As we head to the internet, toy aisles, technology stores and scour the flyers for the best tablet for kids, certainly an inexpensive or cheap tablet would be ideal. However, knowing your child's skills compared with the features of each device, will make for the best investment. So first, here are several considerations to help you decide between a learning tablet or an Android tablet.

For those of you searching for an Android tablet, meet the Fuhu nabi DreamTab.

In my opinion, for under $200, given its features, the DreamTab is one of the best android tablets for kids and families, even including adults.

The nabi DreamTab includes an 8 inch screen, a NVIDIA® Tegra® 4 T40S Cortex-A15 Quad-core processor with 16GB of storage that is expandable with a micro SD card. The device includes 2GB of RAM, a front camera with 2.0 mega pixels, and a rear camera with 5.0 mega pixels. It also includes an internal lithium rechargeable battery that provides about 6 hours of life to the tablet. It is wifi and bluetooth compatible. Children and adults can access the device through the touch screen, as well as an included nabi pen stylus that stores in the back of the device.

So in case you are wondering what all of this means, the nabi DreamTab has a viewing screen that is clear, very responsive to touch and larger than most tablets. The processor of the device is quite fast, allowing it to download and play a variety of movies and apps for kids and adults. Additional storage and memory options are available so the tablet can hold more content as the user's library expands.

Kids who enjoy taking pictures and movies will be able to take higher quality images with the rear camera. When the tablet needs to be charged, just plug into a computer or standard wall adapter through a USB cord, allowing it to be either charged at home or even cars and airplanes with standard plug outlets. Like any tablet, information can be shared, downloaded and accessed over any wifi connection. Once the DreamTab is charged, users should have about 6 hours of interactive time, until a new charge is required.

What is Google Play?

Access to this one app is one of the best features of the DreamTab, and why I think Android tablets are the perfect device for kids making the transition from learning tablets from VTech and LeapFrog that have animated content to engaging app play and social sharing in a monitored realm. 

Using Google Play, adults can download their favorite tablet based apps, while kids can play Angry Birds, build their own worlds in Minecraft, send a SnapChat to friends and listen to their favorite music from One Direction, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. If you have Netflix, they can also have access to a library of movies or browse YouTube. 

As an adult, you can check your email, download your own Android apps for fun, and watch movies when signed into your own profile. 

What is Dream Pro Studio?

The DreamTab also includes content developed featuring familiar Dreamworks Animation characters that include Madagascar, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda with Dream Pro Studio. Using this app, kids can learn how to draw their favorite Dreamworks characters in a step-by-step format. It also encourages kids to write e-books, animate and edit their own content. When "drawing" within DreamPro Draw, children have access to all sorts of crayons, markers, colored pencils and stickers to enhance their creativity and imagination. Utilizing Dream Pro Animator, kids can learn to storyboard and bring their pictures to life through animation. Dream Pro Editor allows them to artistically add music, text and effects. Dream Pro Publisher allows creative kids a way to design story books. Dream Pro Studio encourages kids to actively engage with content, rather than just passively view it.

What is Wings Learning System?

The Wings learning system is a curriculum designed for kids ages pre-K through the 6th grade that includes interactive, educational experiences around reading, math, and writing aligned to the Common Core Curriculum standards. The software automatically adapts to your kids skill level, and includes over 300,000 questions. Parents can also monitor their child's progress and gain data on their interests.

What is nabi Web and nabi Play?

Includes apps where kids can access websites and view streaming videos appropriate for children in a safe online environment through wifi.

What is nabi Konnect?

nabi Konnect is a way for kids to share pictures, information and emails with friends within a safe network that is monitored by their parents. Parents have control over the time that the device is awake and asleep, as well as how much time their children can utilize the tablet hourly, each day.

Looking to help your child achieve independence? The nabi DreamTab device includes stop watches, alarms, calendars, weather apps, chore lists improving chances of success for kids to get out of the house and to both their school and activities, dressed appropriately and within a timely fashion!  Using nabi coins, a virtual currency, parents can reward their children for engaging in educational tasks, which they can then redeem in the Treasure Box for downloaded content of their choosing (movies, games, apps, and music).

As parents we want the best tablet for kids when we make a purchase upwards of a few hundred dollars, than hand over a device to a child to engage, play and hopefully learn from. One of my personal frustrations with an iOS device is that they can be expensive, and the cost prohibits owning multiple devices, so as a family we share access to the iPad. Once my iPad is handed over to my child, he can literally start accessing content on YouTube, movies we may have downloaded on the device for our entertainment, and information that he's not appropriate or ready for.

With the nabi DreamTab, given that there are 2 different modes, children can safely navigate areas they have access to under their individual profile, while adults can also use the tablet with their own content and email that isn't accessible by their children.  

Did your child take the device to a friend's house? Using the "navigator," as a parent you can purchase coins and monitor time controls using a smartphone.

If you are looking to purchase a nabi tablet, here. Visit nabitablet.com for more information.

Disclosure: The company provided free access to this device for a few weeks for review purposes, upon which the device was returned. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.