Kids tablet · South Africa
Getting your child a tablet? Put this on it first.
Whichever tablet you choose, what matters most is what's on it. Here's how to make it kid-friendly in ten minutes, and one app that turns screen time into a story you make together.
Your first book is on us. No card needed.
Make any tablet kid-friendly in ten minutes
You don't need a special kids' tablet. Any Android tablet, iPad or Amazon Fire can be set up safely:
- Switch on the built-in controls: Google Family Link on Android, Screen Time on iPad, Amazon Kids on Fire tablets.
- Set a daily limit and a bedtime cut-off, so the tablet says no and you don't have to.
- Turn off in-app purchases, or require your password for every one.
- Put it in a thick, drop-proof case. Kids' tablets live on the floor.
- Choose a few apps you trust instead of a screen full of games.
One app you use together: Mr de Beer
Mr de Beer is a picture-book maker for parents. Tell him who the hero is (your child, a sibling, the dog) and what the story is about, and he writes a first draft and paints every page. You change any word or picture until it's right.
Then the tablet reads it aloud in one of 4 voices, in English or Afrikaans, or you order a printed copy from R999. It's made for children aged 2–9, and it works in the browser on any tablet, phone or computer.
Why this beats another game
It's screen time with you in it. Your child sees their own name, their own dog and their own street on every page. And when the tablet goes away at night, the story doesn't, because you can hold a printed copy.
Tonight's bedtime story could be theirs.
Ten minutes to build. Your first book is on us. Yours to keep.
Questions
What parents ask first.
What age should a child get a tablet?
There's no single right age. The WHO advises no screen time before age 2, and no more than an hour a day of sitting screen time from 2 to 4, with less being better. Whatever the age, what's on the tablet and whether you use it together matter more than the device.
Do I need an expensive kids' tablet?
No. A mid-range Android tablet or an older iPad with parental controls switched on and a good case works well. Mr de Beer runs in the browser, so it doesn't need a new device.
Is Mr de Beer free?
Your first book is on us: a new account gets 20 free credits, enough for a first book, while they last. No card needed. After that you pay only for what you want.
Does it work in Afrikaans?
Yes. Every book can be made and read aloud in English or Afrikaans.