Adreno 610 graphics deliver excellent visuals and provide high-quality content that is helpful for autistic children. Plus, the 3GB RAM is perfect for performing everyday tasks.
Further, the 32GB storage is expandable up to 1TB, which allows you to store a large amount of data easily. You can stream and browse on 10.4 inches ultra-wide display. The front-facing, landscape-oriented camera allows you to make video calls with your friends and family and help to enhance communication and social skills. Similarly, the quad-speaker system enables the kids to experience clear and high-quality sound and music.
The long-lasting battery life allows uninterrupted streaming and emulation, gaming while the lightweight design makes it highly portable. In addition, the ultra-slim, tri-fold hard shell case cover protects the tablet during accidental fall, while its precise cutouts give full access to all controls and buttons. The Samsung Tab A7 features a Type-C port, Bluetooth 5.0, and dual-band Wi-Fi support for ultra-fast connectivity.
The excellent display, quick charging, and fast processor allow you to experience high-quality content with perfection. You can download several learning apps and games that will help your special child to learn and develop communication skills. The kids can enjoy unlimited browsing, gaming, music, photos, and video calls and can increase their knowledge and social skills with this tablet. So, you can say that it is the most reliable tablet for autistic children.
Features
- Fast charging
- 8MP auto-focus rear camera
- Dolby Atmos surround sound
- Slim and stylish design
- Ultra-widescreen display
Apple iPad Mini
Specifications
- Display: 7.9 inches Retina display
- Chip: A12 Bionic chip with Neural Engine
- Storage: 64GB
- Operating system: iPadOS
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
- Weight: 0.66 pounds
- Camera: 8MP
About
The 7.9-inch Retina display with wide color and True Tone technology provides high-quality images and videos. The high-resolution display allows the kids to see pictures with stunning color and make reading easy. The A12 Bionic chip provides incredibly fast performance and runs the most powerful apps easily.
Further, the 64GB storage capacity allows you to download multiple apps and games so the kids can play games of their own choice. For advanced security, it features a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. In addition, the 8MP rear camera allows shooting in HD, while the 7MP FaceTime front camera help to develop photography skill in the kids.
The 10 hours long battery life allows the children to surf the internet, watch videos, play games, and listen to music without any interruption. In addition, the thin and lightweight design makes it easy to carry, and you can take it anywhere you go. The stereo speakers deliver clear sound and make the content more enjoyable for autistic children.
The first-generation Apple Pencil makes the iPad more versatile as kids can sketch and take notes with pixel-perfect precision. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled settings allow wireless connection. With this best iPad for autistic children, the kids can bring their creativity to life. Moreover, its compatibility with Smart Keyboard and magic mouse make your life easier.
Thanks to iPadOS 14, it brings new capabilities designed to give you an exceptional entertainment experience. Further, the autistic child can enjoy multiple apps on this iPad that will help them to enhance their communication and social skills. All the outstanding features of this iPad make it worth buying.
Features
- Touch ID fingerprint sensor
- 7MP front camera
- Stereo speakers
- Support for Apple Pencil
- Portable design
LeapFrog LeapPad Academy Kids’ Learning Tablet
Specifications
- CPU: Quad-core 1.3 GHz
- Storage: 16 GB (expandable up to 32GB)
- Screen size: 7-inch LCD
- Screen resolution: 1024 x 600 pixels
- Weight: 1.61 pounds
- Camera: 2MP
- Operating system: Android
About
The best tablet for an autistic child not only entertains but facilitates the learning of new things. Therefore, this kid-friendly laptop is packed with 20 educational apps and creativity tools that help your kids to learn along with fun and entertainment. As a result, they can easily build reading, math, and science skills and can also enhance their creative skills.
The quad-core processor with a 1.3 GHz base frequency ensures powerful processing. While the 16GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 32GB, provides enough space for multiple apps and games. The 7 inches shatter-safe LCD screen delivers high-quality content and images. In addition, the high resolution and color-accurate display make learning a fun thing to do.
For durability, the device includes a bumper with a kickstand to protect it from damage when it drops or falls. Also, it is lightweight so that kids can carry it anywhere easily. With a 2MP camera, the children can click photos and make video calls to their friends or family and interact with them conveniently. This tablet is designed specifically to give children an interactive experience.
LeapFrog’s web browser allows the child to explore kid-friendly websites and videos. The parents can set time limits and approve kid-friendly websites. From the LeapFrog App Center, you can download many apps and games. In addition, the 3 months free trial of LeapFrog Academy, an interactive learning program, guide the children.
With this best tablet for an autistic child, you can explore the interest of your kid. It features lots of fun activities that children love. The customizable home screen inspires creativity and promotes self-expression in an autistic child. Moreover, this tablet is intended for ages 3 to 8 years and comes with two years warranty.
