• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

  • About
    • Affiliations & Honors
    • Contributors
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Technology
    • YouTube
    • Social Media
  • Lifestyle
    • Parenting
    • Travel
    • Safety
  • Education
  • Causes
  • Gift Guides
  • CONTACT
    • Work with Me

6 Pro Tips for Keeping Kids Safer on YouTube Kids

January 29, 2019 By Leticia

As parents, our child’s safety is priority so it’s always comforting when companies that develop favorite our kid’s online platforms take this as seriously as we do. YouTube is one of the places where my kids spend a lot of time and fortunately, YouTube is one of those companies. Having served on the YouTube Parent Panel for the past 4 years, I know there have been some pain points for parents regarding YouTube Kids app content and filtering but can assure you the YouTube team takes these things very seriously because they’re parents themselves.

YouTube built the free YouTube Kids app as a safer way for kids to explore their interests and curiosity while giving parents control around available content. YouTube recognizes that no two families are the same and what may be great content for a 4 year old isn’t such great content for a 10 year old. Since every family is different and every child is different, YouTube Kids offers parents a robust set of tools for them to customize the app as they see fit. In honor of Safer Internet Day on February 5, I thought I’d share these 6 pro tips for keeping your kids safer when using YouTube Kids.

6 Pro Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safer When Using YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids

These top pro tips and tricks will help you ensure the safety of your YouTube Kids app loving kids!

Set Up a Timer 

It’s never easy to tell your kids that screen time is over so let the YouTube Kids app be the bad guy. It features a built-in timer that lets you limit kids’ screen time and alerts your child when the session is over, so you don’t have to!

Create Kid Profiles

Did you know that you can create profiles for each of your kids? Kids will enjoy having individual profiles with their videos and recommendations in one place and as an added bonus, the app design is age appropriate so  younger kids will get less text, while older kids will get more content on the home screens. This is especially handy on a shared device that multiple kids use.

Approve the Content You Want Your Child to See

Parents can select individual videos, entire channels, or collections of channels available for their kids. This can be done in just a couple steps that take less than five minutes and here’s my post on how to set up parent approved content in just 2 easy steps.

Access Collections by Trusted Partners and YouTube Kids

The YouTube Kids team offers collections of trusted channels, such as such as Sesame Street and PBS, on a variety of subjects from arts & crafts and music to sports, learning, and so much more. This makes it easy for parents to select only the channel collections and topics they want their kids to access. Just go into Profile Settings and select from the available collections.

Turn Search Off and Block Videos You Don’t Want Your Child to See

Turning search off limits the YouTube Kids experience to channels that have been verified by the YouTube Kids team. This means that search off will not include recommendations from the broader YouTube Kids corpus. Hooray! You can also block any video by following the steps above.

Watch the New “Staying Safe Online” Playlist Together

Reinforce the importance of staying safe online by sitting down and watching the brand new “Build a Safer Internet with YouTube Kids” playlists with your kids. There’s an age appropriate playlist for preschool and elementary ages and a separate one just for pre-teens:

  • School-age kids: Playlist on YouTube Kids here.
  • Pre-teens: Playlist on YouTube Kids here.

Not sure where to find the parent settings in YouTube Kids to get yourself started? Here’s where you go!

If you’re a YouTube Kids pro at keeping your kids safe, read these 3 posts to get a gold star for safety:

  • Important Conversations to Have with Your Kids about YouTube Content
  • How YouTube Personal Time Watched Profile Helps Families Manage Viewing Time
  • Why You Need to Set Up YouTube Parental Controls

I am a member of the YouTube Kids Parent Panel but am not compensated for my involvement. Images courtesy of YouTube.

Related

Filed Under: Parenting, Technology Tagged With: #YouTubeKids, #YouTubeParentPanel, parental controls, Safer Internet Day, Videos, YouTube, YouTube Kids

Previous Post: « 11 Winter Driving Tips to Help You Stay Safe on the Road
Next Post: 6 Features to Look for When Buying a New Home and Why You’ll Love Chapman Row »

Primary Sidebar

about sidebar pic_profile pic

Hi! I'm Leticia, founder of Tech Savvy Mama! I'm an award-winning blogger, Washington, DC area mom of teens, middle school computer science teacher, and education consultant.  Read more...

TechSavvyMama logo board_sidebar divider

AFFILIATIONS & HONORS

_YouTube Parent Panel

_top50momblogger

TechSavvyMama logo board_sidebar divider

Subscribe

Never Miss a Post!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Consent*
Yes, I consent to being emailed
No, I do not want to be emailed
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
No spam, ever. Promise!

Tech Savvy Mama on YouTube

<<< View More >>>

TechSavvyMama logo board_sidebar divider

INSTAGRAMMIN’

TechSavvyMama logo board_sidebar divider

SAVVY FINDS

Footer

Tech Savvy Businesswoman

Check me out across my social media channels for examples of how I can help amplify your company's brand, product, or cause!

_YouTube Parent Panel

Everywhere


techsavvymamasquarelogo_techsavvymama square logo

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Looking for Something?

Search by category…

or by date

DISCLOSURE POLICY

Copyright © 2022 Tech Savvy Mama · Designed by Hustle & Sway · Log in

 

Loading Comments...