Why Every Mom Should Download The YouTube Kids App
Why Every Mom Should Download The YouTube Kids App
I’m not sure what it’s like in your household but there is always a constant fight over tablets in my household. Since I restrict screen time to 30 minutes after homework and dinner the boys always look forward to it and argue over what they can watch.
Even though Netflix has an age restriction feature that feature is for kid friendly movies that are 12 years old and under, helpful but I still need more because there is no way I want my 6 year old watching the same thing as a 12 year old. This often results in the boys asking me if something is “okay” to watch.
The YouTube kids app solves a lot of this by filtering child friendly content for kids–small kids. Just browsing at the site we found a huge catalog that included everything from Frozen singalongs to Fireman Sam to really great YouTube content for children.
The YouTube Kids app staff were extremely helpful, helping the kids find what they wanted to watch on individual tablets and showing the kids exactly how to use the app. The biggest winner for me was the Timer function. You set the timer from as low as one minute to shut off when you need it to. The app goes to sleep and there isn’t a way to turn it back on. All settings are managed in the app with a password that you set. Brilliant!
We even had appearances from Sesame Street characters like the popular Elmo and Cookie Monster.
There were lots of fun treats too! There were appetizers for the adults and plenty of sleep treats for the kids. Thankfully the boys only wanted the fruit cups so we didn’t suffer through any “sugar highs” for the rest of the day.
There was also different play stations that included a Thomas The Tank Engine playset, a red and white ball pit, a coloring/button making station with Mother Goose, plenty of photo ops, and a relax lounge area where parents and kids can decompress.
Safeguarding Children’s Online Experience with YouTube Kids
The digital age has brought an avalanche of information and entertainment options right into our homes, accessible at the click of a button. While this has many advantages, it also presents challenges, particularly for parents concerned about the type of content their children consume. YouTube, a platform that offers an endless stream of videos, is a double-edged sword in this context. On the one hand, it’s a treasure trove of educational and entertaining content. On the other hand, it can expose children to inappropriate or harmful videos. This is where YouTube Kids comes in. Designed to be a safer and more contained environment for children, this app is a valuable tool for moms who want to better regulate their children’s online experience. Here are compelling reasons why moms should consider downloading the YouTube Kids app.
Curated Content for Children
One of the major benefits of YouTube Kids is its age-appropriate content. The app filters out a lot of the content that would not be suitable for young viewers. This curation is done through a combination of algorithmic filtering, user feedback, and human review. While not infallible, this method is significantly better than letting children roam freely on the main YouTube platform. Having content that is appropriate for your children provides moms with peace of mind.
Parental Controls for Customization
Not all children are the same, and what’s suitable for one child might not be for another. YouTube Kids allows moms to customize their children’s viewing experience through its robust parental controls. You can block specific channels or videos, set screen time limits, and even control the search settings. This means you can tailor the app to fit the unique needs and interests of your child, giving you more control over what they watch.
Educational Content at Your Fingertips
YouTube Kids offers a variety of educational videos that can supplement your child’s learning. From ABCs and 123s for preschoolers to science experiments and history lessons for older kids, the app is a valuable educational resource. The platform makes learning interactive and fun, which can be a significant advantage for moms looking to keep their kids engaged and stimulated intellectually.
Encouraging Safe Exploration
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the freedom to explore, learn, and satisfy their natural curiosity about the world. YouTube Kids provides a safer platform for this exploration. It encourages children to discover new things, be it music, art, or science, in an environment that’s more contained than what the broader internet offers. For moms, this means you can allow your child some level of independence without worrying excessively about the risks involved.
Minimizing Ad Exposure
While YouTube Kids does have ads, the advertising is more regulated compared to the main YouTube platform. The ads are supposed to be kid-friendly and are generally shorter, reducing the time your child spends watching commercials. Moreover, the app prohibits certain types of ads, like those that try to collect user data. This results in a somewhat less commercialized viewing experience, a feature likely to be appreciated by moms concerned about consumerist influences on their children.
In conclusion, the YouTube Kids app serves as a useful intermediary between your children and the limitless world of online video content. Its curated nature, parental control features, educational offerings, and regulated advertising make it a preferable alternative to the main YouTube site for younger audiences. For moms who want to harness the educational and entertainment potential of YouTube while minimizing its risks, downloading the YouTube Kids app is a wise and practical choice.
The boys had a great time and both left with a lunchbox and bookbag (both of which they haven’t stopped using around the house). I would recommend that anyone with kids in their life download the app. It’s free. It’s fun. It’s filtered!
Do you let your kids watch tablets? Do you think you would find the YouTube Kids App useful?
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We literally just downloaded this for the girls last week and was so happy that someone mentioned it to Kevin as the girls had recently found the regular YouTube version and was not thrilled letting them use it all. This version is definitely kid friendly and love timer option, too!
This is a great idea! I will pass this along to my sister for her little ones!
A timer FTW!!!! My kids pretty much only watch Skylander videos so maybe this is a way to introduce something new, that I have more control over. This looks like such a great event for kids…and adults but the boys look so, so cute! I love the Oscar barrel shot!!
I saw the youtube thing and was curious but now I think I will get it for my son because that boy stays on it and I need to make sure he is watching sesame street…..that’s a lie this boy watches all things minecraft smh
the funny thing is my daughter JUST downloaded this app, without my approval too. It was ok though, because I would always catch her watching something way inappropriate on the regular you tube!
What a cute event! I love the timer idea and automatically shutting off! That way the tablet is the bad guy, not you!
What a fun event! And how did your kids resist those treats?? I’m dreaming about them right now. YouTube cake pop, please!
Ok so this is funny. It used to be so hard to comb Scarlet’s curls after a bath that I had her watch Caillou on YouTube. She never complained!
It’s a good thing my kids are playing with each other right now, because they’d be all over this post with “can I go there?” I’ll definitely be looking into the YouTube Kids app….it may be just the ticket to help get some extra sleep on Saturday morning.
I love this and just downloaded the app for my daughter.