Features
- Good battery life
- Kid-friendly web browser
- Best for ages 3-8 years
- Provide parental controls
- 2 years warranty
Fire 7 Kids Tablet, 7″ display, ages 3-7, 16 GB, (2022 release)
Specifications
- 7″ display
- 16 GB of internal storage
- Designed for kids ages 3-7
- Blue color
- Kid-proof case
- 2-year worry-free guarantee
- 1-year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited
About
The tablet has 16 GB of internal storage and is expandable via a microSD card slot. The tablet has a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024×600. It runs on a quad-core processor and has 1 GB of RAM. Plus, The tablet also has a 2-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel front camera. The tablet comes with the Amazon Fire OS 6 operating system. Further, The tablet is compatible with the Amazon Fire TV Stick and can be used to control the Amazon Fire TV. The tablet comes with a one-year warranty.
Besides, The Fire 7 Kids tablet is a great tablet for an autistic child. Fire HD has a 7-inch display that is perfect for kids to use. The tablet also has a quad-core processor that is fast enough for kids to use. In other words, The tablet has 1 GB of RAM, which is perfect for kids. The tablet also has a 2-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel front camera.
As a parent of an autistic child, I am always looking for ways to help my child learn and grow. One important tool in our arsenal is the Fire 7 Kids tablet. This tablet has increased battery life (up to 10 hours of mixed-use) and enhanced performance—up to 30% faster quad-core processor than Fire 7 Kids 9th Generation and 2GB of RAM (double compared to Fire 7 Kids 9th Generation). This extra power is perfect for my autistic child, who loves using apps and games to learn. With the increased battery life, we don’t have to worry about the tablet dying in the middle of a session. The enhanced performance ensures that my child can use even the most resource-intensive apps without issues. The Fire 7 Kids tablet has been a game-changer for us, and I would highly recommend it to any other parent of an autistic child.
Features:
- 7-inch display
- Quad-core processor
- 1 GB of RAM
- 2-megapixel rear camera
- 0.3-megapixel front camera
- Amazon Fire OS 6 operating system
- Compatible with Amazon Fire TV Stick
- You Can Use it To control Amazon Fire TV
What to consider when buying the best tablet for an autistic child?
This question might arise in your mind when shopping for the best tablet for autistic child. Or maybe you are confused about the factors you should look for in a tablet to get the best suited for your need. Right? Don’t worry because here we mentioned some important tips that you should keep in mind before purchasing the tablet for your special child. So, let’s jump in!
Display
For comfortable handling, you need a tablet that has an appropriate size, not too big, not too small. No doubt largest android tablets are convenient to view content clearly, but special children may find them difficult to hold. So it’s better to opt for models that come in moderate size. Further, you can also go for tablets that have special IPS displays as it reduces the stress on the eyes.
The kid’s tablets must not emit harmful radiations and should feature automatic adjustment of the screen brightness to protect the children’s eyesight. In addition, the panel must have a kid-friendly casing to prevent the screen from damage and scratches.
Storage
Autistic children have to play games for fun and need to use multiple drawing or writing apps to enhance their learning. But for all these things, the device must have large storage. Some best tablets for autistic kids have built-in apps according to the children’s needs. However, it is better to have at least 32GB of memory to install or store other required apps or data.
In addition to their own memory space, the tablets must feature memory SD cards, which further increase the tablet’s storage capacity and facilitate the easy installation of apps.
Durability & Battery life
The children frequently drop or break things easily. So, your tablet must be equipped with safety features and should be durable enough to withstand the rough handling of children. Having a durable case or thick bumpers not only saves the tablet from damage but is also necessary for child safety. Therefore, choose the desired model accordingly.
Along with durability, a long-lasting battery makes any tablet worth buying. The best tablet for the autistic child should be able to run for many hours on a single charge. It is not only good for uninterrupted learning but also makes the device portable as you can use it during traveling without any hassle of charging the device again and again.
Parental controls
The best tablet for kids with autism mostly comes with parental controls so parents can easily restrict their child’s activities. For example, parental controls allow you to restrict or lock a website you think is unsafe for your child. In addition, to ensure the healthy usage of the device, you can monitor or control the content which your kids can access.
It prevents them from getting access to anything inappropriate and gives them peace of mind. So, for your child’s safety, make sure before buying that your desired model features every possible parental control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a tablet good for autistic children?
Tablet is a good tool to train autistic children as it helps to learn different skills. The multiple built-in apps for special children make learning easy and develop communication skills in the children. The powerful speakers and sharp visuals make it easy to learn and improve their social skills. Moreover, the tablet is portable so that the kids can carry it comfortably.
Which apps are best for an autistic child?
A lot of apps are present for the ease of autistic children, but which one is best depends on their areas of need. For example, different language learning apps like Proloquo2Go, Language Therapy for Kids (MITA), etc., develop language and cognitive abilities, while apps like Endless Reader develop reading skills in children. Similarly, some other apps help to learn educational and social skills and also entertain the children.
How do the tablets increase the concentration of an autistic child?
The powerful speakers of the tablets allow the kids to hear the stuff in a better way, while the sharp visuals help to learn new things with high-quality images. The tablet engages them with the virtual world in a better way and helps them concentrate on things more effectively.
