Best Kids YouTube Channels – Safe Ideas For Your Kids

According to a 2020 survey, 35% of parents in the United States allow their children ages 11 and under to watch videos on YouTube several times a day. The Pew Research Center also reports 80% of U.S parents with a child age 11 or younger say their child watches videos on YouTube with 53% of them noting that their child does this daily.

So whether you’re a mom of a toddler, kindergarten, elementary, or teenager, it’s highly likely that YouTube is part of your family’s screen time. Now the question is whether or not your kids are watching the right content for their age? To help you, we’ve identified the best kids Youtube Channels that are 100% safe and educational for your kids.

Do you know what your kids are watching on YouTube?

Many would argue against letting kids watch videos on YouTube. And it’s understandable since a lot of the content found on the site is not age-appropriate and just downright questionable. Some are even considered dangerous for kids. For example, there was an instance when a video of a man appeared on YouTube Kids where he was teaching viewers how to properly kill themselves. This is a man showing children how to cut themselves the “right way“. Disturbing, right? 

While the company can take such videos down or flag them as content for adults, there’s still a high chance of your children seeing them before this could happen. So while it’s fun and it keeps them busy, YouTube is not a place for kids – regardless of age – to wander around on their own. 

That said, YouTube remains to be a great learning resource for children. There are still many videos that entertain, educate, help them learn new skills, and assist them in their homework. These are the content that can teach your kids the things you want them to learn. All it takes is your guidance and supervision to find them. To help you out and to make sure your children won’t get exposed to unwanted and inappropriate videos, here are the best kids’ YouTube channels that offer educational yet still entertaining content.

Best YouTube Channels for Toddlers (Ages 1 to 3)

1. Blippi

Here’s a channel you can feel comfortable with your toddler watching. Blippi is the name of the channel’s main character who is known for his blue and orange outfit, suspenders, and bow tie. With his friendly demeanor and goofy actions, he teaches kids about numbers, colors, machines, animals, shapes, and anything they will encounter in their little worlds. 

What’s great about Blippi is that every video is fun and educational. So not only will toddlers be entertained, but they will also learn new things. While Blippi is created for kids nearing preschool, the channel is also suitable for children ages 3 to 7. 

2. Kids TV 123

Here’s one of the most popular channels for kids, particularly for toddlers and babies. Kids TV 123 features colorful, educational, and entertaining videos, which aim to teach children all the basics – animals, shapes, sounds, numbers, colors, etc. Even better, every video uses simple songs that are very easy to follow. With Kids TV 123, your child will surely have fun singing along with catchy tunes – all while learning something new. 

3. ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs

Nursery rhymes and songs are said to help with a child’s language and cognitive development. They teach children to put together sounds, vowels, and consonants to create words while learning new vocabulary. Since they are patterns, they can help children learn memorization and easy recall. Plus, they introduce imaginative imagery. That said, YouTube is a great source for nursery rhymes, and if you’re looking for a channel that offers some of the best ones, we suggest ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs.

According to Statista, ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs is the kids content channel with the most subscribers, beating even Sesame Street. It’s no surprise since all their songs are educational, upbeat, and complete with colorful animations. The channel also aims to teach children about colors, numbers, shapes, and all things preschool. 

Best YouTube Channels for Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)

1. T-rex Ranch

Here’s a channel that’s perfect for kids who love dinosaurs. T-Rex Ranch offers imaginative storylines and amazing CGI effects that not only entertain but also teach kids about dinosaurs and the prehistoric world. The channel also features educational content about science, dinosaur-themed songs, science experiment, and fun adventures that will surely get your little one’s imagination going. 

2. Kids Learning Tube

Kids Learning Tube can teach your child through original music and fun animated videos. From geography, solar system, vegetables, animals, and everything in between, this YouTube channel offers hundreds of sing-along videos that your little preschooler will surely love. There are also videos about chemistry and anatomy, which are suitable for older children. 

3. Free School

Free School is a fun channel for preschoolers. With educational, enriching, entertaining, and age-appropriate content, your child can learn about natural science, the solar system, geography, and animals. The channel also offers a safe and friendly place to expose little ones to art, literature, and music. On top of that, it features fun and simple stories that your kid can read along with. 

