Few TV apps for children

Children in 2016 understand that they can watch TV shows “on demand” on a range of devices, from the family tablet to a parent’s smartphone. There is now a growing collection of apps serving these habits, from established broadcasters to internet companies and inventive startups. Some are free, while others charge a monthly subscription.
All offer shows and videos to stream, with other features offered by some including downloads for offline viewing; the ability to set time limits and create separate profiles for your children; and extra educational games. An obvious but important point: these apps fit within a wider, healthy lifestyle for children: from reading and physical creativity to active play away from a screen, rather than replacing books, bikes and splattering the house with paints.

BBC iPlayer Kids
Android / iOS

Newly released, this is a standalone version of the BBC’s existing iPlayer app, offering shows from its two children’s channels CBeebies and CBBC. It’s only available within the UK.
You can create profiles for each child, entering their name, age and choosing a monster avatar. The BBC says it will not collect any personal data beyond that, with the age used to decide what shows are available to each child within the app. Four year-olds won’t see scarier CBBC dramas like Wolfblood, for example.
The app is like a simpler, brighter version of the main iPlayer app, with shows presented in a sideways-scrolling feed of recent series and episodes, although they can also be accessed from an A-Z shows list or the search function.
As with iPlayer, shows can be downloaded to your device for offline viewing for up to 30 days: perfect for a long plane, train or automobile trip. Because the app isn’t storing details of what each child watches, it doesn’t offer personalised recommendations based on their habits. Like the main iPlayer, the iPlayer Kids app is free to use, with no advertising or in-app purchases.
YouTube Kids
Android / iOS

A growing number of children are watching more YouTube videos than traditional TV shows, but the main YouTube app can be problematic in terms of controlling where your kids end up in its not-always-child-friendly catalogue.
YouTube Kids aims to solve that headache: it pulls in videos for children – with a flagging system for parents to alert it if anything unsuitable slips through the filters – and presents them in an easy scrolling interface.
Children will find big brands like Barbie and Shaun the Sheep nestling alongside popular YouTube channels like The Diamond Minecart and nursery-rhymes channel Little Baby Bum. Once your child has watched a few videos, the app will start recommending more that it thinks they’ll like.
YouTube Kids is free to use, with no in-app purchases. However, it does include advertising, which the company says it screens for child-suitability.

Amazon Prime Video
Android / iOS

If you subscribe to Amazon’s Prime membership to get free shipping on products you buy, the Prime Video films and TV streaming service comes bundled in too, with its own app to download.
This isn’t aimed purely at children: there’s content for all ages, so you’ll need to be overseeing your kids when they’re choosing what to watch. There are a number of children’s shows available though: Peppa Pig, Tom and Jerry, Pingu, SpongeBob SquarePants and other famous brands.
Amazon has also commissioned its own “originals” shows for children. The pick of the bunch are a lovely stop-motion animation series called Tumble Leaf; science-focused drama Annedroids; and sitcom Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street.
You can download shows and films for offline viewing, as well as adding them to a “watchlist” to remember them. You can also use the app to access shows and films that you’ve bought from Amazon’s digital store – good for those not available to stream.

Which app is right for your children?

Hopster and PlayKids have the toughest task of this group: they’re trying to persuade parents to stump up for a new monthly subscription, against competition that’s either free or which parents are likely already paying for.
Both are worth trying: blending educational games with TV is an inventive idea. Meanwhile, DisneyLife should benefit from having a community of fanatical Disneyphiles (of all ages) to aim for.
For the rest, which app you choose likely depends on your existing media diet. If you already subscribe to Netflix, chances are you’ll create profiles for your children. If you got an Amazon Prime membership for the free shipping, you may try its video app. If you’re a Sky TV household, the Sky Kids app is an obvious download.
Finally, BBC iPlayer Kids and YouTube Kids complement one another well for British parents: the best of public-service children’s broadcasting in the UK on one side, and a safer way for kids to navigate the online wild west of YouTube on the other.

