Best Streaming Sites for Kids in 2024
You may want to reconsider cutting the cord if your children have a few favorite cable channels. Choosing the finest streaming service that allows users to continue watching their favorite TV episodes and movies might be difficult with so many options available.
We’ve compiled a list of the streaming sites for kids we think are best for kids. Even though every youngster has a unique set of interests, you can be sure to find a winner with the abundance of information available on our chosen services. To select the best service for your family, you might also wish to sort through the offerings.
Safe Streaming Sites for Kids in 2024
Safe streaming sites for kids in 2024 offer diverse options for family-friendly entertainment. From ad-free educational platforms to vast libraries of free content, these services prioritize child safety and engagement. Discovering the best streaming service for your children involves navigating through a myriad of options that balance entertainment, education, and safety. From ad-free platforms like PBS Kids to extensive libraries on Netflix and Disney+, explore our guide to find the perfect fit for your family’s viewing preferences in 2024.
- PBS Kids: Ad-free educational programs promoting cognitive development.
- Netflix: Extensive library of family movies and TV shows with multiple subscription options.
- Kidoodle TV: Free and premium options with a wide range of licensed and original content.
- HappyKids: Free streaming with a large library of kids’ titles and educational content.
- Paramount Plus: Access to popular Nickelodeon shows with kid-friendly profiles.
- Toon Goggles: Safe platform featuring a variety of child-friendly animated content.
- Sensical: Free, curated content focusing on child development and safety.
- Hulu: Extensive collection of family-friendly movies and series with robust parental controls.
- Hopster Learning: Ad-free educational programming and interactive activities for preschoolers.
- Disney+: Ad-free streaming of classic and new Disney content with customizable profiles.
- DIRECTV Stream: Live and on-demand family entertainment with parental controls and DVR.
- Noggin: Educational shows and games for preschoolers with offline viewing options.
- Amazon Prime Video: Family-friendly shows and movies, including additional channels.
- Starz: Large library of family-friendly films and series with affordable, ad-free viewing.
- Kartoon Channel: Wide selection of kid-friendly TV series with 24/7 virtual streaming channels.
- Tubi: Free streaming service with a large library of ad-supported kids’ titles and basic parental controls.
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is a streaming site for kids that provides an extensive library of educational programs free of advertisements for any kind of device. Educational programs such as “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” have a lasting impact on children. With so much programming available, parents may need to help their children find what they want. PBS Kids focuses on programming that promotes cognitive development, in contrast to many other children’s programs. Kids can improve their arithmetic and science skills by playing educational activities on the app that are based on well-known PBS shows like “Arthur” and “Clifford the Big Red Dog.” For parents looking to provide their young children with high-quality, educational entertainment, this platform is invaluable.
Netflix
Netflix is great for movie nights with the family, relaxing after the kids go to bed, and entertaining young children when traveling. The extensive library it provides features instructional materials like “The Magic School Bus” and “Our Planet.” Even while some parents refer to it as “TV junk food,” the variety enables viewing preferences. An ad-supported version will run you $6.99 a month as of June 2024; higher tiers include ad-free, offline watching, and multiple displays. If it’s not the appropriate fit for your household, canceling is simple. Strong parental controls are available on Netflix: you may make Kids’ profiles, set maximum ratings, lock profiles with a PIN, restrict access to particular content, and update your profile with a PIN. In addition, you can limit your browsing by using airplane mode and download shows.
Kidoodle TV
Kidoodle TV provides free educational and fun material for kids up to the age of twelve. The app includes nature videos, game-themed material, and crafting tutorials in addition to licensed television series and films including Lego, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Pokemon, and Baby Shark. Included are favorites like Ryan’s World and Kidoodle originals like Wes Tank’s StoryRaps. Little Pim offers films that parents can use to teach Mandarin, French, German, Spanish, and Russian. While it’s free to watch as a visitor, creating an account enables parents or children to watch. Family-friendly advertisements are present in the Freemium edition, whereas the $5 monthly Premium version is ad-free. Limits are set using PIN-enabled parental controls, and viewing habits are monitored by analytics. available for smart TVs, Roku, FireTV, and more devices.
