Navigating The World of Kid’s Content: A Parent’s Guide To Some of The Best YouTube Channels For Children & Toddlers Part 1 (2023)
Edit 7/29/2023: This series was so large I had to split it up to avoid slowing down the page! Part 2 features some more well-known kid’s YouTube channels, click here to skip ahead.
As the world of digital learning continues to expand, YouTube has emerged as a treasure trove of educational content for children. From captivating animations that teach fundamental academic skills to immersive videos that foster creativity and curiosity, the platform offers an almost endless array of resources. But with such vast amounts of (often not-so-great) content, it's also easy for parents to feel overwhelmed when trying to choose the best channels for their little ones.
That's why we've taken the time to delve into the depths of YouTube's educational channels, identifying the best ones that cater to different age groups and learning needs. The goal here is to help parents like you navigate this digital landscape more easily, ensuring your children can benefit from these enriching online experiences while also having fun.
In this blog post, we've carefully compiled a list of some of the top educational YouTube channels for kids, offering a snapshot of:
What each channel is about
The age range it's best for
Why it's a great learning resource
And what subjects each channel covers
We've also included some additional notes to give parents a better idea of what to expect. So, whether your child is a science enthusiast, a budding artist, or a relentless storyteller, there’s something for everyone! We’ve categorized the channels from lowest to highest subscriber counts so that you might be able to discover some smaller, less popular channels first (like ours!). Without further ado, let's jump into 40 of the most fun and educational kid’s channels on YouTube!
JoMo Kids!
Yes, even though we are a small channel at this point, we hope to inspire a generation of kids to grow their own food, practice sustainability and contribute to their communities. JoMo Kids features important early and emotional learning for children between the ages of 3-7. Using Stardew Valley as a learning medium, JoMo takes kids through a safe and interactive farming journey that enters into a whole universe of education between video games and real life. We hope you give us a chance and subscribe!
Highlights Kids
Highlights Kids extends the popular children's magazine's content into engaging video segments for children between the ages of 6-12. The videos are designed to entertain and educate, following the brand's motto "Fun with a Purpose". Kids can engage in a range of learning including literacy, problem-solving, creativity, and social skills. Parents should know that the channel provides a safe and ad-free environment with lots of engaging and educational content!
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow first launched in 1983 as a children’s television series designed to encourage reading. It’s perfect for ages 4-8, as the storytelling and activities are suitable for pre-K to early elementary students. Kids will absorb and practice listening comprehension, vocabulary, and (hopefully) a love for literature! Parents can also gain inspiration from the show to take dialogic reading more seriously at home.
Bill Nye The Science Guy
One of my personal favourites, Bill Nye, shares science experiment videos and explanations of scientific concepts in a way that everyone can understand. This channel might resonate more with ages 7 and up due to the complex range of science concepts discussed, including physics, biology, chemistry and more. Bill's videos are short, so they are great for kids with short attention spans, but parents may want to watch with younger kids to help explain the subjects in further detail.
CBC Kids
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's children's channel features a mix of educational content and entertainment, including shows like Studio K, Napkin Man, and Daniel Tiger. CBC Kids offers a diverse range of shows, promoting learning, creativity, and fun. Kids will have opportunities to explore social-emotional skills, creativity, basic science, math, and language arts with all the great content featured throughout this channel. It’s safe, educational, ad-free and even fun for parents too!
Socratica Kids
Socratica Kids offers videos that make learning about science, math, and the humanities fun and accessible for ages 5-12. The videos are informative and engaging, with clear, simple explanations exploring various subjects like science, math, history, art, and more, encouraging curiosity and critical thinking. Parents should know that the content is a bit more academically focused, making it a great supplement to school learning.
BrainPOP
BrainPOP is an educational channel offering animations explaining various subjects, from science and math to social studies and English for ages 4-12. The videos are engaging, short, and explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand way generally suitable for K-3 and elementary learning. The channel topics cover a wide range of academic subjects and current events, fostering critical thinking skills. Parents should know that some content might require a subscription to the BrainPOP website for full access.
Khan Academy Kids
The Khan Academy Kids team is a passionate group of engineers, artists, designers, and educators who joined Khan Academy from Duck Duck Moose, a maker of popular educational apps for kids. Ideal for Ages 2-7, the content is designed for preschool and early elementary learning. The videos explore a wide range of subjects including math, reading, writing, and social-emotional learning. Khan Academy Kids is 100% free without ads or subscriptions. Parents might also find the Khan Academy Kids: Learning! App interesting as well.
