App · Low risk
Is YouTube Kids safe for your child?
Age guide
4-12 years
We advise YouTube Kids from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- At this age, children primarily encounter curated educational content and cartoons, with the 'Younger' content setting offering a broader range of videos than 'Preschool'.
- 9-12
- The 'Older' content setting introduces music videos, gaming content, and more complex educational topics, requiring parental review of specific channels or videos.
- 13-15
- YouTube Kids is not designed for this age group; content filters are generally too restrictive, and they may find the experience juvenile compared to the main YouTube platform.
- 16+
- This platform is unsuitable for individuals aged 16 and above, as its content and features are specifically tailored for younger children and lack the diverse offerings of standard YouTube.
YouTube Kids is a video streaming platform designed specifically for children, offering a wide range of educational and entertaining content. The app features a curated selection of videos that are appropriate for younger audiences, with content ranging from cartoons and music videos to educational programming. It aims to provide a safe viewing experience by limiting exposure to inappropriate content and allowing parents to monitor and control their children's viewing habits.
- Age guide
- 4-12 years
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 2/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 2/10
- Stranger contact
- 1/10
- Addiction risk
- 6/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Influence
- 4/10
What parents should know
YouTube Kids is a valuable tool for providing a more controlled viewing environment for young children, offering curated content and parental controls. However, it requires active management of settings and regular check-ins with your child to ensure the content remains appropriate and to address any unexpected material that may slip through filters.
What to do about YouTube Kids
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for YouTube Kids is 4-12 years, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact YouTube Kids setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about YouTube Kids without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in YouTube Kids that mean it is time to step in.
YouTube Kids age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is YouTube Kids?
Parentwise puts YouTube Kids at 4-12 years. We advise YouTube Kids from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 2/10, language 1/10, stranger contact 1/10 and addiction risk 6/10.
Can a 10 year old use YouTube Kids?
Yes, 10 is at or above the age we advise for YouTube Kids (4+). The 'Older' content setting introduces music videos, gaming content, and more complex educational topics, requiring parental review of specific channels or videos.
Can a 12 year old use YouTube Kids?
Yes, 12 is at or above the age we advise for YouTube Kids (4+). The 'Older' content setting introduces music videos, gaming content, and more complex educational topics, requiring parental review of specific channels or videos.
Can a 13 year old use YouTube Kids?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for YouTube Kids (4+). YouTube Kids is not designed for this age group; content filters are generally too restrictive, and they may find the experience juvenile compared to the main YouTube platform.
Is YouTube Kids appropriate for kids?
YouTube Kids is a valuable tool for providing a more controlled viewing environment for young children, offering curated content and parental controls. Parentwise rates YouTube Kids overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 1/10 and addiction risk at 6/10.
Is YouTube Kids family friendly?
YouTube Kids is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. However, it requires active management of settings and regular check-ins with your child to ensure the content remains appropriate and to address any unexpected material that may slip through filters.
YouTube Kids parents guide: what should a parent know first?
YouTube Kids is a valuable tool for providing a more controlled viewing environment for young children, offering curated content and parental controls. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (1/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (6/10).
Is YouTube Kids safe for kids?
We advise YouTube Kids from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). However, it requires active management of settings and regular check-ins with your child to ensure the content remains appropriate and to address any unexpected material that may slip through filters.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.