Smart technology is constantly being introduced to kids at younger and younger ages. Today, it’s not surprising to see toddlers or young children running around with their very own smart tablet - and that’s not always a bad thing.
Smart tablets are a great way to let your kids play games and watch content without the mess and fuss. There are even smart tablets available specifically for young kids and are built with lots of features and educational content to improve their skills through modern technology.
One of the most popular brands of kid-friendly smart technology is LeapFrog - a company that aims to educate children through electronics and entertainment.
They are well known for their amazing tablet technology that helps with young children’s learning and development.
You have probably heard your kids talk about their friends’ tablet or have been recommended to get a LeapPad tablet by another parent, and have decided to get one for your own young ones.
But, like all good parents, you want the best for your kids, and as LeapFrog’s product range is so vast, it can be difficult to find the right learning tablet for your kids.
So, here is our guide on the top three LeapPad tablets. We will be going through the details and features of each one so you can work out which is best for your kids’ learning and development.

Must Have Features To Look Out For
When browsing through the catalogue of LeapFrog products, it is important to know what you are looking for and what is best suited for your child’s needs.
Battery Life
One of the things that is often overlooked is the battery life on a learning tablet. While parents are usually more concerned about the games and price, a learning tablet with a long battery life goes a long way - literally.
You will be more likely to take this learning tablet with your child on long and far journeys so they can stay entertained for longer.
Without a long battery life, your kid’s tablet will most likely stay at home as it is restricted by access to a charging station.
Therefore, it is a good idea to get a learning tablet with a good, long battery life. This means you are less likely to get caught somewhere with a bored child and a dead learning tablet, leading to less tantrums and more opportunities to learn.
Pre-Downloaded Content And Games
Speaking of learning opportunities, another main feature to look for in a good learning tablet is how many pre-downloaded games does your potential tablet come with.
LeapFrog has their own app store with over 100 different games to entertain your kids and help improve their skills - but most of them are sold separately.
Each LeapPad learning tablet does come with a restricted number of free games, so you will want to look at which one has the most already built into the tablet’s memory.
Otherwise, your kids could get bored pretty soon and you will have to start digging further into your wallet to pay for more entertaining games.
Once upon a time, kids’ learning tablets came with game slots for cartridges so you could borrow or buy different games for more affordable prices, but technology is moving on and downloadable content is now all the rage.
While older models may still have this feature, the newer and faster updated models probably won’t - so unless you want to put your bank details into your kid’s tablet, it’s better to just get one with a lot of included content.
Safety And Protection
And finally, we have safety and protection features.
Kids are quite literally the definition of tough love. Sometimes, they handle things a little too roughly and end up breaking more fragile (and more costly) toys and devices.
Thankfully, most kid tablets come with a range of features that help prevent this event from happening.
LeapPad tablets usually sport different ways to protect the tablet from damage - some have extra thick padded edges, others have shatter-safe screens, some have shock-absorbing bumpers on the corners so it can survive a tumble down the stairs.
When looking for a learning tablet for your kid, you should consider just how heavy handed they are and if it is worth investing in a tablet that is a little more durable and sturdy.
There is also another element to safety that a lot of parents often forget or overlook - internet safety.
Learning tablets are quickly beginning to feature apps with internet access, meaning that your kids are being introduced to the world wide web at younger ages.
If your kids are too young to understand internet safety, then you will want to check what kind of parental controls are available.
So - when you are looking for a great learning tablet for your kid, you will want to consider features like free content, battery life, and safety design. But which of the following tablets tick all the boxes? Let’s dive in to find out!
LeapPad Ultimate VS LeapPad Academy VS LeapPad Epic
LeapPad Ultimate is one of the best kids’ learning tablets out there as it is not only kid-proof, but contains a lot of content for learning that is ideal for kids aged 3-9 years.
It features a large 7 inch screen but is still compact enough for your kids to carry around freely.
It also has a shatter safe screen so you know that if your kids are a bit heavy handed, this tablet has a pretty good chance of survival.
It also comes with an attached pen so your kids can improve their fine motor skills instead of just tapping the screen with their fingers.
The LeapPad Ultimate comes with 15 pre-downloaded apps and games, but more are available through LeapFrog’s App Center where parents can purchase additional games and shows.
