For so many families with kids, YouTube is part of their lives; whether it is watching other kids open Kinder eggs or learning from educational content, the internet giant helps most of us out on a daily basis. Baby’s first experience of YouTube was sitting with Mr Hubby, before bed, watching In The Night Garden. Now she loves to watch Thomas and Peppa Pig.
My only issue has been making sure that she doesn’t click on something she shouldn’t. YouTube search could bring up something undesirable and so I would never leave her unattended with the tablet, just in case.
Listening to these exact worries of parents, the team at YouTube launched a new app, YouTube Kids.
Baby and I were invited to the official UK launch last weekend, at ZSL London Zoo, and were given exclusive access to the app beforehand so we could give it a whirl. The app has been available in the US for a few months and is now in the UK, free to download from Google Play or from the iTunes app store.
I can genuinely say I was blown away by how good the app was. The highlights for me are;
- Child-friendly search results. If a child is older and does search for adult content, the app will show a face icon with try again message.
- Large icons making it easy for kids to use.
- Parental controls which include a timer and the ability set a parental pass code.
The app divides content into four categories; entertainment, music, learning and exploring. As children use the app, it increasingly shows content tailored their tastes. There is big name content on there too, like Octonauts, Peppa Pig, Wallace and Gromit, Thomas and lots of others.
Before the launch I downloaded the app on my iphone and tablet and let Baby have a play around with it. She adores being able to use it herself, without mummy grabbing it off her to make sure she is only watching appropriate content. I gave it a whirl and thought it was fab, everything is laid out very intuitively and it was easy to get to grips with. Baby watched shows on the tablet all the way to London (and all the way back!).
The launch, well what can I say, YouTube certainly know how to thrown a party! It was one of the best events we have been to and the team had thought of everything that kids might like. The huge room was divided into different areas, packing in so much for everyone to do. There was an area for various zoo animals to come and meet the children, an Octopod ball pit, Thomas railway set area, Shaun the Sheep modelling, appearances from Postman Pat and the Fat Controller and a huge bus with giant TV screen at the front playing nursery rhymes.
A dress up station formed part of the photography section, where Baby got a little shy, but I managed to quickly get a snap.
The food was epic, lots of little bowls of scrummy treats for us adults and a whole area with so much fabulous food for kids. Baby is so fussy and I was even able to find her food that tempted her, the fish goujons and chips did the trick. Little milk bottles filled with smoothies, cake pops, sweets, veg pots, popcorn, such a phenomenal spread.
Then, after the event we had time to explore ZSL London Zoo. Baby adores penguins, and I think she would have just stayed there all afternoon if I had let her.
So thanks to the team at YouTube for inviting is to such a wonderful event and I wholeheartedly recommend YouTube Kids for safe kid-friendly YouTube viewing.