YouTube released its new child-friendly app Monday called YouTube Kids on the App Store and Google Play. The new free app provides content suitable for kids, allowing them to play games and watch videos without parents worrying that they are being exposed to adult material.
The app features parental controls to give moms and dads peace of mind if they leave their children to play or watch on their phones or tablets. There is a timer that will limit the child's screen time and features no comment section to prevent profanity.
Content on YouTube Kids is divided into four categories: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore. The app includes YouTube video series on channels from DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV and Mother Goose Club. There is also noted favorites like Sesame Street, Barney & Friends and Thomas & Friends.
Here are five channels worth checking out on YouTube Kids.
Talking Tom and Friends
One of the most adorable animated series is "Talking Tom and Friends." With over one million subscribers, it features Tom the talking cat and his pals. The app features a minisode which features a copy cat skit, and episode #0 where the characters attempt making a reality show. This animated series is perfect for animal-loving kids who just want to be entertained.
Smartoonz
This channel features "Monkey See, Monkey Do" cartoons that also include real-life children that mimic what they see. The main character is a monkey who observes and then asks the children to do what they see to make learning fun. There are a variety of other shorts like "ClayPlay," which sparks imagination and "To The Garden," which teaches health and nutrition.This channel is perfect for parents who want their kids to learn in a fun way.
Storybots
Another great learning channel, Storybots, features robots in creative songs that teach science and math. There is a fun rap song to teach about velociraptors among other dinosaur videos, counting songs for numbers, and songs for colors. This channel takes a modern approach to teaching kids by using catchy hip hop and pop songs to enhance the learning experience.
Hoopla Kidz Lab
This YouTube Kids channel brings experiments right to your phone or table to teach kids how fun science can be. There is a "Glowing Rubber Egg" experiment that is really cool, as well as the quick and simple "Inside Rainbow" experiment. Another fun one is the "Scary Slime" experiment, but if parents want to avoid a mess, then try out the "Hot & Cold" experiment. The videos show what you will need to make the experiment yourself, but parents should do these with their child.
Art for Kids Hub
This channel shows kids how to draw various different images. Perfect for the creative child, Art for Kids Hub gives step-by-step directions on how to draw pictures, such as cartoons, animals, Minecraft characters, characters from Frozen, and even finger painting ideas. The videos star a father named Rob who created the channel to share easy art projects he does with his three kids.
There are quite a few educational channels on YouTube Kids, including those that teach foreign languages, music, yoga, math, science, and of course other entertaining cartoons.
[PHOTO CREDIT: YouTube Kids/ iTunes]
