With the Singapore launch of the brand new youtube app YouTube Kids, parents can look forward to many hours of interactive fun with their children. The Kids app makes it easy for children to find videos on topics they want to explore. YouTube Kids also gives parents more control to provide a safe online environment for their children. This will allow them to explore their curiosity with a secure, personalised experience.
Youtube Kids is billed as a delightfully simple, free app ideal for the curious young mind. Your child can discover videos, channels and playlists they love or have yet to discover. Here are some of the key features of the new Youtube app:
Bright and playful design
Larger image and bold icons are used in the design of the new Youtube app. Little thumbs will find navigation a breeze. A voice search enables easy finding of videos if your child can’t yet spell or type.
Family-focused content
This is now a portal for kids to stimulate their imagination. They whole family can browse channels and playlists in four categories. They are Shows, Music, Learning and Explore. Searching for videos has just become more convenient. It can catered to a particular interest to your family like why penguins waddle on National Geographic Kids. Watch favourites from Thomas and Friends, Pororo, and ChuChuTV. Start discovering brand new channels from Singapore, such as Infinite Studios’ new kids channel.
Parental controls
Certainly the most important question for any parent is whether their child can be safe online. The app now introduces options to help parents provide a rich and safe experience for their kids. This include a built-in timer to curb a child’s screen time to passcode options to restrict access. Parents can now decide the right experience for their family from the get-go. This is via the search setting that can enable access to millions of family-friendly videos or restricting your child’s experience to a more limited set.
Read this useful parental guide here.
https://youtu.be/0NUsB_Q3cXM
- Exposure to inappropriate images or content, whether inadvertently or deliberately.
- Solicitation by sexual predators in chat rooms, other forms of social media, and by email.
- Online bullying or harassment.
- Inappropriate disclosure of personal information and data theft.
- Spyware, viruses and malicious software.
- Scams.
- Excessive commercialism via advertising and product-related websites. This breeds the temptation to engage in piracy of software, music or video.
Cyber safety is therefore more pertinent for every parent especially in the social media age. It’s important to help educate children about how to behave online. Engage them by discussing about the dangers or problems they encounter online. Here are other useful tips for parents to ensure that their child cultivate good online habits:
- Keep the computer in a common area so that you can keep a watchful eye on your child’s activities. If it’s a mobile device, talk to your child about practising safe habits online. Teach them about the dangers of engaging anyone you meet online in person.
- Disable cookies or use a cookie disabling software to prevent personal information from being tracked. Bookmark your child’s favourite sites as sometimes misspelling a website name can lead them to an explicit website.
- Parents should share a common email account with their child. This will help to track their child’s online activity.
- Ensure there’s a trusted adult around to allay the child’s fears if they feel threatened online.
- Create a family online guideline with your kids. By having the child’s participation, it enables them to spot risky online behaviour earlier.
Parents do play an important role in helping their child learn good online habits. Being good role models, they can make their child’s online experience a truly positive one.
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