Learn Bright
Learn Bright is focused on providing educational videos for kids that are fun and engaging but that also teach topics properly and accurately. They are passionate about education and early learning. The channel is designed to support parents who homeschool their kids as well as teachers who are looking for resources in a traditional classroom. Parents should know that some of the lessons might require them to facilitate the learning process.
Hoffman Academy
Hoffman Academy’s video lessons guide children through piano songs and musical concepts. Designed for beginners with no prior experience, the lessons quickly enable kids to play songs they’ll enjoy, starting with the very first lesson. Piano instructor Joseph Hoffman is adept at making even the most tricky concepts simple, memorable, and fun. Great for children starting at age 5 or 6. Some advanced lessons and resources might require a premium membership on their website.
Danny Go!
Danny Go! takes kids on fun adventures, teaching them about the world around them. Perfect for ages 3-7, the show is designed to be fun and educational for young kids. The channel features a strong integration between music and learning that parents can find on Spotify as well. The show is packed with real-life exploration, fun science and all sorts of fun and practice lessons for children.
Dream English Kids
Dream English Kids offers educational songs for children, teaching English vocabulary and phrases in a fun and engaging way. Perfect for ages 2-6, Matt (the channel’s creator) takes children on music and educational adventures that are full of all kinds of fun lessons and musical learning. He’s performed concerts for children all over the US, Spain, Japan, and Thailand. Parents can also find his songs on Spotify here.
Free School
Free School is a safe and friendly place to expose children to famous art, classical music, children's literature, and natural science in an age-appropriate and kid-accessible way. Perfect for ages 4-10, the videos cover a wide range of subjects suitable throughout K-3 and elementary. Kids can learn about science, history, art, and more. The channel promotes general knowledge and critical thinking and parents will also be happy to know it’s completely ad-free.
Storyline Online
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning and Daytime Emmy-nominated children’s literacy channel, Storyline Online, streams imaginatively produced videos featuring celebrated actors including Bob Odenkirk, Simu Liu, Terry Crews, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Yeoh and Elijah Wood reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations, helping to inspire a love of reading in children. Perfect for ages 3-8 but totally suitable for children of all ages.
Mystery Science
Mystery Science has a mission to inspire children to love science and become lifelong learners. Their YouTube channel is packed with mini-lessons that will make kids want to get up and explore the world around them. From the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, they cover it all. Great for ages 5-10, the videos are short (between 5-10 minutes long), making them perfect for quick, impactful learning sessions. Parents can also extend the learning through to their website which has all sorts of additional educational resources for kids.
Crash Course Kids
Crash Course Kids is a bi-weekly show all about grade school science. Host Sabrina Cruz teaches fun and simple lessons about Earth, habitats, space, chemical reactions, engineering, and much more. Perfect for Ages 8-12, the content complexity suits upper-elementary and middle-school students. The videos are fast-paced, and fun providing a wealth of information on each subject. Parents may need to pause and further explain some concepts to younger audiences.
Recess Therapy
Host Julian Shapiro-Barnum has a wild time interviewing kids of all ages asking them big questions and getting even bigger (often memorable) responses. Recess Therapy has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years and is enjoyed by parents and kids alike. Lots of the interviews have gone viral, and have turned into popular internet songs. Kids can learn confidence, conversational learning and much more from watching the interviews.
National Geographic Kids
Nat Geo Kids makes it fun to explore the world with weird, wild, and wacky videos featuring awesome animals, cool science, funny pets, and more. Ideal for ages 6-12, the videos are high-quality, engaging, and full of interesting facts. Kids will learn about geography, environmental science, animals, and exploration, promoting curiosity and environmental awareness. Parents should know that some content can be intense (like animal hunting behaviours), so parental guidance may be needed.
SciShow Kids
Join Jessi, Mister Brown, Squeaks the Robot Lab Rat, and all their friends at the Fort as they conduct experiments, research new questions, and talk with experts to learn about the science-filled world around us. There's always something new to discover with SciShow Kids, no matter what your age! SciShow Kids is ideal for early-elementary learners, Grades 1-3, and many episodes are structured around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) curriculum.
Homeschool Pop
Homeschool Pop is a fun elementary learning channel from a real homeschool dad named Daniel. The goal of this channel is to create engaging, unique learning videos for elementary children. Perfect for ages 5-12, kids can learn core academic subjects like science, math, social studies, and English. Homeschool Pop is fun to watch and can be a great supplement to school or homeschooling curriculum.
