📚 Reading apps and reading coaches · 🛡️ Parental controls and family safety
Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard
By Amazon. Visit Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A paid kids' library plus free parental controls that work across Fire and Amazon Kids tablets, Kindle, Fire TV and Echo. Kids get ad-free books, audiobooks, shows, games and apps from brands like Disney, PBS Kids and Khan Academy Kids, with games fully unlocked. Parents use Parent Dashboard to set time limits, require reading before games (Learn First), control the web browser, see activity, and pause devices. New AI story tools let kids make picture books by voice.
Our take: A good-value bundle for families already on Amazon devices with kids 3-12; skip it if your child mostly uses an iPad or a phone.
| Ages it suits | 3-12 |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Bought by an adult on their Amazon account; kids use it through child profiles. Amazon requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. (terms) |
| Price | Paid. $7.99 a month for Prime members, $8.99 for non-Prime (Oct 2026); a year is included with Amazon Kids devices, then it auto-renews. |
| Works on | A device, Alexa, iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | A parent's account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | Storybuilder and Stories with Alexa use generative AI to turn a child's spoken ideas into illustrated stories; parents can see what kids made. |
What's good
- Large ad-free kids' catalog
- No in-game purchases in Kids+ games
- Learn First puts reading before entertainment
- One subscription across Amazon devices
Watch for
- Auto-renews after the free year; price rose to $7.99/$8.99
- Content can leave the catalog at any time
- AI story features record a child's voice
- Past FTC case over kids' voice data
Data and privacy
Amazon's Children's Privacy Disclosure (Apr 2026) says child data can include name, birthdate, voice, photos, videos, location and device IDs, used to run and improve services and personalize recommendations, but no interest-based ads on a child profile. Amazon keeps it as long as needed; parents can review and delete it. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
The maker's own claims only. In 2023 the FTC and DOJ charged Amazon with keeping kids' Alexa voice recordings and undermining parents' deletion requests; Amazon agreed to a proposed $25 million penalty.
In the Big Index
- On the list 9 tablet and phone setups for kids in the AI era
- On the list 7 AI robot and companion setups: what they need and what they record
- The maker in the who's who: Amazon
Alternatives to Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard
Desk researchPaid
Amazon Kids Tablets (and Fire Kids tablets)
Amazon · ages 3+ and 6+ versions
A reasonable first tablet if you want Amazon's controls plus real Android apps; families who want a tightly closed device may prefer a device without the Play Store.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Apple Messages and FaceTime (Communication Safety)
Apple · ages any age with a parent-made child account; teens 13-17
Worth turning on for any child with an iPhone or iPad; pair it with contact limits for younger kids.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Apple Screen Time
Apple · ages any age under 18
The first stop for any family whose child uses an iPhone or iPad; it does nothing on Android or Windows.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Apple Watch For Your Kids
Apple · ages kids who don't have their own iPhone; no set age
Good for iPhone families who want a phone alternative with strong contact controls; cheaper kids' watches exist if you only need calls and location.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Aura Parental Controls
Aura · ages kids and teens
Makes sense for families who already want Aura's identity protection; those who only need screen time limits can use free built-in tools.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Bark (app, Bark Phone, Bark Watch)
Bark Technologies · ages kids and teens
For parents who want alerts about serious risks on a teen's phone and will talk openly about it; families wanting simple limits can start with free built-in tools.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/what-is-amazon-kids-plus-subscription
- https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201222340
- https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202185560
- https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/amazon-kids-approach-to-family-privacy-and-safety
- https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-amazon-kids-tablets
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.