How to Use YouTube Kids? Kids Videos & Parental Controls

YouTube has become one of the tools most used by children, who find all kinds of content for their age on the video platform: cartoons, songs and even other children playing with new toys. However, YouTube content is very varied and not always safe for the little ones in the house… That is why YouTube Kids was born, with content focused on children and parental control and specific functions.

Each child will have their profile, their characteristics or their video usage timer. You can configure it, control it according to its age, etc. Whether they have their tablet or if you lend yours or your mobile phone, it is most recommended if there are children at home and want to make sure they do not see adult content.

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What are YouTube Kids?

YouTube Kids is a YouTube application focused on children, with parental control functions, an easier-to-use interface and exclusive content for minors without the risk of them playing anything they shouldn’t. It has all kinds of parts to create a safe environment for children also tools for parents and caregivers, tips for responsible use or procedures that allow you to block specific videos or limit screen time.

The options to enter YouTube Kids are through the browser or the applications for mobiles and tablets. Although the three options are valid, the app can become more comfortable to handle and easier.

App

The application is free for iOS and Android, for mobile phones or tablets. You can download it on any operating system, and the settings will automatically be activated if you log in with your email. Of course, the application does not allow you to put the mobile vertically or horizontally, like original YouTube. Still, you will necessarily have to put the phone horizontally to access the available content.

What Videos are There?

The YouTube Kids interface is quite simple and adapted so that children can choose what they want without any problem. Even without knowing how to read. Not only are there videos with songs and cartoons, but everything that may be interesting to them is filtered, from tutorials to curious content:

• Arts and Crafts with Step-by-Step Instructions for Ideas and Projects
• Toys and activities, unboxings of other children
• Learning and hobbies to know more about the world around them
• Shows and cartoons, series and movies for the whole family
• Music and dance, how could it be otherwise, with countless songs
• Videogames… Tips, tricks, secrets about the different games
• YouTubers and family vloggers adapted to the age of children

The videos will appear according to the child’s age and divided into three categories: for children under five years old, between 5 and 6 years old and children between 8 and 12 years old. It has an automated system that seeks to exclude everything that is not suitable for the little ones. However, the videos are not reviewed manually, so that some inappropriate video may appear. In that case, you can permanently block or report it, and the service will study what happened.

Beyond YouTube’s control, you can block exact videos or channels if you have any reason why you don’t want children to see them. You can also restrict video searches within the app as you see fit.

Interface

The interface is comfortable, attractive, accessible and appealing for children. These are usually large, simple images that appear on the screen of the application or browser. There are four main categories, without further ado:

• Recommended
• Programs
• Music
• Learn
• To explore

By clicking on each of them, we will find recommended videos of all kinds, adapted to the age that we have previously selected in the child’s profile. To the previous categories, some may be added temporarily depending on the moment or themes if, for example, it is Christmas. They’ll also see recommended videos based on your playing history and likes.

Once you enter a video,  you will see recommendations related to which you can jump on the right side. You will not know the number of reproductions of the video, as in YouTube, neither the channel’s subscribers nor any comment. The option of going to the video’s track is also allowed and from here accessing all available content or playing it, as long as the father or mother has not blocked it.

Are there Advertisements?

Yes. There are ads on YouTube Kids because it is a free app. Although the ads are age-appropriate and advertising content that may pose a risk to them cannot be ‘sneak in’. As explained by YouTube itself, all advertising is easily identified as such, and only ads that are suitable for all audiences are shown. This advertising is strictly monitored to verify that they comply with the policies. Besides, they will not be clicked on, and they will not lead to websites or product purchases, thus avoiding unnecessary risks that will lead to accidental purchases.

Functioning

Once you access YouTube Kids, whether it is an application or a web version, you will have to choose whether you are the child or the father, mother or guardian. In being an adult, you will have to indicate the year in which you were born to continue advancing. Unlike regular YouTube from the browser, you will have to create profiles for minors, and you will be able to synchronize them between devices if you have several tablets or phones at home. Beyond your year of birth, you will have to use a Gmail account to create a parental account and start the whole process, be it from your mobile or computer

When you log into YouTube Kids, you have access to all the controls. From an adult account, you can manage the different profiles of the children, blocking according to their age or their tastes, adapting to each one and their specific needs.

Add Profiles

You can add profiles for all your children in case there are several children at home. There are a maximum of eight profiles per YouTube account, although creating an account is entirely free, so if you think there are few, create a new one. You can put the photo you want, choosing between different and striking avatars, the child’s name and the age. When creating the profile, you will be able to select the recommended content:

• Preschool children up to 4 years
• Young children between 5 and 7 years
• Older children between 8 and 12 years old

Once you choose the age, you can activate or deactivate the search. When you start the search, children (as long as they know how to write) can use the YouTube Kids search engine to find songs, videos or topics that interest them. If you deactivate it, you will only see the recommended videos or those that appear on the main screen of the application. Deactivating it is the most recommended for young children if you need to control how they use the video service.

Whenever you want, you can delete a profile or change the age of the content that appears you think is not appropriate or does not convince you. You will only have to go to the section for parents and click on “Delete profile”.

Parental Control

To access the parental control, you will not have to enter a password that allows you to enter or exit, but it will ask you a simple mathematical operation that you will have to solve. Although you can also choose a personalized password, something especially recommended if there are seven or eight-year-old children who know how to multiply and perfectly solve the operation that gives access to these tools. Once you have done it, you can manage all the profiles individually, block or unblock exact videos or access the parents guide with advice of all kinds, help, questions, doubts…

The parental controls available on YouTube Kids are:

• Block content you don’t want them to watch, like channels that don’t seem right for them or videos that aren’t appropriate.
• Limit access to approved content only
• Turn off search so that only recommended videos appear
• Clear or pause history
• Control what videos they watch or what interests they have
• Report video channels if you think it is inappropriate content
• Limit the time of use. You can set a maximum time limit

Set a Timer

Although there are many functions available, the timer is one of the most interesting and will only take a few seconds. From each child’s profile, go to:

• Click on the padlock in the lower right corner
• Enter your parental password or do a math operation
• Three available options will appear:
• Timer
• Setting
• Suggestions
• Tap on timer
• Move the slider to choose the usage time
• Automatically, after that time, the app stops working

Block videos

If you don’t like a particular channel or video, whatever your reason, you can easily block it. You can do it from the home screen of the application.

• Click on the three points on the video
• Tap on Block this video or block channel
• Write your password or solve the mathematical operation

To unlock them, you will have to go to:

• Settings
• Go to the option to unblock videos
• Choose the one you want to unlock
• Confirm

YouTube Premium

YouTube Kids is free, has no cost and is multi-device. But if you pay the YouTube Premium subscription, you can get, among other things, three exciting advantages in the application for children. YouTube Premium is priced at 11.99 euros per month without the permanence and with a free trial month. Offers adult content and benefits, downloads, or access to YouTube Music. But it also makes YouTube Kids more practical for everyday use. The advantages are:

• There will be no advertising of any kind in the videos for children
• You can download videos to watch them offline, so it is ideal for not wasting data when you leave home, and the videos will be on the device for thirty days available without the need for WiFi.
• You will be able to watch videos in the background, which will allow you to listen to songs from YouTube Kids while you are using your other application.

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