Looking for some good videos to watch with your kids or to let older kids watch on their own? Maybe you want to place a screen in front of a toddler to keep them occupied for a few minutes while you handle a quick chore, make a phone call, or chat with friends while out for brunch. Whatever the case, YouTube is a great source for video content. But there’s also a lot of content that isn’t age-appropriate, so it’s best to come up with your own parent- or caregiver-approved playlist.
To help you cut through the noise and tap that “save” button, we have devised this list of the best YouTube videos for kids. This list includes videos for kids of all ages, from ones with catchy tunes and bright colors that toddlers and preschoolers will appreciate to insightful and educational videos for older kids, including teens and tweens.
‘5 Monkeys’ by The Snack Town All-Stars
The Snack Town All-Stars
Best for Ages 1-5
The song Five Monkeys is an all-time classic and this version presents it with an animated image of the quintet of monkeys in a child’s bedroom. As they jump and play, the song plays and the lyrics appear at the top of the screen. While younger kids won’t be able to read them just yet, it will help with word and letter recognition. The colorful images, meanwhile, will hold a toddler’s attention.
It’s great for sing-a-long time with little ones. This popular song is just one of many featured on the The Snack Town All-Stars YouTube channel. A tip while watching this one: pause the video and ask the child to identify different items, like books, balls, a lamp, a toy car, building blocks, a basket, and more.
ABC Song Learn English Alphabet for Children with Ryan! | ABC phonics + More Kids Nursery Rhymes
Ryan’s World
Best for Ages 1-4
Repetition is the best thing for kids to help them learn, and Ryan from Ryan’s World has become a cultural phenomenon for a new generation of kids. The popular YouTuber, first known for his unboxing videos, has a channel filled with tons of videos of all kinds that his 37 million and counting followers watch. This one is a simple video for toddlers just learning to speak, understand the alphabet, and identify objects. Ryan takes them on a journey that includes oversized alphabet letters, dancing, catchy songs, and even a fun game of hide and seek.
At 23 minutes long, it’s like a TV show episode, but the first nine minutes are perfect for one sitting and take kids from A through Z. The video moves quickly at times, however, so expect the kids to want to watch it again and again. Each time, however, they’ll pick up a new letter, associated word, and how to pronounce it. They might even start repeating some of the elements of the song, like “P is for pizza, puh-puh-pizza” and “N is for naptime, na-na-naptime.” (One view and the tune is already stuck in my head on repeat!)
Turn the video into a game you can play along with, placing the same objects in the room for your toddler to point out along with Ryan. Following the alphabet time are family performances of various upbeat tunes, including the popular Pinkfong song Baby Shark.
Baby Shark Dance | 3babyshark Most Viewed Video | Animal Songs | PINKFONG Songs for Children
Pinkfong
Best for Ages 0-4
We all know the song. Maybe it has been played over and over again in your home. But it might also be the only thing to keep your baby or toddler soothed when they need something to distract and entertain them. The catchy tune has been viewed and heard on YouTube more than 14 billion times. Watch kids sing about mommy, daddy, and grandma shark (doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo) as they dance amid animated fish.
It’s just the right level of repetitiveness that, as little ones learn their words and sounds, they can replicate the tune with ease. Hearing the words over and over again will help with memory retention, and it’ll instantly put your kids in a good mood. Don’t forget to sing along, too!
Bingo
Super Simple Songs
Best for Ages 1-3
Repetitive songs are the name of the game when it comes to babies and toddlers. Repeating lyrics, words, and tunes help kids learn and follow along, expanding their vocabulary from just a few words to many. Bingo is one of those classic kids’ songs, and with 432 million views, this video is a wonderful integration of both the song and visuals, as well as elements of interactivity as kids get older.
Along with a soothing male voice singing the tune are colorful images of the farmer and his dog, Bingo. The letters are highlighted on-screen as they are slowly sung. Kids are also encouraged to do things like pat their tummy or head in sync with the sounds. The video is under three minutes long and it repeats the sequence over and over with different actions each time. Kids will be singing along in no time and asking for the video to be played over and over again.
