Best YouTube Channels for Kids

Alexandra F. said:  Older kids will get a huge kick out of watching these five friends challenge each other to ridiculous and hilarious competitions, like flipping a water bottle in crazy ways or a go kart paintball battle. My teen and I were riveted!

Alexandra F. said:  Words are the star of the show in these cute animated videos where the characters and objects are made up of the words they represent - for example, the word “TRUCK” in the shape of a truck or “PUMPKIN” in the shape of a pumpkin. This YouTube channel for kids offers a fun way for preschoolers to start recognizing words and learning to read!

Alexandra F. said:  The Smithsonian Channel is one of the best educational YouTube channels that covers a wide range of genres including history, science and pop culture in full length documentaries as well as short teaser clips sure to capture kids’ imaginations. Kids can learn about things like dinosaur-killing snakes, the Great Sphinx in Egypt, or the importance of movements & marches throughout history. Some content requires a subscription, but there are plenty of free videos to enjoy as well.

Alexandra F. said:  The Truck Tunes videos on twentytrucks are probably the best YouTube channel we've found so far for watching trucks at work. My little ones really can't get enough of watching real trucks in action, and while there are plenty of truck videos on YouTube, this channel does a nice job of bringing together high quality clips into a well-presented video that I don't mind the kids watching over and over again. They add catchy songs, too, which the kids like (and I don't usually mind too much!), but which can easily be muted without impacting the fun of watching the trucks at work.

Alexandra F. said:  My two-year-old can't get enough of Leo, and I think it's one of the best cartoons for toddlers who love trucks. It's very gentle and slow-moving, which makes it a little boring for older kids but perfect for young kids who might be over-stimulated by the pace of many other cartoons. You can catch full-length episodes for free on YouTube.

Alexandra F. said:  I know most (all?) parents find Blippi annoying, but I've actually come to appreciate how his videos captivate my toddler while also teaching him about the world around him in an age-appropriate way. His videos of trucks at work are a special favorite around here, but even I have learned a few things from his behind-the-scene tours of zoos, farms, bakeries, etc. If you can get past a grown man behaving in a silly, child-like way, I find it a much better way for my toddler to get his truck fix than most other YouTube channels for kids!

Sarah C. said:  This is a great channel for toddlers that contains nursery rhymes, colors, numbers and catchy music with cute little characters. Keeps them entertained as long as you need and you know they are learning!

Sarah C. said:  Mr. Tim is a Chicago kindie rocker. He uses original and classic songs - from nursery rhymes to Beatles tunes – to inspire families to sing, play & dance together while teaching the basics of music including rhythm and tempo, melody and harmony. He is by far our favorite kids musician! Even as a parent, I never tire of hearing these songs. There is a free YouTube channel and he also does class for a small fee.

Michael Farina said:  This channel features an artist -- really just their hands -- making Pokemon characters out of clay. My 6-yo loves to watch the characters come into being. There are no words, no face time, just the art, and a mostly low-key electronic background music. It's like watching the world's greatest Play-Doh exhibition.

Alexandra F. said:  CoComelon is one of the few kids YouTube channels I don't mind my toddler watching, as the vibrant, 3-D animation and catchy tunes are sweet, well done, and fun to see and hear. The short cartoons for younger kids feature nursery rhymes or simple songs about typical preschool life experiences like going to school, bath time, and eating vegetables, and teach age-appropriate lessons like shapes, colors, numbers, the alphabet, etc.