YouTube is becoming the second home of kids – Cocomelon, Teacher Rachel, Peppa Pig, The DadLab, and many more. For us parents, the repetitive jingles sometimes feel like a slow descent into madness (looking at you, Baby Shark). But when we see the amusement in the eyes of our little ones, we can’t help but smile and let them have their moment. Still, there’s that quiet worry in the background that we’re all familiar with. What if they click on something weird? There’s a lot of strange stuff lurking on YouTube. These types of Streaming Videos content will always be there, but the thing is, as a parent, you can do something to prevent your kids from seeing them. In this blog post, we’ll be sharing a few ways how you can protect your kid whenever they’re using YouTube and other streaming services. Let’s begin!
Create a Separate Profile
Set up a new YouTube account just for them on your device. Create it with a simple email, then subscribe to safe channels like The DadLab or Teacher Rachel. Watch a few videos to build a kid-friendly history. Then log into that profile on their tablet or TV. It helps the algorithm suggest stuff you approve of. So even though you’ve prepared a playlist, if your child accidentally wanders off it, like clicking a suggested video, they’re still more likely to land on something harmless instead of some random mess.
It’s a handy trick for online streaming, and when you allow your kids to watch on traditional TV you can pair it with their parental controls to keep things just as safe – no weird surprises there eithe
Prepare a Custom Playlist
This is one of the most important yet overlooked steps by most parents whenever they start allowing their kids to watch YouTube or any online content. However, it makes a big difference because you’re in control of what plays next. Take a few minutes to build a playlist of videos you’ve checked – like Peppa Pig episodes or Cocomelon songs. Go to YouTube, search for what they love or are most engaged in when watching, and save it under your account. Then, play it on their device. Doing this prevents the auto-play from jumping to random questionable stuff video after video.
Lock the App in Place
Use your device’s built-in tools to keep them from wandering. If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, turn on Guided Access to lock them into YouTube Kids. On Android, use Screen Pinning. It means they can’t switch apps or click ads that lead to who-knows-where. It literally takes a second to set up and saves a lot of stress. It’s also similar to when you are TV streaming when you set up parental controls on Netflix so they don’t accidentally binge something way above their age level.
Watch with Your Kid as Much as Possible
Life can get busy with work, chores, errands, and everything in between. However, it’s important to take some time to sit and watch with your kid whenever you can. You don’t have to be glued to their side 24/7. Just watching them and what they watch for a few minutes a day to catch anything off. It’s very important because there are a lot of knock-off cartoons that may look kid-friendly at first but turn out to be weird or even creepy once you pay attention. Those sneaky videos can slip through without you knowing, and that’s a big no.
It’s easy to protect your kids when streaming videos on YouTube. You just need to take small, simple steps that would make a big impact on ensuring the safety of your little ones growing up. Of course, as they grow up, your ways must evolve as well — making sure that all the content they are exposed to are appropriate to their age.
