As expected, Google today rolled out a kid-friendly version of YouTube for iOS and Android, which incorporates family-friendly content and parental controls.
"The app makes it safer and easier for children to find videos on topics they want to explore, and is available for free on Google Play and the App Store in the U.S.," Shimrit Ben-Yair, YouTube Kids Group Product Manager, wrote in a blog post.
YouTube Kids is easier for tiny hands to navigate than its grown-up counterpart, Google said. "With larger images, bold icons, and more, it's fast and simple for little thumbs to navigate," Ben-Yair wrote. "And we've built in voice search so that even if your child can't spell or type, they can still find videos of things they're curious about."
Peruse categories like Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. Or you can search for things like "how to build a model volcano, math tutorials, the amazing (and endless) world of trains—and everything in between," Ben-Yair said.
Content sources include DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, Mother Goose Club, Talking Tom and Friends, National Geographic Kids, Reading Rainbow, and Thomas the Tank Engine. Google also promised new videos from YouTubers like the Vlogbrothers and Stampylonghead.
To make sure your kid doesn't overdose on Thomas or the Muppets, YouTube Kids incorporates parental controls like a timer, which cuts them off after a certain time. You can also adjust the sounds that certain videos emit, so they don't drive you nuts. And if you only want junior watching certain videos, you can cut off access to search.
Last month, meanwhile, Twitter-owned Vine released Vine Kids, which offers up tons of animated videos that are appropriate for young audiences. Children can simply swipe left or right to watch a new Vine, and tap the screen to hear fun sounds.
For more, check out How to Be YouTube Famous, as well as the best tablets for kids in the slideshow above.