HappyKids
A free streaming site for kids called HappyKids offers 110,000 titles for kids ranging in age from newborns to tweens. It offers live channels, films, well-known children’s vloggers, and series like Happy Kids originals, Blippi, Cocomelon, Winx Club, and Total Drama Island. Age groups, Lego Corner, movies and TV shows, gaming videos, learning, and Spanish material are among the twelve categories that the app offers. There are new episodes, movies, and shorts like two-minute Peppa Pig episodes, even though some of the names are from YouTube. Due to HappyKids’ ad-based model, kids will view advertisements. Parental controls were updated in 2022 and now permit blocking of particular titles or genres. accessible via mobile devices, Fire TV, Roku, and Apple TV.
Paramount Plus
A fantastic selection of beloved Nickelodeon shows and characters, including Big Nate and Star Trek: Prodigy, can be found on Paramount Plus, along with classics like Rugrats, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and SpongeBob. The shows or movies tabs lead to the kids’ area, where you may look for Noggin, Nick Jr., or other branded entertainment. Five live channels—including special hubs for Paw Patrol and SpongeBob—stream continuously. With “Kids Mode” enabled, parents can make profiles, select avatars, and designate content for older or younger children based on appropriate rating systems. Ad-supported Essential and ad-free Premium subscriptions are $6 and $12, respectively.
Toon Goggles
There are many other categories, some of which are well-known, such as “Roblox” and Transformers. One of the live-action shows features feats of record set by Guinness World Records. Everything is kid-friendly, in keeping with the goal of CEO Stephen L. Hodge. “The entire platform is designed for children to access appropriate content safely and easily,” Hodge said to The Washington Times. There’s no profanity, violence, or sexual content.” This includes earlier programming that might not be appropriate for today’s tastes; “Tom and Jerry”-type programs are not included. Parents can use the service for free to give it a try. Should advertisements become a problem, your child can access fantastic new programs with a little investment.
Sensical
Sensical is a streaming service including video vetted for child development, founded by Common Sense Media, well-known for its reviews that cater to families. It enables parents restrict content to age-appropriate categories and guarantees that shows are accredited by independent organizations. Titles like “Teletubbies” and “Maya the Bee” are recognizable. “[We offer] ‘healthy streaming,’ which is age-appropriate and aligned to social, emotional, and cognitive levels,” Variety was told by CEO Eric Berger. Content is suitably reviewed by actual people, as opposed to platforms that rely on algorithms. Sensical is a free software that offers educational activities and nutritious snacks together with appropriateness-checked advertisements. This human-centered approach encourages a safe and enriching viewing experience by assisting parents in having faith in the material their kids watch.
Hulu
A family favorite, Hulu has 252 kid-friendly movies. “The Simpsons,” “The Amazing Race,” “Jumanji,” “Mr. Bean,” and “MasterChef Junior” are all enjoyable for kids. It’s simple to create child-specific accounts, and the information is acceptable. Hulu offers sophisticated parental controls, such as the capacity to block particular content, modify profiles, and impose watching limits. To add even more security, you can manage autoplay previews. With Hulu’s ad-free option, you may watch without interruption. Monthly subscriptions range from $7.99 for the ad-supported package to $17.99 for the ad-free one, providing a range of options to accommodate varying family requirements. With its extensive parental restrictions, Hulu offers a well-rounded product that leaves parents at ease and kids with an abundance of options.
Hopster Learning
Hopster offers ad-free programming that supports children’s social, emotional, and mathematical development to make learning enjoyable for them. Included are well-known programs like “Pingu” as well as unique ones like “Two Minute Tales from Shakespeare”. In addition, the app features lullabies in its music section, instructional activities like “Grow,” and downloaded content for offline viewing. With more than 2,000 family-friendly preschool TV series, early childhood curricula, games, books, and music, Hopster Learning is kidSAFE+ COPPA certified. Over 2 million families trust the app, which offers a 7-day free trial and subscriptions that range from $59.99 per year to $7.99 per month. A portion of the content is accessible for free, but the majority is protected by a paywall. Hopster is accessible as an Amazon Prime Video channel and in several languages.
