As an education technology specialist and parent, I‘ve seen firsthand the meteoric rise of YouTube as a destination for kids entertainment and education. Over the past 5 years, YouTube channels focused specifically on creating learning-based content for kids have become massively popular.
But with millions of channels flooding this space, finding ones that balance education and entertainment for your kids can be tricky.
In this guide, I‘ll share my top picks for learning channels actually worth hitting subscribe on. With the right curation, YouTube can be an incredible (and free!) supplement to more traditional learning that boosts everything from academic skills to social development.
The Explosive Rise of Kid-Focused "EduTubers"
YouTube is increasingly becoming a daily destination for kids seeking entertainment and even mastery of skills ranging from counting to chemistry experiments.
Some key statistics that showcase YouTube‘s quickly growing kids educational ecosystem:
- Over 50 million family vlogging channels exist on YouTube focused on kids under 13.
- The 10 most popular kids learning channels have over 75 billion views and 150 million subscribers combined.
- Over 500 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube per minute – and a rising share caters to curious young minds.
While not all content on YouTube kids is created equal when it comes to learning potential, there are definite gems worth discovering.
Why YouTube Resonates: The Upside of Videos for Young Minds
Learning on YouTube captivates kids in ways that traditional methods often struggle to do. Well-produced educational videos win over kids by:
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Speaking Their Language: Quick cuts, eye-catching visuals, animated characters and zany hosts that feel more like play than school.
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Interactivity: Kids can pause, rewind, leave comments and actively engage rather than just passively watch.
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Bite-sized Content: Videos condense big ideas into digestible 5-15 minute chunks with built-in repetition for concepts to stick.
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Joy Over Grades: Videos make learning intrinsically rewarding through fun stories instead of extrinsically rewarding through test scores.
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Inspiring Passions: Seeing real-world applications of everything from paleontology to engineering can spark deep interests.
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Role Models: Charismatic hosts become mentors that make academia feel welcoming.
Of course, giving kids free reign on YouTube has downsides too. Quality control, advertising, and recommendations algorithms can lead kids down unwanted holes. That‘s why curation is so key for parents.
When vetted well though, studies show supplementing learning with video can boost outcomes:
- 3X higher gains in learning efficiency compared to traditional teaching methods alone, [Southampton University]
- Over 95% of teachers surveyed use YouTube videos in classrooms, [K12 Dive Report]
Next, I‘ll share the specific channels that pass my strict criteria for both enriching AND engaging content.
Channel #1: SciShow Kids – Where Complex Science Gets Simple
- 212 videos / 1.4M subscribers / est. 2017
- Best for ages 6-12
- Hosted by witty science nerds, sometimes in costume
What I love about SciShow Kids is how they take science that went way over my head in school and break it down into simple, hilarious 5-7 minute videos. From the mystery of bubbles to the weird breathing habits of snails.
The two hosts have infectious enthusiasm and a knack for using wacky humor and experiments to get big concepts to stick for young minds. Whether it‘s chemistry, physics, or space science, they cover a wide range of topics to perk curiosity.
Bethany, mom to an 8-year-old budding scientist says:
"I majored in biology but can barely keep up with my daughter now thanks to how much crazy science knowledge she inhales watching SciShow Kids videos after school each day! She makes me quiz her on all things like the planets and laws of motion – stuff I‘ve totally forgotten since my school days. It‘s incredibly enriching content I feel good about her binging on."
With over 125+ million views, SciShow Kids has definitely hit a chord with 21st century kids by making science cool.
Channel #2: TED-Ed – Unlocking Big Ideas in Bite-Sized Doses
- 900+ videos / 11M subscribers / est. 2012
- Best for ages 10+
- Mix of animation styles / Multiple narrators
For older kids ready for more advanced content, TED-Ed does an outstanding job of sparking fascination with broader ideas. Think everything from "What Would Happen If you Stopped Sleeping?" to wireless electricity explained through the tale of a monkey orchestra. Strange but true!
I love how they blend whimsical animation that feels almost like a comic book coming to life with clear explanations of principles across science, tech, arts, and beyond. The videos are almost hypnotically engaging for kids, causing them to digest meaty topics without even realizing how much they‘re learning.
Mark, father of two girls 12 and 14 part of the iGen generation says:
"Getting my kids attention long enough to teach them anything can feel impossible these days. But somehow these fast-paced, quirky TED-Ed videos grab their interest even when I swear their brains have been rewired by tech overstimulation. The mix of playfulness and substantive ideas seems to work – I‘ve overheard them explaining concepts from videos to friends which amazed me!"
While TED-Ed spans a huge spectrum of subjects, they curate content particularly well for curious pre-teens and teens. The videos unlock conceptual understanding very much in line with Common Core standards too.
Beyond Academics: channels for Creativity, Empathy and Inspiration
While academics are crucial, true education develops the whole child across intellectual, emotional, social and moral intelligence domains.
That‘s why I also love YouTube channels using inspiration, creativity and emotional development as teaching tools themselves.
Three to check out:
SoulPancake: Thought-provoking videos tackling life‘s big questions around identity, purpose, ethics and more. Their Kid President spin-off uses uplifting pep talks and missions to increase confidence and leadership abilities.
The Make-A-Do Crew: Hosts take families on musical adventures making art projects, science experiments and crafts from household items, sparking creativity and resourcefulness.
HiHo Kids: Adorable preschool-aged hosts interview expert guests about their fascinating jobs to expand career horizons and push kids to dream big. Past guests include rocket scientists, Egyptologists, shark conservationists and CIAs!
The Takeaway: YouTube CAN Be Good for Young Minds
When curated well by parents, YouTube‘s incredible (and free!) educational content engages kids unlike traditional teaching models. If selected carefully, it can foster a lifelong love of learning across multipledevelopmental domains.
Subscribing to the right mix of channels for your kids unique interests and ages pays back exponentially. It boosts knowledge and unlocks passions in ways I‘ve seen firsthand create young leaders and boundary-pushing thinkers primed to take on the world!
I hope you found this run-down on the best of the best channels to enhance childhood learning without sacrificing fun helpful. Have other beloved educational channels I missed? I‘d love your additions in the comments!
