3 Fun Video Apps to Keep Kids Entertained (and Out of Your Hair)
Install one of these apps on your phone or tablet, launch it, and you’ll have instant peace and quiet. You can take a break and get your thoughts in order, or you can sit down with your child, unwind and have some fun together.
Just because the video apps listed below serve up kid-friendly content, that doesn’t mean you can’t watch it as well.
1. Vine Kids (iOS)
The team behind Vine, the short-form video sharing service where users can share six second-long looping video clips, received feedback from its customers who said that kids love Vine. So Vine responded to that feedback and created Vine Kids, an iOS app that is meant for young children who want to watch Vines.
Adorable animated characters give children access to Vines that are appropriate for a young audience; this means no Vines that contain profanity or adult humor. When the child swipes left/right, a new Vine will be presented. Vine Kids can be used without an account.
Vine Kids – Main Features
2. YouTube for Kids (iOS and Android)
This mobile app was created by YouTube Kids Group Product Manager, Shimrit Ben-Yair. A mother of two, Shimrit wanted a Google product that was built from the ground up with children in mind. You see, there’s lots of content on YouTube. But the truth of the matter is that much of it isn’t suited for children. YouTube for Kids addresses this situation by focusing on a certain type of content – content that is appropriate for the whole family.
YouTube Kids is easy to use – for parents and for children. A tutorial will show up when the parent first opens the app. This tutorial will explain how Google's system chooses and recommends content, and how parents can flag a video they’re concerned about.
Children will have no problems navigating the app’s simple interface. From said interface they’ll be able to access a variety of kid-friendly videos, channels, and playlists.
YouTube Kids – Main Features
Get YouTube Kids for Android from Google Play.
3. ToonsTV (iOS and Android)
ToonsTV is the in-game platform for mobile video content that Rovio rolled out back in 2013, when every Angry Birds game also became an ad-supported video distribution channel. Since Toons TV managed to rack up more than 5.4 billion views, Rovio decided to turn ToonsTV into a standalone mobile app.
“With more than 5 billion views globally just from within our mobile games, we felt it was time to create a single convenient app where fans of all ages can always find all their favorite Angry Birds series and other great family-friendly or educational shows,” said Tuomo Korpinen, Rovio’s EVP of Media. “ToonsTV will be a must-have app for all family mobile devices.”
The ToonsTV app comes with more than 30 channels of free, on-demand, family video entertainment. By using the app you’ll be able to access the Angry Birds Toons, Piggy Tales and Stella original scripted animated series. On top of that, you’ll be able to access a host of high-quality, third-party shows such as Wallace and Gromit, Pucca, Qumi-Qumi and more.
ToonsTV will continue to be available as a website and will continue to exist within Rovio’s games. But if you get the standalone ToonsTV, you’ll have early access to new episodes – 2 days earlier.
Toons TV – Main Features
Get ToonsTV for Android from Google Play.
I can think of several situations when these apps will come in handy.
Your child has some friends over and they're running around the house, getting in your way; sit them down and let them watch some entertaining videos. A good friend of yours is visiting and your young one won't let you chat in piece; have him focus on something other than your friend, like an entertaining video.
You're babysitting some kids, you're exhausted, and you just want them out of your hair for a bit. You're traveling with children and you want them to be quiet so you can focus on the road. You're a good parent and you want to have some fun with your child; but you don't feel like doing anything anything straining.
UPDATE, April 25, 2016
Here's one more fun video app that will keep kids entertained by providing easy access to age-appropriate videos: the free BBC iPlayer for Kids.
Just because the video apps listed below serve up kid-friendly content, that doesn’t mean you can’t watch it as well.
1. Vine Kids (iOS)
The team behind Vine, the short-form video sharing service where users can share six second-long looping video clips, received feedback from its customers who said that kids love Vine. So Vine responded to that feedback and created Vine Kids, an iOS app that is meant for young children who want to watch Vines.
Adorable animated characters give children access to Vines that are appropriate for a young audience; this means no Vines that contain profanity or adult humor. When the child swipes left/right, a new Vine will be presented. Vine Kids can be used without an account.
Vine Kids – Main Features
- User friendly controls – swipe left or right to see new Vines, tap the screen to hear quirky sounds.
- Hand-selected Vines meant for a young audience – a curated list of six-second videos picked by the Vine team.
- The Vine Kids app can be used without an account.
2. YouTube for Kids (iOS and Android)
This mobile app was created by YouTube Kids Group Product Manager, Shimrit Ben-Yair. A mother of two, Shimrit wanted a Google product that was built from the ground up with children in mind. You see, there’s lots of content on YouTube. But the truth of the matter is that much of it isn’t suited for children. YouTube for Kids addresses this situation by focusing on a certain type of content – content that is appropriate for the whole family.
YouTube Kids is easy to use – for parents and for children. A tutorial will show up when the parent first opens the app. This tutorial will explain how Google's system chooses and recommends content, and how parents can flag a video they’re concerned about.
Children will have no problems navigating the app’s simple interface. From said interface they’ll be able to access a variety of kid-friendly videos, channels, and playlists.
YouTube Kids – Main Features
- Family content – YouTube Kids serves content that is meant for the whole family and makes it easy for parents to flag potentially inappropriate videos.
- Kid-friendly design – the app has a playful design with large images and bold icons. Children will have no problems with the interface.
- Parental controls – limit the amount of time your child can spend using this app, turn off background music and sound effects, disable the search function.
Get YouTube Kids for Android from Google Play.
3. ToonsTV (iOS and Android)
ToonsTV is the in-game platform for mobile video content that Rovio rolled out back in 2013, when every Angry Birds game also became an ad-supported video distribution channel. Since Toons TV managed to rack up more than 5.4 billion views, Rovio decided to turn ToonsTV into a standalone mobile app.
“With more than 5 billion views globally just from within our mobile games, we felt it was time to create a single convenient app where fans of all ages can always find all their favorite Angry Birds series and other great family-friendly or educational shows,” said Tuomo Korpinen, Rovio’s EVP of Media. “ToonsTV will be a must-have app for all family mobile devices.”
The ToonsTV app comes with more than 30 channels of free, on-demand, family video entertainment. By using the app you’ll be able to access the Angry Birds Toons, Piggy Tales and Stella original scripted animated series. On top of that, you’ll be able to access a host of high-quality, third-party shows such as Wallace and Gromit, Pucca, Qumi-Qumi and more.
ToonsTV will continue to be available as a website and will continue to exist within Rovio’s games. But if you get the standalone ToonsTV, you’ll have early access to new episodes – 2 days earlier.
Toons TV – Main Features
- Access Rovio’s original scripted animated series: Angry Birds Toons, Piggy Tales and Stella.
- Access lots of third-party shows meant for children and the whole family.
- Get early access to new episodes. 2 days before they launch on the web.
Get ToonsTV for Android from Google Play.
I can think of several situations when these apps will come in handy.
Your child has some friends over and they're running around the house, getting in your way; sit them down and let them watch some entertaining videos. A good friend of yours is visiting and your young one won't let you chat in piece; have him focus on something other than your friend, like an entertaining video.
You're babysitting some kids, you're exhausted, and you just want them out of your hair for a bit. You're traveling with children and you want them to be quiet so you can focus on the road. You're a good parent and you want to have some fun with your child; but you don't feel like doing anything anything straining.
UPDATE, April 25, 2016
Here's one more fun video app that will keep kids entertained by providing easy access to age-appropriate videos: the free BBC iPlayer for Kids.