Disney +
Disney+ is an ad-free streaming service with a century’s worth of family favorites. It features hits from all decades. Despite having a smaller collection than Netflix, families value the excellent material, lack of commercials, and adult-rated programming. Disney+’s mostly family-friendly programming and ad-free experience make it a popular choice for kids and caregivers, even though it now includes some R-rated and TV-MA content. With seven configurable profiles, content ratings for kids’ accounts that are easy to set up, PIN protection, and a “Kid-proof Exit” function, the service is kid-safe. Disney+ shines with its simple bundling options with Hulu + Live TV and ESPN+, despite some online complaints about missing favorites and promos for unavailable shows. This makes Disney+ a compelling choice for families seeking diverse and safe entertainment options.
Directv Stream
Although DIRECTV STREAM is more expensive than competing providers, it provides a wealth of family entertainment along with strong parental controls. Similar to traditional TV, it offers access to live and on-demand content together with limitless cloud DVR for flexible viewing and ad-skipping. Extras, Spanish-language programming, and a large remote cost extra. Despite configured settings, be wary of mature content in games, news, and advertisements. With games, local sports networks, and dual-device simultaneous streaming, the service shines. DIRECTV STREAM offers a wide range of selections, catering to your family’s interests in cartoons or sports teams like the Cardinals or Celtics, though the cost may be a factor.
Noggin
Noggin provides instructive yet enjoyable television series and films for kids ages 2–7, allowing them to play, read, or watch. The program has a $7.99 monthly fee after a free 30-day trial, with savings for yearly subscriptions. Popular shows including Blue’s Clues, Dora, Blaze, PAW Patrol, and Peppa Pig are available to subscribers. Noggin also offers two-player games and curricula with an emphasis on arithmetic, reading, problem-solving, social and emotional learning, and physical education. A variety of tablets and streaming gadgets offer on-demand content with offline watching choices. Noggin is well-liked by both children and parents and if the service isn’t up to grade, it’s easy to terminate and delete an account.
Amazon Prime Video
Given that it provides a wide selection of kid-friendly programs and is now free for Prime members, Amazon Prime Video is an affordable choice. The monthly cost of the video service is $8.99 for non-members. The collection features well-known children’s television programs such as “Sesame Street,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” although access could be restricted to specific seasons without further charges. The Paramount+ subscription service on Prime Video offers more possibilities, including “PAW Patrol.” However, because Prime Video is disorganized and has a mix of better and worse content, it can be difficult to navigate. While the stand-alone kids’ library is extensive but lacking in depth, pairing Prime Video with channel add-ons for PBS Kids, Noggin, Boomerang, Ameba, or Kidstream improves the options.
Starz
Starz has 210 family-friendly films and TV series, with 24 percent of its programming targeted towards younger audiences. Titles like Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, House of Anubis, and The Jetsons are among those on the catalog, guaranteeing a variety of family-friendly entertainment. Starz is easy to set up for children, even if there are no kid-specific profiles. Parental controls do not include profile locks, but they do include content banning, viewing limits, and profile customization. It’s wise to keep an eye on your kids’ media consumption to make sure they stay within recommended viewing ranges. For $9.99 a month, Starz provides a single ad-free membership option that allows for uninterrupted viewing devoid of unexpected commercials. This makes it a cost-effective option with a vast content library that suits family tastes for high-caliber entertainment.
Kartoon Channel
You may find a lot of kid-friendly stuff on the Kartoon Channel without having to worry about coming across anything unsuitable. There are much more TV series than movies in the collection.
Among the most watched series on the site include “Yu-Gi-Oh!”, “Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City,” and “Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten.” “English Tree TV,” “Peppa Pig,” “Roblox Rumble,” “Finny the Shark,” and “5-Minute Crafts.” Throwback shows including “Barney,” “Bob the Builder,” “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers,” and “Casper the Friendly Ghost” are available.
Only “Big Kids,” “Junior,” “Pre-School,” “Fairy Tales,” and “Game Loading” (video game programs) are included in the useful categories.
To watch without second-guessing your decision, Kartoon Channel also provides virtual streaming channels that are available around the clock.
Tubi
With 74 million users and a wide range of 3,455 free kid-friendly titles, Tubi excels at entertaining children. There is much to keep young viewers interested, with beloved shows like Here Comes Peter Cottontail, Tom & Jerry, Fern Gully, and Doctor Who. Ad-supported content necessitates careful monitoring of content exposure because it occasionally interrupts show. Tubi lacks more sophisticated features like customizable profiles, profile locks, PIN choices, and the ability to disable the auto play preview, but it does provide basic parental controls like viewing restrictions and content access limits. Despite these drawbacks, families looking for a variety of entertainment continue to find Tubi’s large free library to be a big draw. Making use of the resources at hand and remaining involved is essential to guaranteeing kids have a fun and safe Tubi viewing experience.
