Here’s the One Piece of Technology You Need This Holiday Season

In Partnership with Amazon Fire Kids Edition

Thanksgiving week brings a lot to be thankful for: family time, great food and the merry excitement that the holidays have officially kicked off. This year, we’re especially grateful for one more thing: the new Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet. From its unparalleled parental control features to the thousands of vetted kids books, movies and educational apps, the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet is about to save your Thanksgiving holiday.

Amazon is offering a special Black Friday deal where you can get your hands on a Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet for just $69.99.

Stay-at-home Dad, Alex and his ten-year-old daughter, Stephanie recently tried out the new Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet. Read on to find out why it’s a must-have for entertainment, education and all-around fun.

1. Worry-Free Guarantee: It Lasts Two Years!

Warranties that are actually no-questions asked are a parent’s best friend. Each new tablet comes with a kid-proof case and a two-year worry-free guarantee. If something happens, return it to Amazon for a replacement. No questions asked.

Alex says: Stephanie is an only child so she is showered with presents during the holidays from both sets of grandparents. We love that the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet will last more than one season, and meet her needs as she grows and her interests evolve. And, while she’s a lot more careful with technology than she was a few years ago, accidents do happen. With two dogs and a constantly full house during the holidays, it’s nice to know if the tablet does break, we’re able to replace it with no questions asked.

Stephanie says: All of my grandparents and cousins stay with us for the holidays so it’s pretty crowded. We share each other’s toys and tablets and I like that I can lend my little cousins the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet without having to worry about them accidentally dropping it.

2. Amazon FreeTime Unlimited: Boredom Be Gone!

Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited is an all-in-one subscription service that provides access to over 15,000 kid safe books, videos, apps and games. And it’s good stuff too. We’re talking content from PBS Kids, Disney, Simon & Schuster, Amazon Originals and more. Bonus: each new tablet comes with a one-year free subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. Kids also have access to over 55,000 websites and YouTube videos that have been hand-selected by the FreeTime team. (Note: YouTube videos and websites are not part of the FreeTime Unlimited subscription and are an additional benefit included with FreeTime).

Alex says: I’m the cook of the family so Thanksgiving dinner is my responsibility. Because our family is so large, I feel like I’m prepping and cooking for three days straight. With Stephanie out of school for the entire Thanksgiving week (yep, the whole week), I don’t have the time to take her out to our usual haunts so it’s great that she can entertain herself with Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited.

Stephanie says: Since I know my dad won’t be that free during Thanksgiving week, it’s fun to spend some time reading books my teacher recommended. I also like to show my little cousins cool apps and games. They’re a lot younger than I am so I can show them the apps, books and games that are appropriate for their age.

3. Parental Controls: Stop Hovering

Too busy to constantly supervise your kid’s screen time? Don’t stress. The Fire Kids Edition tablets come fully equipped with parental controls, which allow adults to block access to entertainment content until after educational goals are met each day. The control panel also allows parents to manage screen time. Your child can only access the tablet during specified times designated by you.

Alex says: If it were up to Stephanie, she’d spent every single minute on the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet. But, call me old fashioned because I still like her to get out for some fresh air. The Parental Controls allow me to set her screentime limits each day so even when I’m busy in the kitchen or running out to do an errand, her screentime expectations are clear and I can keep tabs on what she’s up to even if I’m not right next to her.

Stephanie says: My dad doesn’t keep asking me what I am looking at all the time after we got the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet. When I show things to my younger cousins during the holidays, I switch the profile view so everything that they see is ok for their age.

4. Parent Dashboard: Easily Connect with Your Kids

The tablet’s parent dashboard features two main components: daily activity reports allowing you to review the digital content your kids accessed that day and discussion cards, which provides you talking points and sample questions based on the content your kids discovered. This combination of reviewing what your kids see and discussion cards will help parents connect with their kids during the busy holiday season and keep tabs on what they’re enjoying.

Alex says: Stephanie is getting to that tween stage where she’s wanting to exert her independence more and more. But as her dad, I still want to be able to connect with her in ways that go beyond asking superficial questions because let’s face it—soon she’ll be a teenager and I know our communication style will change. The Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet’s parent dashboard is perfect for this. I can see what she’s been reading and we can discuss it in a way that makes sense for her.

Stephanie says: Before I had the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet my dad was constantly asking what I read or did that day online. The parent dashboard helps him know what I’m reading and doing without him always asking me.

––photos courtesy of Amazon & Red Tricycle