Amazon to offer Kindle monthly subscription service for kids

Amazon.com announced a new monthly subscription service called Freetime Unlimited that gives Kindle owners access to a variety of content for their kids without fear that they may run up the bill.

Freetime Unlimited gives kids free access to thousands of books, apps, movies and TV shows, according to Amazon. The service is geared toward children ages 3 to 8, and it is available for Amazon’s line of Kindle Fire tablets.

The Seattle-based online retailers said Amazon Prime members can get Freetime Unlimited for a discounted rate of $2.99 per child or $6.99 for the whole family. Non-Prime members can also get Freetime Unlimited buy paying $4.99 per child or $9.99 for the whole family.

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The service gives users access to a variety of apps including Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja and books such as “Shrek” or “Kung Fu Panda.”

Freetime Unlimited also has various movies, including ones from Barney, Thomas & Friends and Bob the Builder, and TV shows like “Sesame Street,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Blue’s Clues.”

Kindle Fire owners will get to try out the service free for one month soon. Amazon said the new service will arrive in the coming weeks as an over-the-air update.

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