Is YouTube Kids OK for my child?
Google's separate YouTube app for children, with a filtered catalogue, age bands, a timer, and no comments. The right YouTube for primary-school children.
Minimum age
Designed for under-13s
A parent sets it up; content is filtered into age bands from preschool up.
Type
Video
Official safety page
YouTube Kids helpWhat to actually watch for
- Filtering is automated and imperfect: unsuitable videos occasionally slip through.
- Low-quality algorithm-bait kids' content is abundant.
- The timer ends sessions, but the app is still built to hold attention.
The settings worth switching on
Choose the right content level for your child's age band during setup.
Use "Approved content only" mode for younger children: they can then only watch what you have approved.
Set the built-in timer so the app ends the session, not you.
Block any channel you dislike and it stays blocked.
Our honest take
The right choice for under-10s, especially in approved-content mode, which is the strictest setting on any mainstream video platform. Treat the standard filtered mode as good-but-not-perfect and keep half an eye on what is playing.
Frequently asked questions
Go deeper
Other video apps parents ask about
Last reviewed: August 2026. Minimum ages and settings were checked against the platform's own published policies, and platforms change them often, so the official page linked above always has the latest.