How to Watch YouTube With Your Toddler: A Simple Co-Viewing Plan

The American Academy of Pediatrics says very little is known about YouTube's impact on young children, and that most videos YouTube recommends are not educational. Its advice is to use YouTube only where a parent can "stay nearby and monitor what their child is watching." In practice: a playlist you chose, autoplay off, and you on the couch too.

Is YouTube bad for toddlers?

The honest answer is that nobody knows for sure, and the AAP says so. In its YouTube and young children Q&A, the AAP writes that "very little is known about its impact on children."

What researchers have looked at is the videos themselves. The AAP sums it up: "most of the videos recommended on YouTube are not educational, are marketing products or may lead to recommendation of content that is inappropriate for young children within just a few clicks."

That's why the AAP suggests families "consider whether YouTube is the right fit for their child's main media viewing or use it in situations where parents/caregivers are able to stay nearby and monitor what their child is watching."

We think that's sensible advice. The trouble isn't usually the first video. It's the second, third and tenth video that nobody chose.

What about YouTube Kids?

The AAP's advice covers both apps: "If your child watches YouTube or YouTube Kids, be choosy about what videos and channels they watch." A kids' app can help, but it doesn't replace you choosing the videos and staying close.

Whatever you use, set it up on your own account and your own device, and keep it in a shared room. The AAP's toddler guidance is direct about this: "AVOID letting your child have open-access to a tablet or phone."

What does co-viewing mean, and why does it matter?

Co-viewing simply means watching with your child. The Canadian Paediatric Society's parent handout puts it in one line: "Ideally, make screen use an activity you and your child do together. Watch with your child and talk about what you're seeing."

The AAP agrees. Its parent site, HealthyChildren.org, says: "Naturally, children learn more when they watch TV or use apps with a parent." And its policy statement Media and Young Minds asks parents of 2- to 5-year-olds to "coview with your children, help children understand what they are seeing, and help them apply what they learn to the world around them."

Co-viewing doesn't have to be a lesson. It can be as small as:

• pointing at the screen and naming what you see ("A big red apple!")
• pausing to let your child answer a question
• singing the chorus together, loudly
• copying a dance move, then trying it again with the screen off

A 5-step plan for watching YouTube with your toddler

Here's the setup we suggest. Each step comes straight from AAP, CPS or CDC advice.

1. Stay close

Sit with your child, or stay in the same room where you can see and hear the screen. This is the AAP's main condition for using YouTube at all.

2. Choose a playlist before you press play

The AAP's guidance for toddlers says: "If your child watches YouTube, make a playlist of high-quality videos for them." The CPS gives the same tip: "Create playlists or choose appropriate channels (i.e., on YouTube)." Keep the playlist short: two or three videos you have watched yourself first.

3. Turn off autoplay

The same AAP page adds: "Remember to turn off autoplay (so the algorithm doesn't decide what they watch next!)" Find the autoplay switch in the player or the app settings and turn it off before you start. When the playlist ends, the screen stops, and the decision is yours, not the app's.

4. Watch together and talk

Name things, ask questions, sing along. The AAP's toddler guidance says: "If your child is watching something interesting, talk about it. Do something related to the show or movie with your child." Keep the whole session well inside the daily limits in our guide to how much screen time a 2-year-old needs: about an hour or less a day for ages 2 to 5.

5. End with an off-screen song

Switch off and sing one of the songs again, just the two of you. The CDC's tips for 4-year-olds include: "Play your child's favorite songs and dance with your child. Take turns copying each other's moves." An off-screen song gives the session a happy, clear ending, which makes "all done" a little easier to hear.

How do I judge a YouTube channel for my toddler?

The AAP Q&A lists what to look for. Try to find channels where:

• "The characters/YouTubers are positive and kind."
• "They are not trying to sell your child anything or pressuring them to keep watching."
• "There are not too many ads that block the screen or interrupt the video."
• "You actually like watching along with your child (this is a good sign that the storyline is interesting or funny!)."

The AAP also says to "Skip any kid-influencers who are showing off or being negative role models." Its policy statement adds: "Avoid fast-paced programs (young children do not understand them as well), apps with lots of distracting content, and any violent content." The CPS reminds parents to "Limit your child's exposure to advertising and commercial content."

A good test: watch a whole video yourself before your child sees it. If you would happily watch it again with them, it may earn a spot on the playlist.

Our promise

LumiLand is a small Canadian channel of learning songs for toddlers and preschoolers, so we'd like to be clear about what we aim for. We aim for clear words your child can hear and repeat, plenty of repetition, kind characters (Lumi, Ray, Bobo, Mimi, Tuki and Nina, whom you can meet here), and songs simple enough to sing off-screen, in the car or at bath time. We check every letter, word and lyric before a song goes up.

We also want to be honest about our limits. Our songs are for fun and early practice. They don't replace you, your child's teachers or your child's doctor, and we don't claim that watching them will boost development. Right now there is one LumiLand episode, and The Color Song is coming soon.

Watch and sing together

Ready to try the five steps? Add the ABC Song for Toddlers to your playlist, turn off autoplay and sit down together. Start with the "Sing It Slowly" chapter, then pause during the "Alphabet Guessing Game" so your little one can guess first. Afterwards, switch off and sing it once more without the screen. For a full daily plan, see our 15-minute song routine, browse the ABC & phonics hub, or visit our For Parents page.

Sources

• AAP Q&A: YouTube and Young Children (updated May 2023)
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Kids & Screen Time: The 5 C's Questions for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Why to Avoid TV for Infants & Toddlers
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Media and Young Minds, Pediatrics 2016
• Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids: Screen use and young children (updated March 2025)
• Canadian Paediatric Society position statement: Screen time and preschool children (2022)
• CDC: Milestones by 4 Years