10 Of The Best Streaming Services For Kids

With the prominence of smartphones and the easy accessibility to the internet, it's natural for parents to be worried about what their children are consuming. There's a full guide for protecting kids on the internet, and an array of kid-friendly tablets worth every penny to ensure kids don't witness anything they shouldn't. However, there may also be concerns related to what type of content children can access on various streaming services. Parents may want Max for themselves, but probably the last thing they want is for their kids to check out an episode of "House of the Dragon."

Aside from practical matters of ensuring kids watch age-appropriate material, parents may simply want to set their kids down in front of the TV set so that they stay out of the way for a little bit. No parent wants to be working on a home renovation project only for their child to come up behind them to tell them they're bored. Fortunately, many streaming platforms have loads of content for youngsters.

Some apps also have adult-oriented fare, so parents will need to figure out how to block kids from accessing it. Other services solely focus on child development, and a number of them are entirely free, so your kids can always have their favorite shows at their fingertips. Plus, these services often let parents control how long kids spend watching TV so they don't waste an entire weekend in front of a tablet. 

For years, PBS has been a go-to destination for instilling valuable lessons in the next generation. From "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" to "Sesame Street," the public broadcaster was an integral part of many childhoods and continues to maintain that reputation to this day. Now, it's easier than ever for kids to see what PBS has to offer, thanks to the streaming service PBS Kids. It's entirely free no matter what device you watch it on, and there are no ads to try to influence what kids want their parents to buy for them.

PBS Kids maintains a robust catalog of programming, so there's plenty for kids to watch. However, that might make it feel overwhelming, so parents may need to help their children find precisely what they're looking for. As opposed to a lot of kids' shows where it's just a bunch of cartoons without any rhyme or reason, PBS has always specialized in educational content. Many of the shows found on PBS Kids can assist with a young person's cognitive development, so parents can rest easy.

The app doesn't stick just to shows, either. It also has a splendid game section, many of which are based on beloved PBS properties like "Arthur" and "Clifford the Big Red Dog." Many of the games are centered on education, so kids can play something to aid with their math or science knowledge. PBS has entered the 21st century in a big way, and this streaming platform is a must, especially for parents of particularly young children.

Netflix really kicked things off when it came to streaming, and even to this day, it remains a popular option for adults, especially those with children. The app has a full "Kids" section that only has content appropriate for youngsters. Parents can even restrict what's accessible even further by altering the rating settings, so whether there's a toddler or preteen in the household, they can only watch content suitable for their age. Everyone can have their own profile on Netflix, meaning one person's viewing habits won't impact what's suggested for someone else. If children going into an adult's profile makes parents wary, they can always set up a PIN to gate access to anything outside of their kid's profile.

Netflix has a rotating library of content, much of which comes from other networks and studios. Kids may be able to find shows that originated on Nickelodeon or other channels, so all of their favorites are right there in one place. However, Netflix is also dedicated to creating a vast library of original content, including plenty of movies and shows geared toward kids.

Another perk is that Netflix allows parents to monitor their kid's viewing history. That way in the event a child does see something they shouldn't, the parents will know and can handle it accordingly.

Common Sense Media is an online movie and TV review site that specifically caters to parents, letting them know if a certain program is suitable for the whole family. That site has launched its own streaming service, Sensical, that only has content that's been approved to be viewed by children to help them with development. In fact, Sensical's website boasts several impressive caveats to the type of content it promotes, including how shows are certified by third parties. Additionally, parents can ensure their kids only see content that's appropriate for their age range, limiting them to various categories. 

The service provides several recognizable titles, including "Teletubbies" and "Maya the Bee." CEO of Common Sense Networks, Eric Berger, promoted the platform in a statement published by Variety: "[What] we're offering is 'healthy streaming' — it's age-appropriate and aligned to social, emotional, and cognitive levels. Based on methodology and expertise of Common Sense Media." Another major selling point of Sensical is how it insists it doesn't rely on algorithms to determine whether a show is appropriate for a given age range. Real-life people view the content to make a proper determination, so parents should be able to rest a little easier. 

Sensical is free with ads, and even those commercials are vetted to be appropriate for children to see. This includes ads for healthy snacks (instead of junk food) and educational games. 

People often say, "You get what you pay for." Therefore, some parents may look at a free streaming service and think that while it's nice they don't have to pay anything, they also probably aren't getting anything all that interesting. That doesn't appear to be the case for HappyKids, which has many popular shows adults will have definitely heard of. There are numerous shows based on classic characters like "Wallace and Gromit" and "Garfield." 

Plus, the platform got a major boost in 2023 when it acquired a collection of episodes from "The Wiggles". Additionally, Future Today, the company that oversees HappyKids, launched a Wiggles app that's completely dedicated to the beloved kid-friendly band. 2023 also saw the app acquire the "Total Drama" franchise, which launched in the 2000s on Cartoon Network with "Total Drama Island." Various spinoffs soon followed, but it's important to remember this show is more appropriate for slightly older kids due to the occasional gross humor. 

With HappyKids, parents may need to monitor their kids' viewing habits more closely to ensure they stick with shows and movies that are good for their ages. However, given the sheer volume of the app's library and the fact that it's entirely free, it makes for an enticing option to download. 

Many kids may not feel the need to venture to other streaming services when YouTube is readily accessible. However, there's a dark side to YouTube. It's easy for kids to begin watching something suitable for their age range, and get recommended a video they definitely shouldn't see. It's easier than ever for children to fall down rabbit holes, especially with so many cartoons that look innocent from a thumbnail but contain adult material. Safe Vision isn't a streaming platform per se, but it's an app parents should absolutely become aware of to ensure their kids have safe, pleasant experiences on YouTube. 

Real people monitor content to determine whether it's appropriate for kids to see. However, there's also an option for parents to review content personally. It's all in the name of keeping kids safe, so parents can download the Safe Vision app to whatever devices their kids use with the peace of mind that they're not going to stumble on anything they shouldn't. Many parents may have begun to try to keep their children off YouTube altogether, but that's a tall order in this day and age. Safe Vision provides a solid middle ground, letting kids check out their favorite channels and preventing them from wandering elsewhere. Additionally, Safe Vision allows parents to install daily time limits. 

Between Safe Vision and an assortment of other apps, there are plenty of ways for kids to stay entertained without parents worrying about what they watch. Of course, it's also up to the parents to ensure their kids develop good habits around technology use (and maybe spend some time outside playing once in a while), but one battle at a time.