The Nook is primarily an e-reader for adults from Barnes and Noble, but the bookseller has built in a number of features that make it a option for use with children as well.
The device can download a number of games and apps for kids, such as "ABC Owl" for preschoolers. And it can stream Netflix or Hulu Plus videos such as, say, "Sesame Street."
It's not the only tablet for adults that can do those kinds of things. The iPad from Apple and a host of Android-based devices are others. (The Nook itself is a modified Android device. The price is lower than some comparable-quality tablets. But the choice of apps, while large, is limited.)
In addition to the games and apps, the Nook Tablet allows you to record your own narration of children's books, so children can then listen to the recording as they flip through the story.
The company says parental controls can be used to disable the web browser.
For some adults, a solution like this might be ideal: a device for you that also can be used by your kids here and there. For others, that kind of sharing is precisely the problem. The point of having a tablet for kids is so big people can have their devices to themselves.
Bottom line: Whether it's the Nook or iPad or a less expensive product designed specially for kids, parents have lots of options to choose from.
