It’s been rumored for a while, but now it’s official: Google has launched YouTube Kids.
The company says it’s been working with parents over the past year to create a more family-friendly version of YouTube . The new app is designed to be simpler for children featuring a brighter and bigger interface.
As you might expect, the selection of videos on the platform is limited for what Google considers “appropriate for the whole family.” Parents and children can browse four channel and playlist categories: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore.
Of course, you can simply search for content you’re looking for as well, and it supports voice search, in case your kid can’t spell or type. Some example content includes DIY arts and crafts, math lessons and children’s shows. And apparently, a lot of train videos.
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The app also features a number of parental controls, including:
- A timer that lets you limit your kids’ screen time
- Sound settings to turn off background music and sound effects to keep things quieter
- The ability to turn off search to limit videos to just those on the home screen
- A dedicated feedback section to allow parents to provide opinions on the app and its content
The app was originally rumored to be Android-only at launch, but it will also be be arriving on iOS today, as well children’s tablets Kurio and nabi in the future. You can head on over to the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store to give the new apps a try.
No word on a desktop version but we’ve contacted Google and will update if we hear more.
➤Our first building block in tech for tykes: YouTube Kids [Android | iOS]
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