Education vs. Entertainment: Finding the Right Balance for Kids
In today’s digital landscape, the debate over effective education for children often intersects with the allure of entertainment. Researchers have found that digital media can effectively teach children subjects like mathematics and foster collaborative learning and foreign-language skills, as highlighted in a 2007 review by childhood education experts in California.
However, concerns persist about the quality and quantity of children’s screen time. A recent press release from the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development emphasizes the need for parents to limit both screen time and the types of content accessed, while also considering when children engage with digital devices.
For families navigating these choices, services that offer a mix of education and entertainment are ideal. From preschoolers to pre-teens, platforms that cater to developmental learning and recreational enjoyment are crucial. Many families opt for multiple streaming services and educational apps to create a diverse and enriching digital environment for their children.
Balancing educational value with engaging entertainment ensures that screen time contributes positively to a child’s development. As technology evolves, so too does the opportunity to leverage its potential for meaningful learning experiences.
Factors to Consider
- Programming Options for Children: Several streamers provide a wide range of family-friendly games for children and teenagers alike. Others target a younger audience or have smaller libraries.
- Parental Controls: Some services do not allow you to ban specific content for children or modify the age ratings. Make sure you can change the parental controls, restrict access to adult content, or select which content appears on each child’s age-appropriate profile.
- Multiple Streams at Once: Generally, services charge extra for multiple streams. Make sure you and other family members are protected and think about if sharing an account requires additional fees.
- Finding films and TV shows: Is it easy to utilize the interface? Using menus and other tools to look for content to watch should be quite simple.
Summing It Up
Finding the right streaming service for kids in 2024 involves balancing educational value with entertaining content while prioritizing safety through robust parental controls. With a plethora of options catering to diverse tastes and developmental stages, families can curate a rich digital environment for their children. Coupled with services like iProVPN for enhanced security and privacy, parents can ensure a safe and enriching viewing experience that supports their child’s growth and learning.
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FAQs
- What are the best streaming sites for kids in 2024?
There are several excellent streaming sites for kids in 2024, each offering unique features and content. Some popular choices include Disney+, Netflix, PBS Kids, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Kidoodle TV. These platforms offer a mix of educational programming, cartoons, movies, and parental controls to ensure a safe viewing experience.
- What should parents consider when choosing a streaming service for kids?
When selecting a streaming service for kids, parents should consider factors such as the range of educational and entertainment content available, the effectiveness of parental controls, cost, ease of use, and whether the service offers offline viewing options. It’s also important to review content ratings and user reviews to gauge suitability for different age groups.
- Are there free streaming options available for kids?
Yes, several streaming services offer free options for kids, although they may come with ads. Platforms like PBS Kids, Kidoodle TV (freemium version), Tubi, and HappyKids provide access to a wide range of children’s content at no cost. Premium subscriptions often remove ads and provide additional features.
- Which streaming service is best for educational content?
PBS Kids and Sensical are highly regarded for their focus on educational content. PBS Kids offers ad-free educational programming like “Arthur” and “Sesame Street,” while Sensical curates content approved by child development experts, emphasizing learning and emotional growth.
- How can parents ensure their child's safety while streaming?
Parents can enhance safety while streaming by using parental controls available on most platforms. These controls allow parents to set viewing restrictions, block specific content, create child profiles with age-appropriate settings, and monitor viewing history. It’s also advisable to discuss online safety with children and supervise their screen time.
- Can streaming services help with children's education?
Yes, many streaming services integrate educational content into their offerings. Platforms like Hopster Learning and Noggin provide shows and activities designed to support children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Parents can use these services to supplement traditional learning methods and engage children in educational topics.
- What are the benefits of using a VPN with streaming services for kids?
iProVPN with streaming services can enhance online security and privacy by encrypting internet traffic and masking the user’s IP address. This can help protect children from online threats, prevent unauthorized access to personal information, and bypass geo-blocked content to access a broader range of shows and movies.
