Entertainment
The best tablets for kids in 2025
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
It’s a parental debate for the 21st Century: How much screen time should we allow our kids to have? But because this is the 21st Century, it would be almost impossible to fight screen use entirely, so why not put it to good use by buying the kids a tablet that’s good for both entertainment and education?
The good news is that there are tablets made especially for kids, or regular tablets that have great kid-specific features. It’s a happy medium between giving your kids the access to tech that they want, without turning them into screen zombies.
With so many tablets on the market, it’s hard to know which device is right for you and your kids — you want a tablet that will play to their interests, no matter how young they are, and will serve their specific educational needs. If you’re unsure about how to choose a tablet for your kids, here’s a quick guide.
Should kids have limited screen time?
Screen learning and screen time restrictions are increasingly significant points of study. Parents’ questions often boil down to “how much is too much?” The general advice, as offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is that kids between 2-5 should be limited to one hour of quality content a day. Beyond that, it’s about setting a plan that suits your child and family. Routines are always good and sensible limits will help tackle reported problems that may come from excessive screen use, such as obesity, behavioural problems, and impact on learning or sleep patterns.
How do tablets help kids learn?
Tablets just feel more like playing, and it’s not surprising that kids may be more willing to learn when it doesn’t feel forced. One study found that students who used tablets saw higher exam scores than those who didn’t use tablets, and they were able to recognise 20% more words due to an improved ability to recognise sounds and represent sounds as letters. A 2018 meta-analysis also found that touchscreens are beneficial for some learning, such as science and technology, because apps or games can create a memorable interactive experience (in contrast to simply reading about a science experiment, for instance, and not retaining the information).
What’s important to remember is that tablets are a great learning tool as long as they’re not a kid’s only source of learning. Kids will always need to be comfortable reading print books and doing maths by hand. Sure. But the opportunities for self-sufficient and interactive learning on a tablet can’t be understated.
How features do you need in a talblet for kids?
Most tablets made specifically for kids will already be equipped with built-in parent accounts, timers, and pre-selected websites or apps that are strictly for kids. Easy enough. General purpose tablets aren’t a bad choice at all — many sites name the iPad as one of the best tablets for kids even though it’s technically for everyone. The most important things to keep in mind when shopping for a tablet for kids are as follows:
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Screen Resolution — The required screen resolution will depend on the amount of movie watching and gaming your kids will be doing. If the answer is “not a lot,” you won’t need anything special.
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Storage — They’ll probably have more apps than you do, and may need space for downloads like offline Disney+ movies, music, or some books for school.
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Parental controls — For obvious reasons, you are going to want to pay attention to the level of control you will be able to have over usage.
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Rugged-ness — Because kids are basically adorable destruction machines and you’ll probably feel better with a protective case.
Focus on these features and you can’t got wrong.
What is the best tablet for kids?
To help you make the best decision for you, your kid, and your life, we have shortlisted a selection of standout tablets for kids. There is something for everyone and every budget in this list, and all you need to do is pick a favourite. You have the choice of impressive tablets from the likes of Amazon, Apple, and more.
These are the best tablets for kids in 2025.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
