YouTube for kid-friendly viewing
YouTube offers a ton of videos but unfortunately, there are a lot of inappropriate videos for kids. Even though there are kid-friendly channels, they are difficult to find. YouTube Kids solves this problem by segmenting YouTube videos into its own app with only kid-friendly content.
A clean section of YouTube
It's not smart to let kids randomly explore YouTube without supervision. Even though channels can set age restrictions for videos, it's not a strong tool to block kids from watching inappropriate videos. YouTube Kids is a separate app that has defined content limits that only allows kid-friendly videos to play.
YouTube Kid offers specific channels for kids in separate categories like Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. These are all YouTube-approved channels that are safe for children. There is also a search function that limits video results by using user input and automated analysis so inappropriate videos aren't displayed.
Settings are locked behind a passcode but options to change content types are strangely absent. There is also a timer to limit how long you want your child to be watching videos.
Great for parents
YouTube Kids is a perfect app for parents looking for educational videos for their children. With various channels like Sesame Street and PBS KIDS, the amount of educational programming is excellent. YouTube kids offers a great way to discover kid-friendly content.
One annoyance is that the app only works in landscape for all functions so searching on a smaller screen can be annoying. Also, the settings password is only spelled out numbers so if your child can read, they could access options in the app.
A necessary separation
YouTube Kids is an app that parents need. With so many different videos available, having an app that focuses on kid content is great. The app is easy to use and understand and the limited functionality is perfect preparing a tablet or phone for a child to safely browse the internet.