Source: The Guardian

 

Few TV apps for children

Children in 2016 understand that they can watch TV shows on demand on a range of devices, from the family tablet to a parents smartphone. There is now a growing collection of apps serving these habits, from established broadcasters to internet companies and inventive startups. Some are free, while others charge a monthly subscription. All offer shows and videos to stream, with other features offered by some including downloads for offline viewing; the ability to set time limits and create separate profiles for your children; and extra educational games. An obvious but important point: these apps fit within a wider, healthy lifestyle for children: from reading and physical creativity to active play away from a screen, rather than replacing books, bikes and splattering the house with paints. BBC iPlayer Kids Android / iOS Newly released, this is a standalone version of the BBCs existing iPlayer app, offering shows from its two childrens channels CBeebies and CBBC. Its only available within the UK. You can create profiles for each child, entering their name, age and choosing a monster avatar. The BBC says it will not collect any personal data beyond that, with the age used to decide what shows are available to each child within the app. Four year-olds wont see scarier CBBC dramas like Wolfblood, for example. The app is like a simpler, brighter version of the main iPlayer app, with shows presented in a sideways-scrolling feed of recent series and episodes, although they can also be accessed from an A-Z shows list or the search function. As with iPlayer, shows can be downloaded to your device for offline viewing for up to 30 days: perfect for a long plane, train or automobile trip. Because the app isnt storing details of what each child watches, it doesnt offer personalised recommendations based on their habits. Like the main iPlayer, the iPlayer Kids app is free to use, with no advertising or in-app purchases. YouTube Kids Android / iOS A growing number of children are watching more YouTube videos than traditional TV shows, but the main YouTube app can be problematic in terms of controlling where your kids end up in its not-always-child-friendly catalogue. YouTube Kids aims to solve that headache: it pulls in videos for children with a flagging system for parents to alert it if anything unsuitable slips through the filters and presents them in an easy scrolling interface. Children will find big brands like Barbie and Shaun the Sheep nestling alongside popular YouTube channels like The Diamond Minecart and nursery-rhymes channel Little Baby Bum. Once your child has watched a few videos, the app will start recommending more that it thinks theyll like. YouTube Kids is free to use, with no in-app purchases. However, it does include advertising, which the company says it screens for child-suitability. Amazon Prime Video Android / iOS If you subscribe to Amazons Prime membership to get free shipping on products you buy, the Prime Video films and TV streaming service comes bundled in too, with its own app to download. This isnt aimed purely at children: theres content for all ages, so youll need to be overseeing your kids when theyre choosing what to watch. There are a number of childrens shows available though: Peppa Pig, Tom and Jerry, Pingu, SpongeBob SquarePants and other famous brands. Amazon has also commissioned its own originals shows for children. The pick of the bunch are a lovely stop-motion animation series called Tumble Leaf; science-focused drama Annedroids; and sitcom Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street. You can download shows and films for offline viewing, as well as adding them to a watchlist to remember them. You can also use the app to access shows and films that youve bought from Amazons digital store good for those not available to stream. Which app is right for your children? Hopster and PlayKids have the toughest task of this group: theyre trying to persuade parents to stump up for a new monthly subscription, against competition thats either free or which parents are likely already paying for. Both are worth trying: blending educational games with TV is an inventive idea. Meanwhile, DisneyLife should benefit from having a community of fanatical Disneyphiles (of all ages) to aim for. For the rest, which app you choose likely depends on your existing media diet. If you already subscribe to Netflix, chances are youll create profiles for your children. If you got an Amazon Prime membership for the free shipping, you may try its video app. If youre a Sky TV household, the Sky Kids app is an obvious download. Finally, BBC iPlayer Kids and YouTube Kids complement one another well for British parents: the best of public-service childrens broadcasting in the UK on one side, and a safer way for kids to navigate the online wild west of YouTube on the other. Source: The Guardian