Ben Gillenwater, the Family IT GuyChoose YouTube videos for your child
If your family uses YouTube, start with a few videos you’ve chosen and watched together.
These are my channel suggestions, from calm stories and songs to more energetic science and engineering videos. Open an age group below to see the options. The age groups are starting points for browsing; check each video for your own child.
How I use the ratings
My ratings compare how calm or energetic the videos feel, from 1 (very calm) to 10 (very busy). I look at the editing, movement, voices and music. Channels can mix different styles, so I recommend choosing a few individual videos and watching them together first.
Ages 2–3
Puffin Rock
Gentle stories about Oona, Baba and the animals around them. The channel also includes songs and compilations; choose the individual videos you want.
Super Simple Songs
Songs with repeated words and actions. Look for individual songs you want to sing together; the channel also has long compilations.
Little Bear
Quietly told stories about Little Bear, his family and friends. Full episodes combine several shorter stories.
Alphablocks
Animated letters introduce sounds and spelling. Choose an episode for the sounds or words you want to explore; uploads also include long compilations.
Numberblocks
Animated number characters explore counting and arithmetic. Pick the topic and length you want; the channel includes long compilations as well as shorter videos.
Sarah & Duck
Small everyday adventures with Sarah and her duck. The illustrated scenes and modest character movement make this one of my calmer choices.
Ms. Rachel - Songs for Littles
Songs, spoken words and actions for young children to join in with. Videos vary in length, including long collections.
Hey Duggee
Short stories about Duggee and the Squirrels. Story episodes and music compilations can feel very different; preview the format you choose.
Bluey
Stories about family life and imaginative play. The channel also has crafts, readings and compilations, so check what each upload contains.
Ages 4–5
Puffin Rock
Gentle stories about Oona, Baba and the animals around them. The channel also includes songs and compilations; choose the individual videos you want.
Super Simple Songs
Songs with repeated words and actions. Look for individual songs you want to sing together; the channel also has long compilations.
Alphablocks
Animated letters introduce sounds and spelling. Choose an episode for the sounds or words you want to explore; uploads also include long compilations.
Numberblocks
Animated number characters explore counting and arithmetic. Pick the topic and length you want; the channel includes long compilations as well as shorter videos.
Cosmic Kids Yoga
Story-based yoga and quieter mindfulness videos. Choose whether you want a movement session or a seated exercise; their pace and effects differ.
Sesame Street
Songs, stories and conversations with familiar characters. Select quieter segments if that is what you want; pace varies across the catalog.
StoryBots
Animated songs and explanations built around questions. This link opens the StoryBots playlist on Netflix Jr.
PBS KIDS
Several different series in one place. Choose the particular show and episode rather than assuming everything on the channel has the same pace or subject matter.
Ages 6–7
PBS KIDS
Several different series in one place. Choose the particular show and episode rather than assuming everything on the channel has the same pace or subject matter.
Art for Kids Hub
Step-by-step drawing demonstrations to follow with paper and pencils. Pick a project your child wants to try and pause when they need more time.
Mystery Science (Mystery Doug)
Science explanations built around everyday questions. Mystery Doug and Mystery Science lead to the same channel.
SciShow Kids
Explanations and demonstrations of science topics. Choose a question your child is interested in and watch the explanation together.
TED-Ed
Animated explanations across science, history and other subjects. Check the topic as well as the pace; the catalog also includes stories and subjects you may not want for your child.
Ages 8–9
PBS KIDS
Several different series in one place. Choose the particular show and episode rather than assuming everything on the channel has the same pace or subject matter.
Art for Kids Hub
Step-by-step drawing demonstrations to follow with paper and pencils. Pick a project your child wants to try and pause when they need more time.
Mystery Science (Mystery Doug)
Science explanations built around everyday questions. Mystery Doug and Mystery Science lead to the same channel.
TED-Ed
Animated explanations across science, history and other subjects. Check the topic as well as the pace; the catalog also includes stories and subjects you may not want for your child.
National Geographic Kids
Animal and nature videos alongside other formats, including podcasts and engineering compilations. Choose a specific topic and video.
Crash Course Kids
Science explanations and other subjects, including a newer literature series. Review the particular lesson you want to watch.
KLT (Kids Learning Tube)
Songs about subjects such as geography and science. The channel is now called KLT; Kids Learning Tube is its familiar earlier name.
Ages 10–12
Mystery Science (Mystery Doug)
Science explanations built around everyday questions. Mystery Doug and Mystery Science lead to the same channel.
SciShow Kids
Explanations and demonstrations of science topics. Choose a question your child is interested in and watch the explanation together.
TED-Ed
Animated explanations across science, history and other subjects. Check the topic as well as the pace; the catalog also includes stories and subjects you may not want for your child.
Veritasium
Detailed science explanations, experiments and interviews. Choose a topic to watch together; this is a general-audience channel.
Smarter Every Day
Experiments and investigations of how things work. This is a general-audience channel, so preview the subject and presentation.
Physics Girl
Physics experiments and demonstrations. The upload list also includes personal health updates; choose the science video you intend to watch.
Mark Rober
Engineering projects and large experiments with an energetic presentation. This is one of the busier choices on my scale; preview the project and subject matter.
What to look for in a video
- Editing and movement. Notice how often the picture changes and how much is moving. Consider that alongside the voices and music.
- Sound. Listen to the voices, music and sound effects. Decide whether their pace and volume suit the viewing experience you want.
- Subject matter. Check what the video shows, discusses and promotes. A calm presentation does not tell you whether the topic fits your child.
- Length and ending. Choose the length you want to watch. A long compilation can contain several different stories, songs or formats.
Make those choices available
In YouTube Kids, Approve content yourself lets you select individual videos, whole channels or collections. Approving individual videos gives you a smaller, more specific set of choices.
Keep choosing together
Notice what your child enjoys, what raises questions and when they have had enough. You can keep the list small, change it or stop using it. There is no need to work through every channel or move on to busier videos.
If your child watches on an iPhone
If your child has an iPhone, my iPhone Parental Controls Masterclass shows you how to make the phone itself calmer too, with grayscale, fewer sounds and interruptions, and a nearly empty Home Screen.