It is more than enough to keep your kids entertained for a while and if they are absolutely in love with their LeapPad Ultimate, then you know that investing in more games will definitely benefit your child.
There is also a secure web browser for your kids with parental controls to limit their access to non kid-friendly websites.
The drawback of this learning tablet is that it only has up to 5 hours of battery life, so don’t be surprised if you often find your child handing the tablet back to you and saying it died.
However, 5 hours is more than enough for a few uses here and there but if you do take it out of the house, you had better remember the charging adapter.
Pros
- Its lightness and compactness makes it easy for your kids to handle and carry, reducing the chances of it being dropped.
- Contains a good amount of free games already downloaded into the tablet’s memory.
- The web browser is secure and features parental controls to keep your kids safe online.
Cons
- Only has a battery life of up to 5 hours so you will probably find yourself frequently charging this tablet and finding it dying in the middle of a long journey.
The LeapPad Academy learning tablet was released in 2019 and is a great tablet choice to help your kids have more fun with learning.
It has a rechargeable lithium ion battery that has up to 9 hours of battery life, meaning that this tablet can keep your kid entertained during long road trips with ease.
It also has strong side bumpers to absorb shock and is drop-tested to make sure it can withstand heavy handed kids. The bumpers also make it easier for kids to hold and grab so they won’t struggle keeping their tablet in their grasp.
There is also a front and back camera so your child can have plenty of photo fun and get creative using editors.
As for content and features, the LeapPad Academy tablet comes with 20 pre-downloaded educational apps, but each is designed by LeapFrog learning experts to help develop your kids’ creativity, math skills, reading, and more.
It also features LeapSearch, which lets your child browse kid-friendly websites so they can undergo more learning experiences. Of course, parents have full control over what their child has access to thanks to the parental controls.
Unfortunately, this learning tablet does not feature a game cartridge slot, so any extra games you wish to purchase for your kid must be bought and downloaded as an app from the LeapFrog App Center.
This means getting a good deal on second-hand cartridges has now become a thing of the past.
Pros
- An amazing battery life of up to 9 hours long, meaning that this tablet is great for long journeys and travel.
- Features a great amount of free games that are designed to encourage learning and growth, with options like LeapSearch to provide even more learning opportunities.
- Kid-safe and shockproof, meaning that your kids will have a tough time damaging this learning tablet.
Cons
- Parents are restricted to using the LeapFrog App Center to purchase more games rather than more affordable cartridge options.
And finally, we have the LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet.
This older model of the classic LeapFrog learning tablet is a lot more affordable than some of the newer models, and works just as well.
It still sports the same 7 inch screen and protective bumper case (that your kids may work out how to remove pretty quickly), so it is pretty durable as long as that bumper case stays on.
What makes the Epic tablet so - well, epic - is that it contains over 20 free games and content apps, making it jam-packed with plenty of options for your kids to choose from.
This way they can have fun and improve their development and learning in a bunch of topics like math, reading, writing, spelling, and more. It is a sure way to keep your kids entertained and to benefit them in a lot of different areas of learning.
Your kids can also enjoy a kid-friendly web experience thanks to the parental controls on the LeapSearch internet browser.
Not only is this tablet a great choice for content, it also has a good battery life of up to 6 hours. It’s a little bit better than some other learning tablets’ battery life but it is also not the best.
Pros
- Good battery life of up to 6 hours, which is better than some of the other models.
- Contains a lot of free content such as games and apps that are designed to help your kids learn and grow.
- Despite being an older model, it keeps up well with modern technology and works efficiently.
Cons
- The bumper case is easy to remove, which puts it in danger of being damaged if your kids decide to take it off without you noticing.
Conclusion
So - which LeapFrog tablet is our ultimate pick?
Well, we would personally choose the LeapPad Academy learning tablet. It has such an amazing battery life that sweeps away the competition, and features a really good amount of free content that easily puts it above the LeapPad Ultimate.
It pips the LeapFrog Epic in our eyes as it has better safety features and also does have the longer battery life - making this tablet an ideal learning tool for your kids.
Of course, every kid is different and perhaps you would prefer a different tablet for your children, but if you are asking us for our opinion - the LeapFrog Academy takes the crown.
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