With 10 million downloads and counting, the nine-month-old YouTube Kids app is now taking its family-friendly videos beyond the American market.
From today, the app is available on Google Play and the App Store across the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Unveiled at Kidscreen Summit this past February, YouTube Kids offers a significant selection of age-appropriate videos and channels grouped into four categories: Shows, music, learning and explore. The app is loaded with new and existing series from popular YouTube channels including Jim Henson TV, National Geographic Kids, Mother Goose Club, DreamWorksTV and Talking Tom and Friends, as well as episodes and clips from familiar children’s TV brands like Sesame Street and Thomas & Friends. It is free, COPPA-compliant and devoid of any social features such as commenting. The ad-supported app also screens advertising for age-appropriateness.
In its international debut, the newest version of the app is chock full of improved safety and navigation features for parents. Caregivers can choose how broadly they want kids to explore, through the ability to turn search on and off, and they also have the option to put into place more customizable password settings. Indeed, appeasing parents has been a top priority for YouTube Kids after the app faced complaints from some US consumer-rights groups for not sufficiently blocking inappropriate ads.
Additional updates include the ability to watch videos on television screens using Chromecast, Apple TV, game consoles or smartTVs, as well as the introduction of guest-curated playlists featuring recommendations from celebrities like Geena Davis.