Classical Music for Toddlers — Symphony of Fun
Baby Einstein
Best for Ages 1-3
As a parent or grandparent, you might be so tired of hearing the same nursery rhymes and cartoons over and over again. Plus, what parent doesn’t want their child to be intelligent and cultured? This video is fairly simplistic in nature but it will give adults a much needed break without forcing you to put in earplugs to get back some sanity. But most important, it will keep toddlers curious and engaged.
Alongside the classical music that plays throughout the video is a selection of images to stimulate kids. These range from other kids playing instruments, to toys, colorful motion images like mosaics, and puppet animals generally acting silly. The video is just over six minutes, just enough time for you to empty the dishwasher. It features three timeless classical tunes that’ll help you de-stress, too. Combining calming music with visual sensory images, your toddler won’t be able to avert their eyes for the entire time, and you’ll enjoy the quick daily interlude, too.
Baby Learning with Ms Rachel
Ms Rachel — Toddler Learning Videos
Best for Ages 1-2
Ms Rachel’s soft, welcoming tone will instantly please babies and small toddlers, and videos like this aim to help teach them valuable skills like speaking, interacting, and playing. As a teacher in the real world, Ms Rachel also knows how to approach young learners. This video is an hour long, so it will keep your little one occupied while you do chores or enjoy brunch with a friend. But it isn’t mindless viewing: They’ll learn plenty.
She begins with the basics, helping them say “mama” and “dada,” sing the words, clap them, and even sign them. Her segments are interspersed with songs and animated videos to tantalize all the senses.
Humpty Dumpty Grocery Store — CoComelon Nursery Rhymes and Kids Songs
CoComelon
Best for Ages 1-4
Any parent with a toddler is probably already familiar with CoComelon, one of the most popular YouTube channels with more than 168 million subscribers and frequently one of Netflix’s 10 most popular shows. The videos are musical, engaging, colorful, and fun. But most important, they are also educational. They’re a great way to keep your toddler occupied for a short time if you need to get something done or they’re being extra finicky.
This video, one of many on the channel, features a fun variation on the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. Nina is chasing down the plastic toy egg she got from the vending machine at the grocery store, but it keeps eluding her. The tune is catchy, and the fact that lyrics appear at the bottom, karaoke style, makes it easy for kids to learn the words and follow along with the cadence. The distinct sound effects as the egg soars through the air, bumps items, and bounces on the ground will have kids giggling as they watch it, likely over and over again.
Sesame Street: Elmo’s Bedtime Story
Best for Ages 1-3
Sure, giving your kids screen time right before bed is not recommended. But this video is an exception. Toddlers might not be excited about tucking in for the night. But with the help of Elmo in this short, under two-minute video, the cuddly Sesame Street character can help get them in the right frame of mind.
Elmo runs through everything he does as part of his bedtime routine, including having dinner, bathing, putting on his pajamas, brushing his teeth, and singing a lullaby. He sings the song, and kids and parents can join in. He’s yawning and getting sleepy by the end, hopefully having toddlers feeling just the same.
Banana Banana Meatball Song | Songs For Kids | Dance Along | GoNoodle
Go Noodle | Get Moving
Best For Ages 4-8
Kids who love to dance will appreciate this catchy tune, presented with three men dancing along and doing some killer moves in the process. Kids can not only sing along about bananas and meatballs, both typically kid-favorite foods, but they can also copy the moves. Play the video again and again until they replicate the moves just right. Or let them do their own silly dancing along with the song because, why not?
The video is not only entertaining. It’s also designed to, as GoNoodle notes, encourage kids to get moving and engage in physical activity. The video also focuses on helping kids learn patterns and identify them. This is a video even older kids might enjoy, if for no other reason than inspiration for their next TikTok dance.
Learn Spanish for Kids — Numbers, Colors & More — Rock ‘N Learn
Rock ‘N Learn
Best for Ages 5+
Kids are never too young to learn a language, and it’s often said that the younger a child starts learning a second (or third) language, the easier it will be for them to pick it up. Spanish is a popular language to learn, and kids will be entertained as they are introduced to words for things like numbers and colors. This video is just over 37 minutes long, but watch with kids in short spurts and go back to continue a little bit each day. The cartoon characters and imagery, silly antics, bright colors, and text that appears alongside the picture will have kids giggling, repeating, and learning. Everything comes together in a cute story, too, so it’s like watching a TV show.
