In my home, television time is limited to 45 minutes on the tablet for my four-year-old. This he does religiously at a designated time daily. Though he knows it is only for 45 minutes, the daily ritual of begging, cajoling, and then sternly pulling the tablet away from his hands was really getting me all worked up.
He can’t be blamed. He is a child and just as our minds and hearts were captured by Duck Tales and Talespin on Doordarshan back then, he is captivated by Peppa Pig, Mickey Mouse and Max and Ruby – the difference? Our shows stopped after a particular time, his supply is endless!
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And that is why YouTube Kids made so much sense to me.
What is it?Â
YouTube Kids is a newly launched app that is quite literally, a kid friendly version of YouTube. This app looks and feels appropriate for kids and streams only age appropriate videos. Launched in November 2016 in India but already a year old in the US, Indian parents have been quick to download and install this for their kids. The app is now available on the Google Play Store (Android) and at the App store (iOS), this app is completely free!
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Why it would appeal to you
Sometimes, letting kids figure out what they want to watch on YouTube or ask Google for answers can be pretty tricky. You never know when they might stumble on to mature content. With YouTube Kids parents can rest assured that the chances of that happening are pretty slim. Yes, the app is not yet perfect and asks parents to flag inappropriate videos, but by and large you can rest easy.
An awesome feature of this app is the ability to set a timer. The app simply locks down once time is up so there is just no more of the begging and wrenching away the tablet once time is up.
If you often give the tablet to your child when you need to quickly get some work done, then the search app of YouTube Kids ensures that kids can do their own searching without asking you type and search for them. And with everything from Sesame Street to Chhota Bheem your child has tons of things to watch. The interface is also extremely easy to use and navigate for kids, (and for some parents too!)
What Kidsstoppress moms think about it
Have I told you already how much I love the timer app? Also the parental passcode setting allows you to add the age of your child so shows that pop up are age appropriate. You can also limit what can be searched and set restrictions.
If your child is able to read, you may have winced more than one time when they were able to read comments on YouTube because we all know just how lame and crazy people can be when it comes to commenting on YouTube videos. With YouTube Kids there is no need to worry because there are no comments!
We love that this app isn’t just videos. Grade schoolers could use this app for learning (Khan Academy, Ted-Ed, music tutorials) too!
Yes, the ads were a drawback and that also means you can’t stray too far away once you give your child the tablet. There are age appropriate ads like those for fast food, toys, etc – so this definitely is not an ad free space.
Age
Definitely designed for kids from 1 – 10 years. Older kids might not enjoy or not find what they like to watch on this app.
Where to download
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Mansi Zaveri
KSP Promotions
KSP Team
Parul Gupta
Rushita Sheth