Best for Elementary-Aged Kids (Ages 5 to 10)

1. Mystery Doug

Mystery Doug is the co-founder of Mystery Science, which is a science program used in many U.S elementary schools. On his channel, he explores and answers questions kids ask, like “Why do I get goosebumps?”, “Is it possible to become invisible?” or “Which animal has the biggest heart?” Every video is informative, and clear complete with engaging visuals and audio. More importantly, they encourage your little one’s learning and curiosity. 

2. SciShow Kids

SciShow Kids is another YouTube channel perfect for elementary-aged kids. It explores curious topics that make kids, and parents, ask the question “why?”. “Why do we get sick?”, “Why are flamingos pink?” and “Why can it be hard to breathe after a fall?” SciShow Kids can help your child learn new facts about their body, space, animals, and everything under the sun. There is also a lot of crazy and fun science experiments that your child can do at home. 

3. Homeschool POP

A channel created for elementary students, Homeschool POP is full of fun and exciting learning videos about a wide variety of topics. There are educational videos about the U.S states, earth science, math, history, animals, language, music, and so much more. You’d even find content about learning how to speak Spanish for kids.

What’s great about Homeschool POP is the different playlists that depend on a child’s age. There are curriculums for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade. Thus, making it easier for you to find the content you want for your child. 

Best for Tweens (Ages 9 to 12)

1. BrainPOP

Helping to empower your child’s curiosity and creativity, BrainPOP is a YouTube channel where students can explore everything. It offers educational and engaging videos that cover a wide variety of subjects, including math, social studies, science, health, and even civil rights. On top of it, each video explains the material in a fun and interesting way, so your tween will never get bored while watching. 

2. Brave Wilderness

Is your tween into animals and adventures? If so, then check out Brave Wilderness. It’s a YouTube channel that features the adventures of Coyote Peterson as he travels and explores some of the most exotic yet dangerous animals in the world. From tiger sharks to grizzly bears, crocodiles, and rattlesnakes, every video is an opportunity to learn something new about wildlife. It’s like National Geographic but even more interesting and extreme as the host lets many of the animals bite or sting him.

3. Ted-Ed

What we love about Ted-Ed is that it turns lessons about life and society into engaging and creative stories. Whether your tween is into Greek mythology, math, science, or puzzles and riddles, there’s surely a Ted-Ed video she/he will enjoy. It’s also one of the YouTube channels that collaborate with creative animators and educators to teach children about what’s going on in the news and encourages them to get involved with the community. 

Best for Teens (Ages 12 to 18)

1. Mark Rober

Mark Rober, a former NASA and Apple engineer, is widely known for his videos about science and do-it-yourself gadgets. From creating the world’s largest Nerf gun to making gut-ripping Halloween costumes and catching phone scammers with a glitter bomb trap, Mark Rober shows the science behind every activity and breaks down its design and engineering process. This is a channel your bigger kids will surely enjoy and learn from. It might even inspire them to work on their interests and ideas. 

2. Dude Perfect

Dude Perfect is a group of friends that produce high-quality video content about stereotypes, stunts, and trick shots. They also upload videos of themselves battling and competing against each other over a game or contest, using different sports and unique rules. This is a great channel for teens as it no longer makes them feel like kids. The videos are also amazing and would leave your child baffled. Plus, the guys are really funny. 

3. CrashCourse

For teens who want to learn new stuff, study, or prep for tests, then the CrashCourse is the perfect YouTube channel to check out. It’s a channel that makes educational videos about literature, world history, organic chemistry, theater, ecology, biology, philosophy, and many more. Each video is only about 10 to 15 minutes, so they’re easy to grasp and follow. More importantly, they’re entertaining and engaging, which is perfect for keeping teens hooked. 

There you have it. So you see, while there is so much questionable content on YouTube, there are still educational channels that are as enlightening as they are entertaining. Keep in mind, however, that ads will still appear while your child is watching. If you don’t want to take your chances and prevent your kids from seeing commercials that may not be appropriate to their age, then you may want to use YouTube Kids instead. Or you can also subscribe to YouTube Premium paid services. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Youtube Channels For Kids