It’s been nine months since Amazon launched its first-ever Kindle with color, nearly 17 years after the very first Kindle made its debut. Now it’s bringing the in-color reading experience to the whole family. Amazon officially unveiled its first color Kindle for kids — dubbed the Colorsoft Kids — on Thursday, July 24.
In addition to the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, Amazon also revealed a lower-priced 16 GB Kindle Colorsoft model. While the Colorsoft Signature Edition (the original, which launched in Oct. 2024) features 32GB and retails for $279.99, the new 16GB model will retail for $249.99. Otherwise, it’s the same device.
The new Kindle Colorsoft Kids is priced at $269.99 and comes with two cover options. Customers who purchase the new Kindle will also get 12 months of Amazon Kids+. While we haven’t tested the new e-reader yet, it’s a strong contender to become the best Kindle for young readers.
Meet the first-ever kids’ Kindle with a color display
The new Kindle Colorsoft Kids is a seven-inch, waterproof e-reader with an illustrated cover and a glare-free display that supports a full spectrum of color. That means, for the first time, kids can view book covers, comics, and graphic novels in vivid color. Black and white illustrations just don’t hit the same. Amazon said that in 2024, “kids who read graphic novels and comics spent 46% more total reading time compared to the average Kindle Kids reader.” So this could be a real game-changer for young readers. And considering there’s no distracting notifications, apps, videos, games, or messaging, it’s screen time parents can actually feel good about.
Mashable Light Speed
Just like the adult version, the Colorsoft Kids also features an eight-week battery life, adjustable warm light, no lockscreen ads, and a fully waterproof body. It also includes helpful tools for young readers like Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise to learn new words, the OpenDyslexic font, and Bluetooth connectivity, which allows them to listen along to audiobooks with headphones.
Credit: Kindle
Like most of Amazon’s kid-friendly devices, the Colorsoft Kids will also come with a two-year worry-free guarantee and the Amazon Parent Dashboard. This gives parents some peace of mind, allowing them to manage their child’s content, review reading activity, and even set bedtimes. Unlike the adult Kindles, it also includes a cover to personalize and protect your little one’s new device. Kids can choose between the Fantasy River or Starlight Reading covers.
The Starlight Reading cover features a gorgeous and vibrant nighttime scene.
Credit: Kindle
Get even more out of Amazon Kids+
As with other Amazon Kindles for kids, the Colorsoft Kids comes with one year of Amazon Kids+. The kid-friendly subscription service includes thousands of books and audiobooks for young readers, and this summer, even more books are set to be added. The existing library already includes popular titles like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Keeper of the Lost Cities, but Amazon is adding every graphic novel and chapter book from the Artemis Fowl series, over 30 books from the Big Nate series, more Percy Jackson books, and the entire Storm Runner and Aru Shah series.
Where to buy the Kindle Colorsoft Kids
The Kindle Colorosft Kids is officially available as of July 24 at Amazon. It will eventually pop up on other retailers like Best Buy and Target, but at the time of launch, your only option is Amazon. It retails for $269.99, just $10 shy of the adult version’s list price.