Once done, the video series continues with other episodes, including ones that teach food, activities, and animals; body parts, family, and feelings; and even expands to useful phrases as kids get older and have started to pick up the individual words. The Rock ‘N Learn channel has plenty other videos for additional languages as well, including English.
Playground Time! Mighty Little Bheem | Netflix Jr.
Netflix Jr.
Best for Ages 3-6
Netflix Jr. offers a wealth of content for young kids, and one of the most popular series is Mighty Little Bheem, which helps introduce kids to cultural differences at a younger age. The show features short episodes, all non-verbal in an effort to make it universal. One of the most popular is this video where the characters Bheem and Vijay visit a playground and explore all the fun activities there.
While creator Rajiv Chilaka says the show itself is targeted at kids aged 6-11, this particular video arguably skews a little younger in its material and handling. For little ones who might be afraid of trying the slide or seesaw for the first time, this fun video presents these park staples as toys to enjoy, not fear. From the music to the gleeful squeals, kids will be itching to go to the neighborhood park after watching.
Saying Hello and Making New Friends — Read the Book Bonjou! — Circle Time with Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy Kids
Best for Ages 2-8
Online learning platform Khan Academy has its own YouTube channel filled with great resources for kids and parents. One of the recurring segments is called Circle Time, where kids are encouraged to play with others, learn about new topics, and read. These lessons can be combined with ones offered in the free Khan Academy Kids app.
This video in the series is about helping kids make new friends. The hosts read from the book Bonjou about a boy named Leo. He speaks Creole to a new student in the school, helping him feel welcome. You can also opt to display subtitles along with the audio reading and illustrations from the book pages. With these visual and audible options, kids can follow along in the way that’s most comfortable for them.
Very First Piano Lesson (2010) — Free Piano Lessons for Kids
Hoffman Academy
Best for Ages 4+
If you’re considering enrolling your child in lessons to learn how to play a musical instrument like piano, you might want to get a feel for how they like it before committing. There are tons of free online lessons, and this just under 8-minute video is perfect. Kids can follow along with the easy instruction provided by Joseph Hoffman. While the video quality is pretty rudimentary, it has the feel of having the teacher in your home with you. Prop the phone, tablet, or computer atop the piano and the child can follow along with his guidance.
He talks about patterns and groupings of keys, and then goes through reading basic sheet music and how to properly place your hands and fingers on the key sbefore starting with a simple tune, Hot Cross Buns. By the end, the child will feel accomplished and potentially ready to learn more. The YouTube channel has tons of other instructional videos, including some on how to play specific songs and even sight reading challenges to learn more about musical notes.
10 Interesting Insects — Insects for Kids — Bugs for Kids
Socratica Kids
Best for Ages 4-8
Have a child who is obsessed with bugs and other insects? This short, seven-minute video will walk them through all types, from butterflies to creepy crawling spiders. Along with the enchanting video, the narrator provides interesting facts about each insect so kids learn more about them in the process. Younger kids will love acquiring all this knowledge about these common insects and then heading to the backyard to see which ones they can find and examine for themselves.
The video has a timeline underneath that guides you if you want to skip ahead to the proper time for each of the 10 bugs covered. This is ideal if your kids only want to know about ants, for example, or caterpillars. Or, they can watch all the way through, learning about each bug one at a time. This is the kind of video you can return to again and again to study all the key facts worth knowing. The video encourages outdoor exploration and might even help kids afraid of insects overcome their fear when they see how fascinating bugs can be.
‘Arnie the Doughnut’ read by Chris O’Dowd
StorylineOnline
Best for Ages 3-6
Part of a series of videos provided by SAG-AFTRA Foundation that feature actors reading kids’ stories, this one from Chris O’Dowd is the most popular one to date. Of course, little kids won’t know O’Dowd from projects like The IT Crowd and Bridesmaids. But they might recognize from Gulliver’s Travels and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. In the 15-minute video, he reads the story Arnie the Doughnut in his Irish accent, even doing funny voices to accompany the illustrations of different characters as they appear on screen.
Kids will giggle as the cakey, iced and sprinkled sweet treat explores his surroundings and meets all the doughnuts nearby. Just like in a store, each one has its own unique look, from the cinnamon twist to the powdered doughnuts and even the tiny doughnut holes. Just be prepared that the next time you take the kids to the local doughnut shop, they’ll be eyeing everything behind the window and conjuring up their own stories as they make the difficult decision of which treat to devour.
