Forget the Barbie and Hot Wheels – the odds are that your little one is asking for an iPad or smartphone this Christmas. Thankfully, there are similar devices on the market for young children.

Tablet computers for kids can download apps, games, books and other content to keep them entertained for hours. They will be a popular item on wish lists this Christmas.

To test tablet computers made just for kids, Consumer Reports brought in the "experts."

More than a dozen young testers played with tablets from Fisher-price, LeapFrog, VTech, and one from Vinci which most resembles an adult tablet.

The kids took pictures and played with the tablets for several days.

Carol Mangis said the devices mimic tablet computers but don't have nearly as many features.

"And they also don't have access to the internet. Now, that's a good thing because they're for such young children. But that means parents will have to help with downloading content," she said.

They also had lab testers measure the battery life, display quality and ease of use.

The Vinci, for ages four and younger, has the best display, touch-screen interface and the largest hard drive at eight gigabytes.

But it also stood out for its above-average price. The Vinci has a large screen, and it did well in our tests, but the model costs $480 -- that's a lot of money to spend on a device for a toddler.

For a lot less, testers recommend the $80 InnoTab by VTech for ages four to nine. It has a smaller screen and hard drive, but it's loaded with features like an art studio, e-reader and MP3 player.

The crowd pleaser with the children turned out to be the $100 LeapPad Explorer, also for ages four to nine. Its camera, photo-editing feature, and art studio had kids beaming.

The $45 Fisher Price iXL Learning System didn't have as many fans, but its long battery life was a standout feature. The model has a 13 hour battery life, longer than even most adult tablets.

The battery life for the other three kids' tablets was three to seven hours.

Watch CTV News for the test results from Lynda Steele…