Free YouTube app update could help keep the kids quiet over the holidays

We’re approaching that time of the year again, when the family gathers to celebrate, with gifts aplenty, loads to eat and of course the kids are out of school. However, while you’re trying to stuff the turkey, little Timmy will inevitably try to stuff the cat into the washing machine, so what you need is a surefire winner to keep your kids distracted. What you need is YouTube.

Not the main YouTube where you’ll find all sorts of content, like the best of T3 or even how to stuff that turkey, but YouTube Kids, a dedicated app that will keep the kids entertained without them falling into a spiral of Skibidi Toilet carnage.

It’s a good job, then, that Google has announced an update to the YouTube Kids app, giving younger children a safe space to find video content to keep them entertained. The changes are coming to the mobile app (not the web or TV experience), bringing new colours and icons, but keeping all the content and controls that YouTube Kids offers.

The new app will support vertical and horizontal use, so it’s easier to search for content and navigate the app on your phone. Categories will be grouped together at the top for quick access, while there’s a new navigation bar at the bottom.

There will also be a Your Stuff section on the page, making it easier to get to saved and downloaded content, so it’s really easy to get back to where you were or to watch something again.

YouTube Kids will ask a parent to setup profiles for their kids, including a name and age. Part of that process will include indicating the age of content that is appropriate for them. That’s divided into different age ranges, but can also be freeform, allowing you to choose.

Once that’s all locked in, your child can browse the app and choose the content they want and you can get on with your chores safe in the knowledge that everything they encounter within the app is appropriate for their age.

Of course, if you want to go a little further and want your child to have a tablet of their own, then we have some great suggestions in our roundup.