Bill Nye the Science Guy on Outer Space Distances
Bill Nye
Best for Ages 6+
If your kids are fascinated with space exploration, this short video, which runs just over two minutes, provides useful visual context to help them understand just how expansive space really is. It’s presented by popular and quirky scientist Bill Nye, who has entertained kids for generations with his useful scientific facts presented in an easily digestible way. He uses miniature items to illustrate how far the planets are from one another, and how far the next star is. He does so in a way that will really bring the reality home to kids, and maybe inspire ideas of their own for the next school project.
It’s a simple video but one that uses humor, sped-up running, and even an extra-long car ride to help kids gain an understanding of the vastness of space in a way they can easily grasp and enjoy.
How To Draw a Cute Cupcake Monster Folding Surprise
Art for Kids Hub
Best for Ages 6-10
Has your child ever Googled “how to draw” something? Plenty of kids are interested in the arts, and if yours falls into this space, the Art for Kids Hub YouTube channel is a great place to start. Not only does it feature step-by-step instructional videos of how to draw all types of objects, animals, and cute creations, but it also features kids themselves doing the work. Rob is a dad of four who walks viewers through the projects alongside his kids, making the channel a great one to promote family values as well.
One of the more popular videos on the channel is this one that involves drawing a cupcake creature and manipulating it to deliver a cool effect once folded. Rob is joined by his daughter as an overhead view shows his work side-by-side with hers. Seeing her draw alongside him shows how easy the process is for even young kids to follow. In just 15 minutes, your child will be mesmerized by what they just created.
Personal Hygiene
BrainPOP
Best for Ages 8+
It’s advisable to continue to help young kids, or at least monitor them, while they engage in personal hygiene tasks like brushing their teeth. But it’s also crucial for kids to understand the importance of personal hygiene, setting them up for their independence in this respect. This goes for not only teeth but also skin and hair, too. This short five-minute video incorporates something all kids love — robots — to help get its point across.
A young man helps the robots learn why keeping your body clean and maintaining a tidy appearance relates to your overall health, and is just as important as proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Viruses, bacteria, and germs are also discussed, giving kids all the tools and knowledge they need to stop skipping that hand-wash session after going to the bathroom or moaning and groaning when they’re told to hop in the shower. This quick refresher video and its educational material might just help your child avoid the dreaded cavity at the next dentist’s appointment, too.
Nerdy Nummies — Geeky Cooking Show
Rosanna Pansino
Best for Ages 8+
Younger kids will need a little parental help with this one, but if they love to cook and play around in the kitchen, they’ll feel accomplished after making this incredible Minecraft-themed cake. Rosanna Pansino and her friend Jordan Maron walk you through all the steps of making this layered cake, complete with icing. The steps are simple enough for a child to follow while the piping can be done freehand without extra accessories beyond a piping bag.
Pansino is engaging and her step-by-step directions are easy to follow for kids. If it’s going too quickly, kids can pause the video to catch up as needed and ask parents for help with using the oven and in the cake assembly stage. The best part? You have a sweet treat to enjoy at the end of it! At just 21 minutes long, the video is one to bookmark so you can make this cake again and again.
How the Food You Eat Affects Your Brain — Mia Nacamulli
TED-Ed
Best for Ages 8-10
You are probably familiar with TED Talks conference sessions, which feature influential and inspiring people from all types of industries discussing topics about life, career, science, and more. TED-Ed is an extension of that, geared towards kids. The YouTube channel itself has content designed for kids from K-12, with a wide variety of videos designed to inspire curiosity and educate children about things that are valuable to them.
This video, suitable for older kids, including teens and tweens, is great to inform kids about how their food impacts them. Kids who love sugar and junk food will learn why good nutrition is important. It will hit differently when it isn’t mom and dad telling them to eat their veggies, but it’s coming from a trusted, scientific perspective. Sure, younger kids might get bored after a minute or two (the video is under five minutes long). But for older kids, this video could be a game-changer. Maybe they’ll even ask for another helping of vegetables at dinner (they’ll probably still want that cookie after, too, though!)
