Amazon launches kids subscription service in the UK

Fire HD Kids Edition

Amazon has launched an all-you-can-eat children’s subscription service in the UK that includes videos, e-books, educational apps and games.  

Fire for Kids Unlimited is available for existing Fire HD and Fire HDX customers and is aimed at kids aimed three to 10 years old.

Amazon said the service will give users unlimited access to thousands of popular kids’ titles from kids brands like Disney, Mattel, Nickelodeon and Aardman Studios – with new content continually being added.

The video content offered includes shows such Dora the Explorer, The Penguins of Madagascar, In the Night Garden, Shaun the Sheep, Fireman Sam and Ben 10.

“Kids change their minds all the time about which character is their favourite –one day Fireman Sam, the next Thomas & Friends – making it difficult for parents to keep up,” said Jorrit Van der Meulen, vice president, Amazon Devices EU.

“The Fire for Kids Unlimited service removes the guesswork for parents by providing kids with unlimited access to thousands of age-appropriate books, videos, educational apps, and games from popular brands.”

Amazon said the service lets kids explore thousands of digital titles on their own and pick for themselves what to read, watch or play. They can also search by topic, looking up subjects like “princesses.”

All in-app payments, advertisements and social media have been removed from the service and parental controls let parents set screen time limits.

For Amazon Prime-subscribing parents the service costs £1.99 a month per child or £4.99 for a family pass for up to four children. Non-prime customers can sign up for £3.99 per child or £7.99 per family.

The news comes as Amazon launches the Fire HD Kids Edition in the UK, which the company is its “first tablet built from the ground up for kids”. Fire HD Kids Edition is priced at £119 with 8GB of memory and £139 with 16GB of memory and is protected by a two-year guarantee.