An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness
Participant
Best for Ages 10+
Participant is a YouTube channel that focuses on storytelling using real-world themes that can help build awareness about important societal issues. The production company has produced dozens of documentaries and series and earned many Academy Awards for everything from Lincoln and Roma to Food, Inc. and RBG. There are many videos on the channel, but this one is great to watch with teens and tweens as it highlights an experiment about gratitude.
The seven-minute video begins by explaining what one of the biggest driving factors in happiness is, and it just so happens to be gratitude, according to psychologists, says the video. The video then goes on to prove this with a group of random participants asked to do something gracious. It’s a truly heartwarming video you’ll want to watch with your kids, and maybe have a box of tissues handy when you do.
How Things Work | Submarines, 3D Printers, Popcorn & MORE | Nat Geo Kids Compilation | @NatGeoKids
Nat Geo Kids
Best for Ages 12+
Curious kids are the best kinds of kids, soaking up knowledge any time they can. For those questions to which you don’t know the answers, Nat Geo Kids is a wonderful resource. There are cool videos about animals, insects, national parks, and more. This particular video is led by the young Kamri Noel, who speaks with four experts to learn how a handful of items work.
Learn how submarines dive and navigate, how and why popcorn kernels pop like they do, how fitness trackers track your movements, and how a 3D printer shapes items it makes. It’s useful information kids can apply to their studies, even provide inspiration for the next science or research project. The information is delivered in a fun, engaging, and easy-to-follow way with simple terminology, succinct explanations, and analogies to help provide clarity.
Math Antics — Long Division with 2-Digit Divisors
Mathantics
Best for Ages 12+
Any kid in school panics at the thought of the dreaded math class that introduces long division. It’s complicated, confusing, and a lot of kids have trouble grasping the concept. This video aims to explain how to do division problems by breaking them up into smaller steps. Before you resort to a tutor or get frustrated trying to help them solve the complex equations themselves, check out this 13-minute video.
The host helps kids work through problems in a simple-to-follow way with easy-to-read graphics. There’s even a downloadable transcript you can print for kids to use as reference while finishing up their homework. With 22 million views and counting along with close to 300,000 likes, it’s clear that parents and kids alike find this video tremendously helpful.
Teen Voices: Oversharing and Your Digital Footprint
Common Sense Education
Best for Ages 12+
Parents of tweens and teens are often faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to let them have their own social media profiles. Technically, most social media sites don’t allow kids to join until they are at least 13. But some parents give permission for kids to set up accounts using their credentials. There is some value in giving trustworthy kids the autonomy to go online. But in the end, they are still kids, and it’s important that they understand the risks along with the benefits, and how best to manage their time online and, most importantly, what they post.
This three-and-a-half-minute informational video helps kids understand the dangers of oversharing by using kids themselves to explain them in a relatable fashion. Kids will learn things they might not realize about how permanent things are on the internet. They’ll be informed about how people can screenshot their photos or even edit them, and how what they post could be forever accessible to anyone. The relatable selection of kids also provide advice about why you shouldn’t overshare, warning about things like false attention. This video should be mandatory viewing for any parent before handing their child a smartphone.
Carnival Scam Science (and how to WIN)
Mark Rober
Best for Ages 10+
If you have a child and have visited a local carnival at any point, chances are they’ve pulled at your pant leg, begging you to fork over an exorbitant amount of money to play a game in hopes of winning a prize. It’s usually a small stuffed animal worth under a buck (when bought in bulk), but it means the world to this child. Sometimes, they’ll want you to play for them, confident that their amazing parent can win. But with some carnival games, winning is next to impossible. At least if you don’t know the tricks of the trade. Popular YouTuber Mark Rober, who your teen or tween probably already follows, explores the science behind some of the most common carnival games in this educational and enlightening video.
Rober, who worked as an engineer at NASA for nine years, observes, collects data, and tries out a few games for himself. He then educates kids on the scientific reasons why a game, from random chance to skills-based ones, isn’t worth playing. Not only will your kids be shocked to learn these facts after watching the 10-minute video, but it might also save you a few bucks in the process. On the flip side, however, Rober also provides tips for how to win some of the more challenging but still winnable games, which might end up backfiring when your child wants to put their newfound knowledge to the test. You might end up being just as curious as them, however, to see the outcome.
